From friend to foe and back – Coevolutionary transitions in the mutualism-antagonism continuum [21.08.25]
We are pleased to announce a recent scientific publication by researchers from the Kombiota network: “From friend to foe and back – Coevolutionary transitions in the mutualism-antagonism continuum.”
(Photo: F. Jäger)
The paper deals with the evolutionary dynamics of biotic interactions and shows that interspecific relationships move dynamically along a continuum from mutualism to antagonism. Using a mathematical model, this study examines how cooperativeness in one species and discriminatory ability in the other influence each other and evolve together.
A key finding is that major ecological changes, such as a change of host or a new environment, can trigger transitions in both directions—from cooperation to conflict and back again. Particularly exciting is the evidence of an evolutionary tipping point: when the costs of cooperation or partner selection become too high, stable mutualism can collapse - and this loss cannot be easily reversed.
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