A5024610794- Plant and animal studies
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
- Bryophyte Studies and Records
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Biological Control of Invasive Species
- Genetic and Environmental Crop Studies
- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Genetic Syndromes and Imprinting
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Plant responses to water stress
- Plant tissue culture and regeneration
- Plant Genetic and Mutation Studies
University of South Florida
2016-2025
University of Tübingen
2018-2025
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
2024-2025
Chinese Academy of Sciences
2024
Florida College of Integrative Medicine
2021
New York University
2007-2017
Université de Rennes
2017
Ecosystèmes, Biodiversité, Evolution
2017
Armstrong Atlantic State University
2013
USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute
2011
Invasion biologists often suggest that phenotypic plasticity plays an important role in successful plant invasions. Assuming enhances ecological niche breadth and therefore confers a fitness advantage, recent studies have posed two main hypotheses: (1) invasive species are more plastic than non-invasive or native ones; (2) populations the introduced range of evolved greater range. These hypotheses largely reflect disparate interests ecologists evolutionary biologists. Because these sciences...
Abstract There is now mounting evidence that heritable variation in ecologically relevant traits can be generated through a suite of epigenetic mechanisms, even the absence genetic variation. Moreover, recent studies indicate natural populations independent from variation, and some cases environmentally induced changes may inherited by future generations. These novel findings are potentially highly to ecologists because they could significantly improve our understanding mechanisms underlying...
We know a great deal about the plastic responses of plant phenotypes to abiotic and biotic environment, but very little consequences phenotypic plasticity for communities. In other words, we that traits can vary widely given genotype, importance trait-mediated interactions (TMI) among plants. Here, discuss three major factors affect expression plasticity: variation in presence or identity neighbors, herbivory. consider how these might Plastic environment have important conditionality...
Abstract The expansion of invasive species challenges our understanding the process adaptation. Given that invasion often entails population bottlenecks, it is surprising many invasives appear to thrive even with low levels sequence‐based genetic variation. Using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism ( AFLP ) and methylation sensitive‐AFLP MS ‐ markers, we tested hypothesis differentiation Japanese knotweed in response new habitats more correlated epigenetic variation than DNA sequence We...
ABSTRACT Aim Plant invasions are a global problem that requires studying plants and their environmental associations across native introduced ranges. Location 2000 km transects in China, Europe North America. Time Period June 2019–July 2020. Major Taxa Studied Japanese knotweed ( Reynoutria japonica ). Methods We surveyed 150 populations of knotweed, noxious invader the temperate zone, along China ranges Results found larger denser were associated with shifts leaf economy chemical defences....
To explore the potential evolutionary relevance of heritable epigenetic variation, National Evolutionary Synthesis Center recently hosted a catalysis meeting that brought together molecular epigeneticists, experimental ecologists, and theoretical population quantitative geneticists working across wide variety systems. The group discussed methods available to investigate variation inheritance, how evaluate their importance for phenotypic evolution. We found understanding effects in evolution...
The spread of invasive species presents a genetic paradox: how do individuals overcome the barriers associated with introductions (e.g., bottlenecks and founder effects) to become adapted new environment? In addition diversity, epigenetic variation also contributes phenotypic could influence an introduced in novel environments. This may occur through two different (non-mutually exclusive) mechanisms. Individuals benefit from existing (and heritable) diversity or de novo marks increase...
Environmentally dependent behavioral variation may play a critical role in several ecological and evolutionary phenomena, particular, rapid adaptation to novel changing environments. Although it is clear that the expression inheritance of environmentally animal behaviors can be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms—factors influence gene without modifying DNA sequence, per se—our understanding processes underlying natural populations limited. This is, part, due difficult nature characterizing...
Abstract While traits and trait plasticity are partly genetically based, investigating epigenetic mechanisms may provide more nuanced understanding of the underlying response to environment. Using AFLP methylation‐sensitive , we tested hypothesis that differentiation habitats along natural salt marsh environmental gradients occurs at epigenetic, but not genetic loci in two perennials. We detected significant structure among populations subpopulations, found multilocus patterns habitat type...
Epigenetic mechanisms impact several phenotypic traits and may be important for ecology evolution. The introduced house sparrow (Passer domesticus) exhibits extensive variation among within populations. We screened methylation in populations from Kenya Florida to determine if varied populations, with introduction history (Kenyan invasion <50 years old, ~150 old), could potentially compensate decrease genetic introductions. While recent literature has speculated on the importance of...
Abstract Environmentally induced phenotypic plasticity may be a critical component of response to changing environments. We examined local differentiation and adaptive in elevated temperature half‐sib lines collected across an elevation gradient for the alpine herb, Wahlenbergia ceracea . Using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP), we found low but significant genetic between low‐ high‐elevation seedlings, seedlings originating from elevations grew faster showed stronger responses...
Summary Many widespread invasive plant species express high phenotypic variation across novel environments, providing a unique opportunity to examine ecological and evolutionary dynamics under global change. However, studies often lack information about the origin of introduced populations, limiting our understanding post‐introduction evolution. We assessed responses Reynoutria japonica from 128 populations spanning latitudinal transects in native (China Japan), (North America Europe) ranges...
While successful plant invasions often occur in novel environments, invasive species usually occupy broad niches within their native and introduced ranges. A better understanding of the process invasion therefore requires a wide sampling ranges, good knowledge introduction history. We tested for differentiation herbivore resistance among 128 (European, North American) (Chinese, Japanese) populations Japanese knotweed Reynoutria japonica two common gardens range: one Shanghai other Yunnan. In...
Abstract In salt marsh habitats, noted for their extreme environments, a widely held assumption is that few large clones dominate plant populations. Using number of polymorphic genetic markers, we were able to test this two plants known span salinity gradients. For both species, clonal diversity was surprisingly high across populations: Simpson's indices 0.96 and 0.99. Although high, there no pattern association between specific or alleles with microhabitat. Our findings suggest sexual...
Japanese knotweeds are among the most invasive organisms in world. Their recent expansion into salt marsh habitat provides a unique opportunity to investigate how invasives establish new environments. We used morphology, cytology, and AFLP genotyping identify taxa clonal diversity roadside populations. conducted greenhouse study determine ability tolerate whether populations more tolerant than as measured by efficiency of PSII, leaf area, succulence, height, root‐to‐shoot ratio, total...