The dispersal-related traits of an invasive plant Galinsoga quadriradiata correlate with elevation during range expansion into mountain ranges

Abstract

Detecting shifts in trait values among populations of an invasive plant is important for assessing invasion risks and predicting future spread. Although a growing number of studies suggest that the dispersal propensity of invasive plants increases during range expansion, there has been relatively little attention paid to dispersal patterns along elevational gradients. In this study, we tested the differentiation of dispersal-related traits in an invasive plant, Galinsoga quadriradiata, across populations at different elevations in the Qinling and Bashan Mountains in central China. Seed mass–area ratio (MAR), an important seed dispersal-related trait, of 45 populations from along an elevational gradient were measured, and genetic variation of 23 populations were quantified using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Individuals from four populations were then planted in a greenhouse to compare their performance under shared conditions. Changing patterns of seed dispersal-related traits and populations genetic diversity along elevation were tested using linear regression. MAR of G. quadriradiata increased, while genetic diversity decreased with elevation in the field survey. In the greenhouse, populations of G. quadriradiata sourced from different elevations showed a difference response of MAR. These results suggest that although rapid evolution may contribute to the range expansion of G. quadriradiata in mountain ranges, dispersal-related traits will also likely be affected by phenotypic plasticity. This challenges the common argument that dispersal ability of invasive plants increases along dispersal routes. Furthermore, our results suggest that high-altitude populations would be more effective at seed dispersal once they continue to expand their range downslope on the other side. Our experiment provides novel evidence that the spread of these high-altitude populations may be more likely than previously theorized and that they should thus be cautiously monitored.

High-performing plastic clones best explain the spread of yellow monkeyflower from lowland to higher elevation areas in New Zealand

“…Core populations may differ from range‐edge populations both in genetic structure and degrees of plasticity (Berg et al, 2005; Black‐Samuelsson & Andersson, 1997; Stewart & Nilsen, 1995; Volis et al, 2015), but in which direction remains unclear. For example, Liu et al (2021) found that genetic diversity decreased from the core to invading edge in the invasive Asteraceae, Galinsoga quadriradiata in Central China, indicating stronger selection in the core. Mägi et al (2011) found less adaptive plasticity in range‐edge versus core populations of the weed common agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria in southern Estonia.…”

Genetic variation of Amaranthus retroflexus L. and Chenopodium album L. (Amaranthaceae) suggests multiple independent introductions into Iran

“…ISSR markers are highly reproducible and accurate tools that generate highly reproducible banding patterns from a single polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification ( Raut et al., 2014 ; Stefunova et al., 2014 ). Although newer technique are available, ISRR makers have historically ( Wolfe et al., 1998 ) and recently ( Yan et al, 2019 ; Kwiecińska-Poppe et al., 2020 ; Tang and Ma, 2020 ; Liu et al., 2021 ; Alotaibi and Abd-Elgawad, 2022 ; Flihi et al., 2022 ; Ghanbari et al., 2022 ; Haq et al., 2022 ) been used successfully for diversity studies and structuring of natural populations.…”

The Invasion of Galinsoga quadriradiata into High Elevations Is Shaped by Variation in AMF Communities

“…Here, we investigate the role of biotic interactions with AMF communities and native plant competitors in the invasion trajectory of Galinsoga quadriradiata (Asterales: Asteraceae), which is native to tropical America and has been invading China for more than 100 years [ 36 ] in high-elevation mountain ranges in central China. Previous studies of ours indicate that the biomass and dispersal traits of this species change along its elevational range [ 32 , 37 ], leading to extensive invasions in the Qinling and Bashan Mountains [ 9 , 36 ]. Most recently, we showed that AMF beta diversity in soils associated with G. quadriradiata is strongly affected by the elevation at which the soils were collected in the Qinling and Bashan Mountains [ 38 ], supporting that biological interaction strength varies along its invasion trajectory.…”