Genetic diversity and ecological success of the invasive riparian plant Mimulus guttatus

生物入侵的研究可以帮助我们设计有效的策略来预防和管理入侵物种。与河流和溪流有关的湿地特别容易受到生物入侵，这既是因为它们的自然干扰程度，也是因为它们经常受到相当大的人为改造。河流和溪流网络促进了入侵物种的扩散，这可能会加剧它们的负面影响，并使它们的控制成为一项具有挑战性的任务。事实上，英国一些最突出的入侵植物物种与水体密切相关（例如喜马拉雅香脂，巨型猪草，日本虎杖）。尽管在英国研究生物入侵的历史很长，但在入侵河岸物种的遗传变异结构方面存在很大的知识空白。种群内和种群间遗传变异的分布包含了大量关于入侵物种引入和传播历史的信息，它们之间遗传连接的程度，以及入侵物种在不断变化的环境条件下不断适应新环境并促进其传播的潜力。阐明这些生物模式是必要的第一步，设计持久和成功的战略，以应对生物invasions.Our研究的重点是黄色的猴子花（Mimulus guttatus），一种广泛的入侵植物，主要限于永久和临时机构的流水。它通过种子进行有性繁殖，也通过水携带的植物碎片进行无性繁殖。猴子花是在19世纪初从北美引进英国的，目前在不列颠群岛各地都能找到。猴子花非常适合研究入侵期间的遗传和进化过程。在过去的50年里，猴花的生态学和进化在其原产地范围内得到了广泛的研究，在那里它已经成为当地适应，种群结构，生殖策略，物种形成和基因组学研究的模型。没有其他英国入侵河岸植物有类似的资源现成可用，使M。在这里，我们将调查入侵河岸植物的空间遗传结构，从广泛的地理尺度到小的种群内水平。在工作的第一部分中，我们将在不同的空间尺度上对英国各地的40个猴花种群进行采样，从广阔的地理区域到集水区内的多个种群。在这个组件中生成的数据将使我们能够确定在英国的猴子花的一般遗传结构，以测试该物种在这里的殖民化和传播模式的竞争假设，并测量跨空间尺度的遗传连接。在工作的第二部分中，我们将在精细的空间尺度上进行采样，以估计有性和无性繁殖的速率，这是入侵物种动态的基本决定因素。这些数据将使我们能够第一次计算出无性繁殖对遗传变异结构的重要性及其与入侵猴花生态成功的关系。通过将遗传分析与生态成功的测量相结合，我们将推断入侵和种群之间的连接的历史模式，并揭示繁殖模式是否与整体遗传多样性和生态成功相关。我们的项目提供了一个特殊的机会，建立猴子花作为生物入侵在英国的研究模型。这个领先的项目将为英国和其他地方的入侵物种的生态，进化和管理的未来工作奠定基础。

The study of biological invasions can help us to design effective strategies to prevent, and manage invasive species. Habitats associated with rivers and streams are particularly susceptible to biological invasion, both because of their natural levels of disturbance and because they are often subject of considerable man-made modification. Networks of river and streams facilitate the dispersal of invasive species which can potentiate their negative effects and make their control a challenging task. In fact, some of the most prominent invasive plant species in the UK occur in close association with water bodies (e.g. Himalayan balsam, giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed). Despite a long history of studying biological invasions in the UK, large gaps of knowledge exist in the structure of genetic variation of invasive riparian species. The distribution of genetic variation both within and between populations holds a trove of information regarding the history of introduction and spread of invasive species, the extent of genetic connectivity among them, and ultimately the potential of invasive species to keep adapting to novel environments and advance their spread under changing environmental conditions. Elucidating these biological patterns is the necessary first step towards designing lasting and successful strategies to deal with biological invasions.Our study focuses on yellow monkey flowers (Mimulus guttatus), a widespread invasive plant that is mostly restricted to permanent and temporary bodies of running-water. It propagates both sexually via seeds and asexually through plant fragments carried by water. Monkey flowers were introduced to the UK from North America in the early 1800's, and are currently found throughout the British Isles. Monkey flowers are excellently suited for studying genetic and evolutionary processes during invasions. The ecology and evolution of monkey flowers has been extensively studied in its native range during the past 50 years, where it has become a model for studies of local adaptation, population structure, reproductive strategies, speciation, and genomics. No other UK invasive riparian plant has similar resources readily available, making M. guttatus the obvious choice for studying the ecological genetics of invasive species.Here we will investigate the spatial genetic structure on an invasive riparian plant from broad geographic scales to small, within-population levels. In the first component of the work we will sample 40 populations of monkey flowers across the UK at different spatial scales from broad geographic regions to multiple populations within water catchments. The data generated in this component will allow us to determine the general genetic structure of monkey flowers in Britain, to test competing hypothesis of the pattern of colonization and spread of this species here, and to measure genetic connectivity across spatial scales. In the second component of the work we will sample at the fine spatial scale to estimate the rates of sexual and asexual reproduction, which is a fundamental determinant of the dynamics of invasive species. These data will allow us to calculate for the first time, the importance of asexual propagation to the structure of genetic variation and its relationship with ecological success in invasive monkey flowers. By combining genetic analyses with measurements of ecological success, we will infer historical patterns of invasion and connectivity between populations, and reveal whether the mode of reproduction correlates both with overall genetic diversity and ecological success.Our project provides an exceptional opportunity to establish monkey flowers as a model for the study of biological invasions in the UK. This leading project will set the stage for future work on the ecology, evolution and management of invasive species in the UK and elsewhere.