Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation

Natural variation in fruiting body morphology in the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum

The paper examines variation in fruiting body morphology and stalk investment in natural populations of Dictyostelium discoideum, finding differences in altruism investment across populations and scales.

Optogenetic spatial patterning of cooperation in yeast populations

This paper uses optogenetics to control cooperation and cheating in yeast populations, showing that cooperation is most effective when cooperator domain size is constrained between two length-scales.

Benefit Transfer Loops Turn Cheating into a Scaffold for Microbial Diversity

The paper shows that moderate cheating in microbial communities supports biodiversity by creating self-sustaining exploitation cycles, while excessive cheating leads to system collapse.

Higher-order effects, continuous species interactions, and trait evolution shape microbial spatial dynamics

The paper models microbial community dynamics using a continuous trait space framework, finding that mutation size and mobility best explain diversity patterns, and community formation time influences diversity profiles.

Evolution of specialization in dynamic fluids

This study shows physical factors like diffusion and flow patterns influence community structure evolution as much as fitness economics, allowing multiple community structures to coexist.

Intercellular positive-feedback loops promote the evolutionary stability of microbial cooperative behaviors

The paper shows that intercellular positive feedback loops stabilize microbial cooperation by reducing the need for population structure, using synthetic biology experiments with Bacillus subtilis.

Shearing in flow environment promotes evolution of social behavior in microbial populations

The paper shows that flow shear promotes social behavior in microbial populations by limiting cheating strain spread and enhancing cooperativity.