Natural selection and parallel evolution

[lavinia]

I am just learning about the theory of Evolution and wonder how parallel evolution of unrelated species during the same period of time is explained.

 

[iKnighty]

I am just learning about the theory of Evolution and wonder how parallel evolution of unrelated species during the same period of time is explained.

Evolution produces adequate solutions to problems a species is faced with.
Some of these problems have lots of solutions, others have a smaller number of implementable solutions.
In the case of Parallel Evolution I would haphazard a guess that it happens when the problem facing the species has a small number of implementable solutions, so there is a greater probability it will implement the same solution.

Also the way the problem is tackled depends on the way the problem is presented. If two species are faced with the same environment they will tend to respond to this environment [i.e. solve the problem] in the same way, if the solution is fully in tune with their current physique.

That is a speculation of mine, as a mathematics and computer science student, i.e. a non-expert in the field of Biology.

See this: http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/evolution/parallel-evolution.htm

 

[Lievo]

If two species are faced with the same environment they will tend to respond to this environment [i.e. solve the problem] in the same way, if the solution is fully in tune with their current physique.

That's considered as the most likely explanation. However, there is also the possibility that http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.64.120&rep=rep1&type=pdf" could be implicated somehow.