Going with the flow: analysis of population structure reveals high gene flow shaping invasion pattern and inducing range expansion of Mikania micrantha in Asia.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Mikania micrantha, a climbing perennial weed of the family Asteraceae, is native to Latin America and is highly invasive in the tropical belt of Asia, Oceania and Australia. This study was framed to investigate the population structure of M. micrantha at a large spatial scale in Asia and to identify how introduction history, evolutionary forces and landscape features influenced the genetic pattern of the species in this region.

Methods

We assessed the genetic diversity and structure of 1052 individuals from 46 populations for 12 microsatellite loci. The spatial pattern of genetic variation was investigated by estimating the relationship between genetic distance and geographical, climatic and landscape resistances hypothesized to influence gene flow betwee

SUBMITTER: Banerjee AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7262463 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature