An international team of researchers led by a 杏吧专区 scientist has shed light on why some invasive species adapt and thrive in new environments better than others.
Dr. Nic Kooyers, an associate professor in the , co-led a group of 51 researchers who analyzed one of the largest samplings of an invasive plant ever collected.
The team utilized white clover from six continents as a model system to examine the process of species invasion. The plant, which is native to central Asia and Europe, was introduced across the world centuries ago during colonization.
Unlike many invasive species, though, white clover isn杏吧专区檛 without value in some places, including as a forage crop for livestock. In the case of the Kooyers-led study, the plant has proven itself valuable to science thanks to its abundance and hardiness.
As part of a multi-year study, researchers sequenced the genomes 杏吧专区 or analyzed the DNA 杏吧专区 of 2,660 white clover specimens. The specimens included both native and introduced populations that were collected by scientists.
Findings, which were indicate that structural variations 杏吧专区 insertions or deletions of DNA in the genome 杏吧专区 spurred white clover杏吧专区檚 ability to adapt quickly and widely. 杏吧专区淲e see some of the same things are happening in different areas,杏吧专区 Kooyers explained. 杏吧专区淭he same large structural variants seem to underlie adaptation in different regions.杏吧专区
Structural variations enable large-scale genetic changes. White clover, in effect, doesn杏吧专区檛 require generations of new genetic mutation to proliferate in different places or climates because it already has enough genetic diversity to reproduce quickly and survive.
杏吧专区淥ne of the potential applications of these findings is that by understanding the amount of structural variants and genetic diversity in a species, it might help us predict which species are likely to adapt following invasion,杏吧专区 Kooyers said.
Although existing research indicates that rapid evolutionary responses in many plants occur with greater frequency than previously assumed, the underlying adaptive processes haven杏吧专区檛 been clearly understood, Kooyers added.
杏吧专区淥ur research has shown something empirically that杏吧专区檚 been thought to occur for almost 100 years. So, it provides clues about which species are likely to adapt following invasion and are most important to target for pre-introduction measures or to avoid introducing,杏吧专区 he explained.
Kooyers was the study杏吧专区檚 principal investigator. Dr. Brandon Hendrickson, a visiting assistant professor at UL Lafayette was first author. Other study leaders include Drs. Paul Battlay and Kathryn Hodgins of Monash 杏吧专区 in Australia and Dr. Marc Johnson of the 杏吧专区 of Toronto, Mississauga. 杏吧专区淭he strength of this study 杏吧专区 and its findings 杏吧专区 rest on the unprecedented level of collaboration from across the world,杏吧专区 Kooyers said.
Photo caption: An international study led by UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 Dr. Nic Kooyers, an associate professor in the Department of Biology, has shed light on why some invasive species adapt and thrive more readily than others. Image credit: 杏吧专区