The microbiome shapes many host traits, yet the biology of microbiomes challenges
traditional evolutionary models. Here, we illustrate how integrating the microbiome into …

Animal and plant microbiomes encompass diverse microbial communities that colonize
every accessible host tissue. These microbiomes enhance host functions, contributing to …

Advances in microbiome science require a better understanding of how beneficial microbes
adapt to hosts. We tested whether hosts select for more-cooperative microbial strains with a …

Bacterial accessory genes are genomic symbionts with an evolutionary history and future
that is different from that of their hosts. Packages of accessory genes move from strain to …

While the importance of mutualisms across the tree of life is recognized, it is not understood
why some organisms evolve high levels of dependence on mutualistic partnerships, while …

Background Understanding the genetic and environmental factors that structure plant
microbiomes is necessary for leveraging these interactions to address critical needs in …

Human activities have altered the global nitrogen (N) cycle, and as a result, elevated N
inputs are causing profound ecological changes in diverse ecosystems. The evolutionary …

Global climate change and shifting land‐use are increasing plant stress due to abiotic
factors such as drought, heat, salinity and cold, as well as via the intensification of biotic …

Diverse plants and animals have evolved specialized structures to filter and house
beneficial microbes. These symbiotic organs form crucial points of exchange between host …

Cheating is a focal concept in the study of mutualism, with the majority of researchers
considering cheating to be both prevalent and highly damaging. However, current …