Partner dependency alters patterns of coevolutionary selection in mutualisms.

ABSTRACT: Coevolution is a ubiquitous driver of diversification in both mutualistic and antagonistic interactions between species. In mutualisms, coevolution can result in trait complementarity between partners that facilitates their persistence. Despite its importance, most of what we know about coevolution in mutualism comes from obligate interactions, whereas we know comparatively little about facultative interactions, arguably the most common type of mutualism. To evaluate coevolutionary dynamics in facultative mutualism and test how it compares with obligate mutualisms, we used a synthetic yeast mutualism where the partners exchange essential nutrient resources. We manipulated mutualism dependency by controlling the availability of mutualistic resources in the environment and measured coevoluti

SUBMITTER: Vidal MC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12130895 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature