Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Symbiosis00:58

Symbiosis

32.9K
Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
32.9K
Diversity of Protists III01:27

Diversity of Protists III

220
Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...
220
Diversity of Protists II01:27

Diversity of Protists II

247
Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
247
Diversity of Protists IV01:27

Diversity of Protists IV

256
Amoebozoa represent a diverse group of terrestrial and aquatic protists that utilize lobe-shaped pseudopodia for locomotion and feeding. This characteristic differentiates them from the Rhizaria, which possess threadlike pseudopodia. The primary classifications within Amoebozoa include gymnamoebas, entamoebas, and the plasmodial and cellular slime molds. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that Amoebozoa diverged from a lineage that ultimately gave rise to fungi and animals.Gymnamoebas and...
256
Diversity of Protists I01:15

Diversity of Protists I

254
Excavata is a diverse group of protists that includes both chemoorganotrophic and phototrophic species, with some thriving in anaerobic environments. Among the key groups within Excavata are diplomonads and parabasalids, which are flagellated protists that lack mitochondria and chloroplasts. These microorganisms typically inhabit anoxic environments, such as the intestines of animals, where they exist either symbiotically or as parasites, relying on fermentation for energy production. Some...
254
Inclusive Fitness00:57

Inclusive Fitness

36.4K
Most altruistic behavior—in which one animal helps another at a cost to themselves—occurs between relatives. Scientists think these altruistic behaviors evolved because they increase the inclusive fitness of the animal providing help.
36.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Landscape configuration and community structure jointly determine the persistence of mutualists under habitat loss.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2026
Same author

The Roles of Space and Food-Web Complexity in Mediating Ecological Recovery.

Ecology letters·2025
Same author

AMF diversity promotes plant community phosphorus acquisition and reduces carbon costs per unit of phosphorus.

The New phytologist·2025
Same author

The emergence of eukaryotes as an evolutionary algorithmic phase transition.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025
Same author

Coevolution increases robustness to extinctions in mutualistic but not exploitative communities.

Ecology·2025
Same author

Prototypical innate immune mechanism hijacked by leukemia-initiating mutant stem cells for selective advantage and immune evasion in Ptpn11-associated juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia.

Research square·2024
Same journal

Traffic Reduction during COVID-19 Lockdowns Benefited Species Already Tolerant of Noise Pollution: An Acoustic Analysis.

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

On Pachycephalosaurs, Trade-Offs, and the Historical Genesis of Sociosexual Display Structures.

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

Structured Landscapes Promote Persistence by Favoring Prudent Predators.

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

Can Carbon Economy Explain Leaf Dynamic Seasonality in a Tropical Seasonal Rainforest?

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

Behavior and Physiology Outpace Form When Linking Traits to Ecological Responses within Populations: A Meta-Analysis.

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

Seminal Fluid Proteins as Regulation Factors for Optimizing Reproduction: A Modeling Approach.

The American naturalist·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 3, 2025

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
08:16

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

Published on: March 13, 2014

19.0K

Cheating in Mutualisms Promotes Diversity and Complexity.

Daniel Wechsler, Jordi Bascompte

    The American Naturalist
    |February 17, 2022
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Cheating in mutualisms drives species diversification and complex interactions, but increases the risk of mutualism collapse. This occurs because increased organismal complexity is inversely related to robustness.

    Keywords:
    coevolutioncooperationgame theorygenotype-phenotype map

    More Related Videos

    Layers of Symbiosis - Visualizing the Termite Hindgut Microbial Community
    11:28

    Layers of Symbiosis - Visualizing the Termite Hindgut Microbial Community

    Published on: May 28, 2007

    32.6K
    JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning
    09:23

    JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning

    Published on: March 21, 2025

    1.3K

    Related Experiment Videos

    Last Updated: Oct 3, 2025

    Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
    08:16

    Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

    Published on: March 13, 2014

    19.0K
    Layers of Symbiosis - Visualizing the Termite Hindgut Microbial Community
    11:28

    Layers of Symbiosis - Visualizing the Termite Hindgut Microbial Community

    Published on: May 28, 2007

    32.6K
    JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning
    09:23

    JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning

    Published on: March 21, 2025

    1.3K

    Area of Science:

    • Evolutionary biology
    • Theoretical ecology
    • Systems biology

    Background:

    • Mutualisms, like plant-pollinator interactions, are widespread but threatened by cheating.
    • Understanding the evolution of cooperation and species diversity in mutualisms remains a challenge.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate how cheating influences the evolution of cooperation and diversity in mutualisms.
    • To explore the role of complex biological mechanisms in mediating species interactions.

    Main Methods:

    • An individual-based model simulating two coevolving species.
    • Incorporation of Boolean circuits for individuals to discriminate between cooperators and cheaters.
    • Analysis of the relationship between complexity, robustness, and mutualism stability.

    Main Results:

    • Cheating promotes diversification and the evolution of complex discrimination mechanisms.
    • Increased organismal complexity is inversely related to mutational robustness.
    • Higher complexity leads to an increased risk of mutualism collapse.

    Conclusions:

    • Cheating can be a powerful evolutionary driver, leading to complex interactions and biodiversity.
    • The evolution of complex traits in mutualisms may come at the cost of stability.
    • Boolean circuits offer a novel framework for modeling complex coevolutionary dynamics.