Browsing by Autor "Natalie Iwanycki Ahlstrand"

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Travel Tales of a Worldwide Weed: Genomic Signatures of Plantago major L. Reveal Distinct Genotypic Groups With Links to Colonial Trade Routes
(Frontiers Media, 2022) Natalie Iwanycki Ahlstrand; Shyam Gopalakrishnan; Filipe Garrett Vieira; Vanessa C. Bieker; Heidi M. Meudt; Stephanie Dunbar‐Co; Carl J. Rothfels; Karen Martinez Swatson; Carla Maldonado; Gustavo Hassemer
Retracing pathways of historical species introductions is fundamental to understanding the factors involved in the successful colonization and spread, centuries after a species' establishment in an introduced range. Numerous plants have been introduced to regions outside their native ranges both intentionally and accidentally by European voyagers and early colonists making transoceanic journeys; however, records are scarce to document this. We use genotyping-by-sequencing and genotype-likelihood methods on the selfing, global weed, <i>Plantago major</i>, collected from 50 populations worldwide to investigate how patterns of genomic diversity are distributed among populations of this global weed. Although genomic differentiation among populations is found to be low, we identify six unique genotype groups showing very little sign of admixture and low degree of outcrossing among them. We show that genotype groups are latitudinally restricted, and that more than one successful genotype colonized and spread into the introduced ranges. With the exception of New Zealand, only one genotype group is present in the Southern Hemisphere. Three of the most prevalent genotypes present in the native Eurasian range gave rise to introduced populations in the Americas, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, which could lend support to the hypothesis that <i>P. major</i> was unknowlingly dispersed by early European colonists. Dispersal of multiple successful genotypes is a likely reason for success. Genomic signatures and phylogeographic methods can provide new perspectives on the drivers behind the historic introductions and the successful colonization of introduced species, contributing to our understanding of the role of genomic variation for successful establishment of introduced taxa.
Travel tales of a worldwide weed: genomic signatures reveal colonial trade routes and prior adaptation are key to the success of Plantago major
(2020) Natalie Iwanycki Ahlstrand; Shyam Gopalakrishnan; Filipe Garrett Vieira; Heidi M. Meudt; Stephanie Dunbar Co; Carl J. Rothfels; Karen Martinez Swatson; Carla Maldonado; Gustavo Hassemer; Alexey Shipunov
Retracing pathways of historical species introductions is fundamental to understanding the factors involved in the successful colonization and spread, centuries after a species’ establishment in an introduced range. Numerous plants are thought to have been introduced to regions outside their native ranges by European voyagers and early colonists making transoceanic journeys; however, records are scare to document this. We use genotyping-by-sequencing and genotype-likelihood methods on the selfing, global weed, Plantago major, collected from 50 populations worldwide to test hypotheses that the plant was brought to new regions during colonial times. We further investigate how patterns in genomic diversity facilitate the success of this global weed. Although genomic differentiation among populations is found to be low, we identify six unique ecotypes showing very little sign of admixture. Three of the most prevalent of these ecotypes present in the native range gave rise to introduced populations in the Americas, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, indicating that more than one successful ecotype colonized and spread. The distribution of ecotypes is found to have links to colonial history, and ecotypes are further found to be restricted by latitude. Dispersal of multiple successful ecotypes and prior adaptation in the native range to latitudinally dependent environmental factors (such as climate) are likely reasons for the success of this prolific, global weed. Genomic signatures can provide new perspectives on the drivers behind the historic introductions and the successful colonization of introduced species in an era of global change.