There may be no such thing as a free meal, but many species have evolved mechanisms for other species to consume the literal fruits of their labors. In the present article, inspired by a chef's recognition that such species are “nature's chefs,” we consider food-making species from the plant, animal, and fungal kingdoms, which produce food or mimic food to increase their own fitness. We identify three ways that species can produce or prepare meals—as food, drinks, or lures—and further distinguish between those providing an honest meal and those deceiving consumers with food mimics. By considering these species holistically, we highlight new hypotheses about the ecology and evolution of the widespread phenomenon of organisms that produce food for other organisms. We find surprising and useful generalities and exceptions among species as different as apple trees and anglerfish by examining species interactions across taxa, systems, and disciplines.

中文翻译：

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大自然的厨师：在整个生命之树中联合食物制作和准备物种的隐藏多样性

世界上可能没有免费的饭菜，但许多物种已经进化出一种机制，让其他物种能够吃掉它们的劳动成果。在本文中，受一位厨师认识到这些物种是“大自然的厨师”的启发，我们考虑了来自植物、动物和真菌王国的食物制造物种，它们生产食物或模仿食物以增加自身的适应性。我们确定了物种可以生产或准备膳食的三种方式——食物、饮料或诱饵——并进一步区分提供诚实膳食的方式和使用食物模仿来欺骗消费者的方式。通过从整体上考虑这些物种，我们强调了关于为其他生物生产食物的生物的普遍现象的生态学和进化的新假设。