Nature Communications (Jul 2018)

Stability criteria for complex microbial communities

  • Stacey Butler,
  • James P. O’Dwyer

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05308-z
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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Network stability is a central topic in theoretical ecology, with most work focusing on mutualistic or food web networks. Here, the authors explore the stability of microbial networks based on the consumption and exchange of resources, showing that asymmetry in crossfeeding relationships can destabilize networks.