Collaborative Research: The Evolutionary Genetics of Invasiveness in Silene latifolia

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Biological invasions represent one of the greatest threats to the preservation of biodiversity. In addition, the economic costs to the USA resulting from damage and control of alien organisms (e.g., zebra mussel, kudzu) amount to more than $100 billion annually. Surprisingly, very little is known about why species that are normally benign may suddenly become noxious pests following their introduction to another country or continent. While the emphasis of previous research recorded in the literature has been on ecological forces, the goal of this research is to explore the role that genetic changes play in the invasion process.Using a combination of approaches, Taylor and Wolfe propose to study the genetics and origin of invasiveness in Silene latifolia, a plant that was introduced to North America from Europe. There are three goals to this research: 1) To examine the history of the invasion process and clarify the genetic consequences of the invasion process in terms of the amount and distribution of genetic variation. 2) To experimentally test for unique environmental patterns in North America that might promote the success of weedy species. 3) To use replicated experimental populations to test whether North American populations are genetically more invasive and the extent to which natural enemies limit invasiveness in Europe. This research will have broad significance for both understanding the origin of invasiveness and providing opportunities for career development of undergraduate students, graduate students and post-docs.