Mutualism

Generalist

species that interacts with many other species

Specialist

species that interact with one or a few other species

Obligate mutualist

two species that provide fitness benefits to each other and require each other to persist

Facultative mutualists

two species that provide fitness benefits to each other but whose interactions are not critical to the persistence of either species

Mycorrhizal fungi

surround plant roots and help plants obtain water and minerals

Plants

water, phosphorus, nitrogen

Fungi

oxygen and sugar

Endomycorrhizal Fungi

Hyphal threats that extend far out into the soil and penetrate root cells between the cell wall and the cell membrane

Ectomycorrhizal

hyphae that surround the roots of the plants an enter between root cells but rarely enter the cells

Roots produce nodules to surround bacteria

plants get nitrogen source. Bacteria get oxygen and sugar

microbiome

community of microorganisms that live in regions of a plant or animal’s body. Includes bacteria viruses, fungi, and other protist

Endophytic fungi

fungi that live inside a plant’s issue

Ectoparasites high abundance

mutualism

Ectoparasites low abundance

predation

Plants do not provide resources to fungi

if fungus does not provide nitrogen

Species with high dependence on mutualism

have reduced distributions when mutualism lost

Generalist mutualist

important for maturing species diversity and abundance