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Published on: August 18, 2023
Eco-evolutionary dynamics lead to functionally robust and redundant communities
Lorenzo Fant1,2,3, Iuri Macocco3,4, Jacopo Grilli5
1Dynamics of Ecosystems and Computational Oceanography (ECHO), National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS, Trieste, Italy.
Plos Computational Biology
|July 21, 2026
Summary
Microbial communities show diverse species but similar functions due to environmental selection. This study reveals eco-evolutionary dynamics leading to a predictable "functional attractor" despite variable species composition.
Area of Science:
- Microbial Ecology
- Eco-evolutionary Dynamics
- Theoretical Ecology
Background:
- Microbial communities exhibit high taxonomic diversity and variability.
- Environmental conditions drive functional similarity, leading to the concept of functional redundancy.
- The theoretical basis for functional redundancy in microbial ecology remains underdeveloped.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the eco-evolutionary dynamics of microbial communities.
- To understand the origins of functional redundancy and robustness.
- To develop a theoretical framework for predictable community functions.
Main Methods:
- Modeling eco-evolutionary dynamics of competing and cross-feeding microbial communities.
- Analyzing the convergence of ecological and evolutionary trajectories.
- Examining the interplay between taxonomic and functional composition.
Main Results:
- Eco-evolutionary trajectories rapidly converge to a stable
- functional attractor
- ,
- determined by environmental conditions.
- Taxonomic composition exhibits non-reproducible dynamics.
- Functional composition is conserved despite taxonomic variability.
Conclusions:
- Environmental conditions predict functional composition, not taxonomic composition.
- The study provides a theoretical foundation for functional robustness and redundancy.
- This framework explains how diverse microbial communities maintain stable functions.
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