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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2023.04.12.536632

Generalized mutualisms promote range expansion in both plant and ant partners

Nathan, P.·Guenard, B.·Economo, E. P.·Simonsen, A.·Frederickson, M.
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Abstract

Mutualism improves organismal fitness, but strong dependence on another species can also limit a species ability to thrive in a new range if its partner is absent. We assembled a large, global dataset on mutualistic traits and species ranges to investigate how multiple plant-animal and plant-microbe mutualisms affect the spread of legumes and ants to novel ranges. We found that generalized mutualisms increase the likelihood that a species establishes and thrives beyond its native range, whereas specialized mutualisms either do not affect or reduce non-native spread. This pattern held in both legumes and ants, indicating that specificity between mutualistic partners is a key determinant of ecological success in a new habitat. Our global analysis shows that mutualism plays an important, if often overlooked, role in plant and insect invasions.

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Nathan, P., Guenard, B., Economo, E. P., Simonsen, A., Frederickson, M.. 2023-04-14. Generalized mutualisms promote range expansion in both plant and ant partners. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.04.12.536632

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