Abstract Detail

Plant invasions in a time of environmental change

Richards, Christina L [1], Bossdorf, Oliver [2], Pigliucci, Massimo [3].

Mechanisms of rapid evolution in novel and changing environments.

Many studies contend that rapid genetic differentiation, phenotypic plasticity or pre-adapted genotypes contribute to the expansion of invasive species. A critical component of understanding the importance of these mechanisms is the possible constraint imposed by reduced genetic variation following a population bottleneck and the assumption that dramatically reduced genetic variation will severely limit evolutionary potential. Despite this limitation, a growing number of studies have found that many plant invaders are successful, and can colonize new habitats with low DNA sequence based diversity. Several authors have recently argued that since heritable phenotypic differences may also arise from epigenetic effects, documenting these molecular level phenomena is potentially important for studies in ecology and evolution. In particular, epigenetic effects have been shown to play a role in response to hybridization and exposure to stressful or novel environments, which are circumstances often experienced by invasive plants. In addition, phenotypic plasticity and maternal effects may result from underlying epigenetic mechanisms that cause persistent phenotypic effects. We present evidence that epigenetic diversity within and among populations can be much higher than DNA sequence based diversity and suggest that these differences could indicate an epigenetic source of phenotypic differentiation in invasive plants that have very little DNA sequence based diversity.

Broader Impacts:

Related Links:
Richards web page on ecological epigenetics

1 - University of South Florida, Integrative Biology, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
2 - University of Bern, Institute of Plant Science, Altenbergrain 21, Bern, CH-3013, Switzerland
3 - City University of New York—Lehman College, Philosophy, New York, NY, 10468, USA

Keywords:
AFLP
climate change
epigenetics
evolution
hybridization
invasive plant
Japanese Knotweed
methylation
MSAP
novel habitat
phenotypic plasticity
physiological stress.

Presentation Type: Symposium or Colloquium Presentation
Session: SY2
Location: Ballroom B/Convention Center
Date: Monday, August 2nd, 2010
Time: 9:15 AM
Number: SY2004
Abstract ID:469