Maximum entropy networks show that plant-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associations are anti-nested and modular.

ABSTRACT: There is uncertainty in whether there is a common pattern of nestedness and modularity in plant-arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi associations, partly because of limitations arising from the use of null models that randomly rewire the observed connections to test for non-random patterns in the network. Here, we overcome these limitations by generating null association matrices using maximum entropy network modelling, and specifically the bipartite binary configuration model (BiCM) with degree distributions as soft constraints. This was used to test the hypothesis that nestedness and modularity are prevalent in plant-AM fungi associations. In contrast to past findings, we found most plant-AM fungi associations were anti-nested and modular. This pattern was almost universal, being consistent

SUBMITTER: Ajaz S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12676088 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature