TY - JOUR

T1 - Nature's chefs

T2 - Uniting the hidden diversity of food making and preparing species across the tree of life

AU - Taylor, Brad W.

AU - Allf, Bradley

AU - Hopkins, Skylar R.

AU - Irwin, Rebecca E.

AU - Jewell, Michelle

AU - Nevo, Omer

AU - Nichols, Lauren M.

AU - Valerón, Nabila Rodríguez

AU - Evans, Joshua D.

AU - Sörensen, Pia M.

AU - Dunn, Robert R.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2023.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - There may be no such thing as a free meal, but many species have evolved mechanisms for other species to consume the literal fruits of their labors. In the present article, inspired by a chef’s recognition that such species are “nature’s chefs, ” we consider food-making species from the plant, animal, and fungal kingdoms, which produce food or mimic food to increase their own fitness. We identify three ways that species can produce or prepare meals—as food, drinks, or lures—and further distinguish between those providing an honest meal and those deceiving consumers with food mimics. By considering these species holistically, we highlight new hypotheses about the ecology and evolution of the widespread phenomenon of organisms that produce food for other organisms. We find surprising and useful generalities and exceptions among species as different as apple trees and anglerfish by examining species interactions across taxa, systems, and disciplines.

AB - There may be no such thing as a free meal, but many species have evolved mechanisms for other species to consume the literal fruits of their labors. In the present article, inspired by a chef’s recognition that such species are “nature’s chefs, ” we consider food-making species from the plant, animal, and fungal kingdoms, which produce food or mimic food to increase their own fitness. We identify three ways that species can produce or prepare meals—as food, drinks, or lures—and further distinguish between those providing an honest meal and those deceiving consumers with food mimics. By considering these species holistically, we highlight new hypotheses about the ecology and evolution of the widespread phenomenon of organisms that produce food for other organisms. We find surprising and useful generalities and exceptions among species as different as apple trees and anglerfish by examining species interactions across taxa, systems, and disciplines.

KW - drink

KW - food

KW - fruit

KW - mimic

KW - mutualism

KW - nectar

KW - nuptial gift

KW - plating

U2 - 10.1093/biosci/biad026

DO - 10.1093/biosci/biad026

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85165244707

VL - 73

SP - 408

EP - 421

JO - BioScience

JF - BioScience

SN - 0006-3568

IS - 6

ER -