Evolution is usually depicted as a consequence of the never-ending war between living things — a “Struggle for Existence amongst all organic beings,” as Charles Darwin put it. The physical environment around those living things plays a part, but it’s secondary to the intimate relationships that organisms have with one another. Whether talking about symbioses or the ongoing competitions between species called Red Queen’s races, researchers largely take it for granted that ecological relationships are the primary force of evolution.
Source: How Jurassic Plankton Stole Control of the Ocean’s Chemistry | Portside