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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 20, 2026

Investigation of Plant Interactions Across Common Mycorrhizal Networks Using Rotated Cores

Investigation of Plant Interactions Across Common Mycorrhizal Networks Using Rotated Cores

Published on: March 26, 2019

Multilevel selection theory informs context-dependent mycorrhizal functioning.

Anne M Katula^1,2, Nancy Collins Johnson^3,4, V Bala Chaudhary⁵

¹Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States.

Frontiers in Microbiomes

|March 19, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Multilevel selection theory helps explain why arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi symbioses vary. Applying this framework to AM fungi, from genes to holobionts, clarifies their complex interactions with plants.

Keywords:

arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi context-dependency cooperation holobiont multilevel selection theory

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Published on: May 17, 2022

Area of Science:

Ecology
Evolutionary Biology
Mycology

Background:

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi form crucial plant symbioses, but their effects are highly variable.
This variability arises from complex eco-evolutionary dynamics across biological levels, hindering general predictions.
Multilevel selection theory (MLST) offers a framework to understand this context-dependent variability.

Purpose of the Study:

To outline MLST principles and their application to AM fungal symbioses.
To explore how MLST can enhance understanding of AM fungal functioning and outcomes.
To propose future research directions for studying AM symbiosis complexity.

Main Methods:

Conceptual framework development based on MLST.
Identification of key biological levels in AM symbioses (genes, nuclei, spores, holobionts) as units of selection.
Analysis of ecological contexts (stress, spatial structure, community composition) modulating selection.

Main Results:

MLST provides a robust framework for interpreting functional variability in AM symbioses.
Four biological levels (genes, nuclei, spores, holobionts) can act as units of selection.
Ecological factors significantly influence the balance of selection across levels, shaping cooperation.

Conclusions:

MLST application deepens the understanding of ubiquitous AM fungal symbioses.
Understanding multilevel selection is key to deciphering the complexity and adaptability of AM fungi.
Future research should leverage MLST to investigate AM symbiosis dynamics and outcomes.