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Macroecology

Generalism accumulates on the path to success

An analysis of nearly 44,000 mutualistic, commensalistic and parasitic interactions suggests that a species’ ecological generalism results from, rather than causes, ecological success.

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Fig. 1: Generalism as cause versus consequence.

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Correspondence to Lesley T. Lancaster.

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Lancaster, L.T. Generalism accumulates on the path to success. Nat Ecol Evol 8, 1569–1570 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-024-02492-8

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