Complex Ecotype Dynamics Evolve in Response to Fluctuating Resources
Megan G. Behringer, Wei-Chin Ho, John C. Meraz, Samuel F. Miller, Gwyneth F. Boyer, Carl J. Stone, Meredith Andersen, Michael Lynch
Abstract
Despite regular feast and famine conditions representing an environmental pressure that is commonly encountered by microbial communities, the evolutionary outcomes of repeated cycles of feast and famine have been less studied. By experimentally evolving initially isogenic Escherichia coli populations to 10-day feast/famine cycles, we observed rapid diversification into ecotypes with evidence of bidirectional cross-feeding on costly resources and frequency-dependent fitness.
Topics & Concepts
EcotypeFamineDiversification (marketing strategy)BiologyEvolutionary dynamicsEcologyEvolutionary biologyGeographyDemographyPopulationSociologyBusinessArchaeologyMarketingEvolution and Genetic DynamicsEvolutionary Game Theory and CooperationMathematical and Theoretical Epidemiology and Ecology Models