Reciprocal rewards stabilize cooperation in the mycorrhizal symbiosis
Plants preferentially allocate carbohydrates to fungi providing more phosphorus
This landmark study demonstrated that both plants and mycorrhizal fungi preferentially reward more cooperative partners, providing a mechanism for mutualism stability. The research showed that plants allocate more carbohydrates to fungi providing more phosphorus, while fungi allocate more nutrients to plants providing more carbohydrates.
For organizational partnerships, this validates the importance of reciprocity monitoring and sanctions. The biological equivalent of outcome-based contracting exists in nature - partners that deliver more receive more in return. Organizations designing mutualistic partnerships should implement similar mechanisms tracking and rewarding partner contributions.
Key Findings from Kiers et al. (2011)
- Plants preferentially allocate carbohydrates to fungi providing more phosphorus
- Fungi preferentially allocate phosphorus to plants providing more carbohydrates
- Reciprocal rewards create stable cooperation without requiring contracts or enforcement
- Sanctioning mechanisms can maintain mutualism even when cheater variants exist
- Plants preferentially allocate carbon to fungi providing more nutrients
- Fungi preferentially allocate nutrients to plants providing more carbon
- Both partners can detect and respond to partner performance
- Reciprocal enforcement prevents cheating from dominating the symbiosis
- Cooperation is actively maintained, not passively stable
Used in 2 chapters
See how this research informs the book's frameworks:
Landmark study demonstrating both plants and fungi preferentially reward cooperative partners - providing mechanism for mutualism stability.
See reciprocity mechanisms →Revealed enforcement mechanisms maintaining mycorrhizal cooperation - plants and fungi actively sanction underperforming partners.
See cooperation enforcement →