Tragedy of the Commons

Biological Parallel

When resources are shared without regulation, overexploitation is inevitable—or so Garrett Hardin claimed. But biology shows cooperative solutions: mycorrhizal fungi networks share nutrients among trees, even transferring carbon from healthy to struggling individuals. Bacteria use quorum sensing to prevent premature resource depletion. The tragedy isn't inevitable; it emerges when organisms lack mechanisms for coordination, communication, or punishment of defectors—mechanisms that evolved ecosystems deploy constantly.