{
  "abstract": "Ecological theory traditionally posits widespread trade-offs in organismal growth, survival, and reproduction. One core trade-off is the relation between maximum intrinsic growth rate (r) and carrying capacity (K), proposed as a key mechanism explaining species coexistence and the maintenance of biodiversity. To quantify how r relates to K in microbes, we analyzed more than 70,000 microbial growth curves in dozens of media conditions. In this set, we observed a strong positive correlation between r and K, challenging classic life-history expectations of a trade-off. This unexpected \"trade-up\" can be recovered by a model assuming a non-zero maintenance cost in cells. The model predicts a stronger trade-up under stress conditions that reduce growth rate, consistent with empirical data showing that salinity stress strengthens the trade-up. We also found that community assembly weakens but does not eliminate this positive r-K relationship. The robust growth-yield trade-up between species contrasts with patterns within species. Single-gene knockout datasets in Escherichia coli and budding yeast show no or only weak r-K relationships. Together, our results suggest that the lack of strong trade-offs between growth rate and carrying capacity may be widespread across species, emphasizing the importance of alternative trade-offs and coexistence mechanisms beyond the classical r-K framework.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Massachusetts Institute of Technology"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "J. Xiong"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. S. Huisman"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "J. Gore"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/beqspz020qj0z.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.09.08.750265",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.08.750265v1.full",
  "id": "beqspz020qj0z",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.08.750265v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "ecology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1311|Evolution and Genetic Dynamics"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7212284339",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.08.750265v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-08",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/beqspz020qj0z.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:21:25Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.09.08.750265",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.08.750265v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:ecology",
      "subfield": "ecology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Growth rate and yield are not constrained by a trade-off in microbes",
  "title_text": "Growth rate and yield are not constrained by a trade-off in microbes",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:21:25Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/beqspz020qj0z",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}