  We study the Tangled Nature model of macro evolution and demonstrate that the
co-evolutionary dynamics produces an increasingly correlated core of well
occupied types. At the same time the entire configuration of types becomes
increasing de-correlated. This finding is related to ecosystem evolution. The
systems level dynamics of the model is subordinated to intermittent transitions
between meta-stable states. We improve on previous studies of the statistics of
the transition times and show that the fluctuations in the offspring
probability decreases with number of transitions. The longtime adaptation, as
seen by an increasing population size is demonstrated to be related to the
convexity of the offspring probability. We explain how the models behaviour is
a mathematical reflection of Darwin's concept of adaptation of profitable
variations.
