Poster

         Population Genetics/Genomics

Population structure in invasive Blue Mustard (Chorispora tenella)

Presenting Author
Kathryn Turner
Description
Invasive weeds can spread rapidly, compete for limited resources, and cause harm to the novel habitats they invade. Understanding how and the degree to which these invasive species adapt to novel environments is key to managing their expansion and reducing negative impacts. Blue mustard (Chorispora tenella, Brassicaceae) is native to southern Russia and southwestern Asia and invasive in North America, spreading predominantly in disturbed habitats such as along roadsides and in agricultural settings. This has created competition with crops like winter wheat, which can result in loss of grain yield. Examining genetic variation in these invasive populations could uncover traits contributing to invasiveness. Using genomic data gathered across five Rocky Mountain and Cascade states from 83 individuals spanning 32 populations, we investigate population structure and genetic variation in invasive C. tenella. We use reduced-representation genomic data to gain insight into the current underlying genetic structure among populations of this invasive weed. One key question regarding invasive species is the degree of the genetic bottleneck caused by the introduction. Preliminary principal components analysis indicates 2 to 4 genetic clusters in this data set. One of these clusters comprised populations from all five states, while one only includes two Wyoming and one Colorado population. Interestingly, two of the other potential clusters consisted of only Wyoming. Within one of the Wyoming exclusive clusters contained five different populations from the state. This could be indicative of multiple separate introductions or genetic variation that has evolved post-introduction. An estimated Fst provides a certain amount of support for divergences between these populations of C. tenella. Further analyses are ongoing.