Co-Adaptation of Organisms and Their Survival in Local Environments

This tutorial introduces students to the concept of co-adaptation and presents examples of organisms developing behaviours or physical characteristics that help them work together. Examples include the re-use of old woodpecker nests by Boreal owls, the prolific breeding behaviour of voles (providing a food source for predators without threatening their own population), and the caching of whitebark pine seeds by the Clark's nutcracker (broacasting the seeds over a wide area while providing food for grizzly bears and red squirrels). Educational levels: Intermediate elementary, Middle school