From fundamental biological units as tiny as genes to complex societies, ecological systems rely on cooperation. All manner of organisms can benefit from working together to survive in a dog-eat-dog world. "Mutualism is a common example of interspecies cooperation," says Utah State University ecologist Valerie Martin. "Scientists have long studied mutualisms between plants and pollinators, but understanding their origin and maintenance remains a challenge. Curiously, exploitative behaviors—including cheating—are rampant among mutualists and we're trying to understand why."
