  We use a generalised version of the individual-based Tangled Nature model of
evolutionary ecology to study the relationship between ecosystem structure and
evolutionary history. Our evolved model ecosystems typically exhibit
interaction networks with exponential degree distributions and an inverse
dependence between connectance and species richness. We use a simplified
network evolution model to demonstrate that the observed degree distributions
can occur as a consequence of partial correlations in the inheritance process.
Futher to this, in the limit of low connectance and maximal correlation,
distributions of power law form, $P(k){\propto}1/k$, can be achieved. We also
show that a hyperbolic relationship between connectance and species richness,
$C{\sim}1/D$ can arise as a consequence of probabilistic constraints on the
evolutionary search process.
