ABSTRACT The damaging effects of invasive organisms have triggered the development Invasive Species Predictive Schemes (ISPS). These schemes evaluate biological and historical characteristics species prioritize those that should be focus exclusion, quarantine, and/or control. However, it is not clear how commonly these take microevolutionary considerations into account. We review recent literature find rapid evolutionary changes are common during invasions. include adaptation invaders to new...

Much thought has been given to the individual-level traits that may make a species successful colonizer. However, these have proven be weak predictors of colonization success. Here, we test whether population-level characteristics, specifically genetic diversity and population density, can influence ability on short-term ecological timescale, independent longer-term effects adaptive potential. Within experimentally manipulated populations weedy herb Arabidopsis thaliana, found increased...

Abstract Plant traits can provide unique insights into plant performance at the community scale. Functional composition, defined by both functional diversity and community‐weighted trait means (CWMs), affect stability of above‐ground net primary production (ANPP) in response to climate extremes. Further complexity arises, however, when composition itself responds environmental change. The duration extremes, such as drought, is expected increase with rising global temperatures; thus,...

The role of hybridization in adaptive evolution is contentious. While many cases trait introgression have been proposed, the relevant traits rarely identified, resulting a lack clear examples this process. Here, we examine purported case which annual sunflower Helianthus annuus has captured alleles from congener (Helianthus debilis) to form stabilized hybrid, texanus. We tested hypotheses that herbivore resistance introgressed H. debilis and increased adaptation latter. In two common...

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Mechanisms underlying the dramatic patterns of genome size variation across tree life remain mysterious. Effective population (Ne) has been proposed as a major driver size: selection is expected to efficiently weed out deleterious mutations increasing in lineages with large (but not small) Ne. Strong support for this model was claimed from comparative analysis Neu and ≈30 phylogenetically diverse species ranging bacteria vertebrates, but analyses at that scale have so far failed account...

Hybridization and polyploidy can induce rapid genomic changes, including the gain or loss of DNA, but magnitude timing such changes are not well understood. The homoploid hybrid system in Helianthus (three hybrid-derived species their two parents) provides an opportunity to examine link between hybridization genome size a replicated fashion. Flow cytometry was used estimate nuclear DNA content multiple populations three (Helianthus anomalus, deserticola, paradoxus), parental annuus...

Genome sizes vary widely among species, but comprehensive explanations for the emergence of this variation have not been validated. Lynch and Conery (2003) hypothesized that genome expansion is maladaptive, lineages with small effective population size (Ne) evolve larger genomes than those large Ne as a consequence lowered efficacy natural selection in populations. In addition, mating systems likely affect evolution via effects on both spread transposable elements (TEs). We present...

Although the sexual transfer of genetic material between species (i.e. introgression) has been documented in many groups plants and animals, genome-wide patterns introgression are poorly understood. Is most genome permeable to interspecific gene flow, or is typically restricted a handful genomic regions? Here, we assess extent direction three sunflowers from south-central USA: common sunflower, Helianthus annuus ssp. annuus; near-endemic Texas, debilis cucumerifolius; their putative hybrid...

Significance This study shows the far-reaching effects of herbivore dietary specialization on ecological and evolutionary dynamics carnivore–herbivore–plant interactions. First, we test long-standing hypothesis that insect herbivores mediates strength bird predation herbivores. Accounting for phylogenetic nonindependence plants, show first time (to our knowledge) species is associated with reduced across an phylogeny, increases antipredator camouflage aposematism. Second, this develops finds...

High-elevation ecosystems are expected to be particularly sensitive climate warming because cold temperatures constrain biological processes. Deeper understanding of the consequences change will come from studies that consider not only direct effects temperature on individual species, but also indirect altered species interactions. Here we show 20 years experimental has changed composition graminoid (grass and sedge) assemblages in a subalpine meadow Rocky Mountains, USA, by increasing...

The wild North American sunflowers Helianthus annuus and H. debilis are participants in one of the earliest identified examples adaptive trait introgression, exchange is hypothesized to have triggered a range expansion annuus. However, genetic basis has not been examined. Here, we combine quantitative locus (QTL) mapping with field measurements fitness identify candidate QTL alleles likely introgressed into form natural hybrid lineage a. texanus. Two 500-individual BC1 populations were grown...

AbstractCompared to those of their parents, are the traits first-generation (F1) hybrids typically intermediate, biased toward one parent, or mismatched for alternative parental phenotypes? To address this empirical gap, we compiled data from 233 crosses in which were measured a common environment two parent taxa and F1 hybrids. We find that individual F1s halfway between midpoint value. Considering pairs together, hybrid's bivariate phenotype tends resemble (parent bias) about 50% more than...

Abstract Hybridization is a common phenomenon, yet its evolutionary outcomes remain debated. Here, we ask whether hybridization can speed adaptive evolution using resynthesized hybrids between two species of Texas sunflowers ( Helianthus annuus and H. debilis ) that form natural hybrid in the wild ssp. texanus ). We established separate control populations allowed them to evolve naturally field experiment. In final common-garden, measured fitness suite key traits for these lineages. show...

Seed dispersal is a process critical to the maintenance of tropical forests, yet little known about interactions most dispersers with their communities. In Dja Reserve, Cameroon, seed by hornbills Certaogymna atrata , C. cylindricus and fistulator (Aves: Bucerotidae) was evaluated respect taxonomic breadth plants dispersed, location deposition effects on germination. Collectively, three hornbill species consumed fruits from 59 tree liana species, likely provided for 56 them....

If related species share enemies, variation in the damage experienced by within a community may be predictable based on phylogeny. We examined hypothesis that plant more closely to other members experience greater herbivory assessing leaf native and exotic plants two North American communities: an Eastern hardwood forest Rocky Mountain montane community. Pairwise phylogenetic distances between focal hundreds of each were calculated. influence four measures relatedness community: NND...

Hybridization is hypothesized to promote invasiveness, but empirical tests comparing the performance of hybrid taxa versus parental in novel regions are lacking. We experimentally compared colonization ability populations wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) with advanced-generation hybrids between and cultivated sativus) a southeast Texas pasture, well beyond known invasive range radish. also manipulated strength interspecific competition better generalize across variable environments. In...

A transgenerational effect occurs when a biotic or abiotic environmental factor acts on parental individual and thereby affects the phenotype of progeny. Due to importance effects for understanding plant ecology evolution, their underlying mechanisms are general interest. Here, we introduce concept that inherited symbiotic microorganisms could act as in plants.We define criteria required demonstrate microbially mediated review evidence from well-studied, vertically transmitted plant-fungal...

Summary Flowering plants serve as a powerful model for studying the evolution of nuclear genome size (GS) given tremendous GS variation that exists both within and across angiosperm lineages. Helianthus sunflowers consist c . 50 species native to North America occupy diverse habitats vary in ploidy level. In current study, we generated comprehensive database 49 using flow cytometric approaches. We examined variability genus present comparative phylogenetic analysis diploid species. Results...