Trait divergence and the ecosystem impacts of invading species.

are induced in plants by a variety of plant-associated rootcolonizing microbes, including plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, P. indica and mycorrhizal fungi, as summarized in Shoresh et al. (2010). This is, apparently, an example of convergent evolution by very dissimilar organisms. Presumably, the ability of these microbes to induce changes in plants, resulting in a large number of healthy roots in which they live, provides a competitive advantage.