"the principle of competitive exclusion is not found in 'real nature.'...

"In fact, if interspecific competition and the principle of competitive exclusion between different meta-populations (and then, species) were to take place, probably the coexistence of different species would never realize."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20......0708.htm

A nice thought, but I think probably overstated.

On the one hand, cooperation as a survival strategy has definitely driven evolution, especially since evolution happens on the population level, not the individual level. If it's true that a pack of wolves can get food easier than a lone one, wolves will evolve to become more and more sociable with each other. And I think it's true that not enough attention is given to that very important fact. Humans are still around because we co-operated with each other to defend ourselves against other species and environmental threats, not because we competed against each other.

On the other hand, when two species are dealing with limited resources, and sharing the same ecological niche, then they can be in competition with each other on the species level, and the species that adapts faster to the changing environment will win out.

I saw something this winter which really struck me. The local park lake was mostly iced over with a few small areas that were still unfrozen. The birds which were usually spread out across the lake specie by specie were instead all crowded together in a small area of water. There must have been about seven or eight different kinds of birds in that small area. And I noticed that rather than attack each other for the limited resources of plants or food in the water, they generally kept out of each other's way with a live-and-let-live kind of attitude. I guess they made the calculation that it would use up too much energy to attack other birds and try to take away their food; instead they pretty quietly foraged on their own.

But here's the part that made it so interesting. As I was watching, all of a sudden at some point, all the birds--these are many different species remember--mallards, Canada geese, swans, coots, wigeons and more--started raising a huge ruckus. And they all headed *together* towards the ice to yell at some incoming gulls, who were flying above quite aggressively. They eventually got the gulls to fly away, and then the birds went back to their mellow feeding.

My interpreation of it was that the birds in the water had this tacit agreement that they weren't going to bother one another. But they knew that the gulls weren't going to go in on that agreement--maybe gulls never do. So they turned their co-operation in food eating to co-operation in defending their little territory against an uncooperative outside enemy, even across species.

This youtube channel runs computer simulations of classic evolutionary scenarios:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKzJFdi57J53Vr_BkTfN3uQ

One of the major concepts he likes to model is cooperation and other "altruistic" evolutionary strategies.

The videos can be a little on the dry side, but the statistical analysis that drives these models is fascinating (if you're in to that sort of thing...)

This might be somewhat, of a whimmy reply,...🙁
but,..
It does have TWO parts! 😀

1. Maybe 'evolution' works in both phases,..
but takes hold,..
when things have time,..'to make love'. 😍
...re-produce.
?

2. This might simply be 'my story',
but,..
my 'biggest steps for humanity',
come, after I have screwed up.
,...the bigger,..the 'better'(?).

Or, I guess I should say:
"When **I ** realised,..
i have screwed up
,..and work on change..

(I guess this makes me,..
'an Evol-lose-screw-utionist'. (?) )
?

Changing Humanity,...the WORLD(!),
...by changing myself? 🤔
hmmmm,...?

Ahhhhhh,...
I slept well and loooooong, last night. (🙃)
"Evolving?,...after a 'screw-up?",...some may ask? 🤔
I'm a Magician,...and Gentleman. 😳
gallagher