Admixture between native and invasive populations may increase invasiveness of Mimulus guttatus

Self-fertilization and admixture of genotypes from different populations can have major fitness consequences in native species. However, few studies have addressed their potential roles in invasive species. Here, we used plants of Mimulus guttatus from seven native North American, three invasive Scottish and four invasive New Zealand populations to address this. We created seeds from self-fertilization, within-population outcrossing, between-population outcrossing within the same range, and outcrossing between the native and invasive ranges. A greenhouse experiment showed that native and invasive plants of M. guttatus suffered to similar degrees from inbreeding depression, in terms of asexual reproduction and biomass production. After outcrossing with plants from other populations, M. guttatus benefited from heterosis, in terms of asexual and sexual reproduction, and biomass production, particularly when plants from native and invasive populations were crossed. This suggests that, when novel genotypes of M. guttatus from the native North American range will be introduced to the invasive ranges, subsequent outcrossing with M. guttatus plants that are already there might further boost invasiveness of this species.     

Pollen source affects female reproductive success and early offspring traits in the rare endemic plant Polemonium vanbruntiae (Polemoniaceae)

Understanding the relative magnitudes of inbreeding and outbreeding depression in rare plant populations is increasingly important for effective management strategies. There may be positive and negative effects of crossing individuals in fragmented populations. Conservation strategies may include introducing new genetic material into rare plant populations, which may be beneficial or detrimental based on whether hybrid offspring are of increased or decreased quality. Thus, it is important to determine the effects of pollen source on offspring fitness in rare plants. We established pollen crosses (i.e. geitonogamous‐self, autonomous‐self, intrasite‐outcross, intersite‐outcross and open‐pollinated controls) to determine the effects of pollen source on fitness (seeds/fruit and seed mass) and early offspring traits (probability of germination, number of leaves, leaf area and seedling height) in the rare plant Polemonium vanbruntiae. Open‐pollinated, intrasite‐outcross and geitonogamous‐self treatments did not differ in fitness. However, plants receiving autonomous‐self pollen had the lowest fitness and the lowest probability of seed germination. Intersite‐outcross plants contained fewer seeds/fruit, but seeds germinated at higher frequencies and seedlings were more vigorous. We also detected heterosis at the seed germination stage. These data may imply that natural populations of P. vanbruntiae exhibit low genetic variation and little gene flow. Evidence suggests that deleterious alleles were not responsible for reduced germination; rather environmental factors, dichogamy, herkogamy and/or lack of competition among pollen grains may have caused low germinability in selfed offspring. Although self‐pollination may provide some reproductive assurance in P. vanbruntiae, the result is a reduction in germination and size‐related early traits for selfed offspring.     

杂交产生的遗传危害--以植物为例

杂交是自然界的普遍现象,并在农林业生产中发挥着重要作用,但如不注意亦会带来遗传危害。当把两个遗传差异较大的物种（种群）混植在一起时,我们要考虑远交衰退的危害,即杂交破坏了亲代具有的共适应等位基因组合,导致杂交后代适应性的降低;当杂交发生在两亲本个体（或花粉）数量悬殊时,我们就要考虑遗传同化的危害,即小种群一方由于产生自己“纯”后代数量的减少而被前者“稀释”掉,导致小种群遗传特异性丧失或灭绝。另外,当杂交体具有杂种优势时,它可取代亲本,威胁到亲本的生存;如果有害物种（种群）由渐渗杂交获得某种优良性状（抗病、抗药、抗逆性等）时,可能失去控制,造成生态危害。针对杂交在这几个方面潜在的遗传危害,本文在濒危物种的迁地和就地保护、生态恢复中的种源选择等方面提出相应的建议和措施。