Botany of Desire Blog

Borislav Dopudja Portfolio

University of Wisconsin: Washington County

http://www.finecooking.com/

http://sydkab.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/co-evolution/

http://www.differencebetween.net/

National Geographic

This blog post starts out with these photos that all connect to the idea of co-evolution in organisms as was stated in The Botany of Desire. First he started off by talking about bees and how the plants with flowers that they get nectar from, have co-evolved for mutual gain. This can be seen as a mirror to gardeners and the plants that they grow. These plants have changed so we would enjoy them and keep passing along their genes. The potato for example has evolved to something we want today for food.  Tulips have changed by keeping the genes that appeal to us.  Another analogy is the hummingbird that pollinates flowers just as bees do, unconsciously.  The plants have evolved so their pollen will get on these animals and spread to the next flower. The plants we eat have evolved in a similar way, they have changed so that they give us something we crave. This can be beauty, taste, or even stimulation. So he brings up: Why are wolves more amazing then dogs? Dogs outnumber wolves marginally today and yet wolves are supposedly their superior ancestors. Dogs however, have something the wolves don't. They evolved and learned if they appease humans they get to live and pass their genes on in the form of offspring.