The role of hybridization for the invasion success of meadow knapweed Centaurea x moncktonii in North America

生物入侵是生物多样性和生态系统功能的主要威胁，同时也是基础生态学和进化研究问题的优秀研究系统。选择最佳的管理策略需要一个机械的理解的生态和进化过程的入侵动力学和成功。拟议的项目地址种间杂交，基因组混合和基因组大小的变化，促进了入侵性的指示性状的演变机制。该研究系统，Centaurea x moncktonii（草甸矢车菊）杂交复合体，包括一组原生于欧亚大陆和入侵北美的亲本物种及其杂交种。草甸矢车菊在美国大部分地区迅速蔓延，并产生严重的生态和经济影响。我们将联合收割机的基因组和数量性状变异的研究：1。 描述高度入侵的北美东北部人群的基因组组成和杂交程度;2. 将基因组大小和数量性状的变异与个体的基因组变异和分类身份联系起来;3. 阐明是否具有高度基因组混合的个体表现出通常与侵袭性相关的性状; 4. 澄清如果具有小基因组大小的个体表现出通常与invasiveness.In总结的性状，该项目将产生在美国东北部的草甸矢车菊种群的基因组组成和分类身份的第一个描述。它将阐明基因组大小变异，分类身份，基因组混合和表型性状的入侵指示之间的关系。这些结果将为进一步探讨杂交的基因组学后果以及入侵性适应性进化的基因组学基础奠定基础。x moncktonii杂种群。这些信息将有助于制定管理战略矢车菊x moncktonii在北美。

Biological invasions are a major threat for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and at the same time excellent study systems for fundamental ecological and evolutionary research questions. Choosing the optimal management strategies requires a mechanistic understanding of the ecological and evolutionary processes underlying invasion dynamics and success. The proposed project addresses inter-specific hybridization, genomic admixture and genome size variation as mechanisms that facilitate the evolution of traits that are indicative of invasiveness. The study system, the Centaurea x moncktonii (meadow knapweed) hybrid complex, comprises a set of parental species and their hybrids that are native in Eurasia and invasive in North America. Meadow knapweed is spreading rapidly in a majority of the United States and has severe negative ecological and economic impact. We will combine studies of genomic and quantitative trait variation to:1. Describe the genomic composition and degree of hybridization in highly invasive Northeastern North American populations;2. Link variation in genome size and quantitative traits to the genomic variation and taxonomic identity of individuals;3. Elucidate if individuals with a high degree of genomic admixture exhibit traits that are commonly associated with invasiveness; 4. Clarify if individuals with small genome size exhibit traits that are commonly associated with invasiveness.In summary, this project will yield a first description of the genomic composition and taxonomic identity of meadow knapweed populations in the Northeastern United States. It will clarify the relationships between genome size variation, taxonomic identity, genomic admixture and phenotypic traits indicative of invasiveness. The results will provide a foundation for further exploration of the genomic consequences of hybridization as well as the genomic basis of adaptive evolution of invasiveness in C. x moncktonii hybrid swarms. This information will help developing management strategies for Centaurea x moncktonii in North America.