Insights into constructing a stable and efficient microbial consortium system

• Microbial consortia offer advantages over monocultures for complex tasks, but instability and low efficiency hinder practical applications. • A progressive three-stage strategy (compromised, microenvironment-oriented, metabolite delivery-enhanced) is proposed for constructing stable and efficient consortia. • Key challenges include differential growth requirements, nutrient competition, and mass transfer limitations. • Integration of interdisciplinary approaches (e.g., materials science, mathematical models) is essential to advance consortium engineering.