Users, snoozers, and losers: Evolutionary implications of fungal behavior.

A Baldwin-effect-like mechanism may shape fungal evolutionary trajectories when individual mycelia make growth and branching choices that yield different offspring success.

• Why it matters: The Baldwin effect is established for animals, but it has not been applied to fungi because microorganisms were thought unable to transmit behavioral routines before genetic encoding.
• What they did: The work proposes that phenotypic plasticity or individuality in mycelial branching can create differential offspring output, linking environmental pressure to post hoc genetic stabilization.
• The result: By stabilizing mutations that favor specific mycelial geometries, this process implies fungal evolution can be driven by growth-time behavioral choices under environmental pressure.

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