Genetic diversity and population structure of an invasive plant species differ in two non‐native regions with differing climate and invasion success

Abstract

One of the fundamental questions in invasion biology is why an alien species successfully invades one region but fails to do so in another region. In this regard, the recently emerging molecular ecology tools have made it possible to understand the genetic basis of invasion success and/or failure of alien species in different regions. Here we report the results of studies of the population genetic structure and diversity of Parthenium hysterophorus L. – a global plant invader – from two climatically distinct Himalayan regions: Jammu and Kashmir. While P. hysterophorus has successfully invaded across the subtropical Jammu region, it failed to invade the neighbouring temperate Kashmir region. The results, based on the ISSR data, revealed that the populations from Jammu were genetically more diverse than those from Kashmir. This conclusion was further supported by cluster analysis which grouped all the five populations of P. hysterophorus from Jammu region, but clearly separated out the Kashmir population. It is plausible that this low genetic diversity of P. hysterophorus in the latter region, along with the environmental barrier (i.e. temperate climate), has so far prevented the naturalisation and wide spread of this invasive plant species in Kashmir. The research insights from the present study, therefore, have potential implications for understanding the genetic basis of plant invasions.

Temporal changes in genetic diversity reveal small-scale invasion dynamics of the eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana) in the Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve in Ohio

“…The invasion processes of nonnative species imply an initial founder effect into a novel range; therefore, the new populations typically have lower diversity relative to populations in their native ranges (Uller and Leimu 2011; Ward et al 2008; Zhao et al 2013; Zimmermann et al 2010). Moreover, environmental filtering also causes diversity loss in alien species after arrival at their new locations, further lowering genetic diversity (Dar et al 2020; Dormontt et al 2014; Vyšniauskienė et al 2011). In contrast, native species that become invasive do not always experience loss of genetic diversity due to environmental filtering (Negi et al 2021).…”