Q.32 - Biology

Question

Explain how the Red Queen Hypothesis describes the continuously evolving relationship between red grapes and Botrytis cinerea. 

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The Red Queen Hypothesis describes the relationship between red grapes and Botrytis cinerea as predator and prey. Where the grapes are the prey and the fungi are the predator. And one must constantly adapt, evolve, and proliferate in order to survive. 

Step1. Introduction

The Red Queen hypothesis is a hypothesis in evolutionary biology, that species must constantly adapt, evolve, and proliferate in order to survive while pitted against ever-evolving opposing species. 

Step2. Explanation

The Red Queen Hypothesis describes the biological stalemate between a predator and prey. The two populations are constantly applying evolutionary pressure on each other, forcing each population to adapt to counter an adaptation of the other population. 

In the case of the fungi Botrytis cinerea and the red grape plant, the grapes are the prey and the fungi are the predator in the Red Queen Hypothesis. The grapes develop defenses to prevent infection by the fungi, ensuring that the Botrytis cinerea that survive to colonize the red grapes have developed adaptations to overcome the plant defenses. The red grapes that then survive the infection are the plants that have additional adaptations that limit the pathogenicity of Botrytis cinerea . 

This cycle continues to repeat unless one population evolves an adaptation that cannot be countered by the other population, which would wipe out the later population.