Multiple origins promote the ecological amplitude of allopolyploid Aegilops (Poaceae)

Polyploidy has been ubiquitous in plant evolution and is thought to be an important engine of biodiversity that facilitates speciation, adaptation, and range expansion. Polyploid species can exhibit higher ecological tolerance than their progenitor species. For allotetraploid species, this higher to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of botany 2009-07, Vol.96 (7), p.1262-1273
Main Authors: Meimberg, Harald, Rice, Kevin J, Milan, Neil F, Njoku, Collins C, McKay, John K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aegilops
Allopolyploidy
Biodiversity
Biological taxonomies
Diploidy
Ecological genetics
ecological success
Evolution and Phylogeny
Evolutionary biology
Evolutionary genetics
Flowers & plants
Genomes
Genomics
Haplotypes
multiple origin
Plants
Poaceae
Polyploidy
Species
wild wheat
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Summary:Polyploidy has been ubiquitous in plant evolution and is thought to be an important engine of biodiversity that facilitates speciation, adaptation, and range expansion. Polyploid species can exhibit higher ecological tolerance than their progenitor species. For allotetraploid species, this higher tolerance is often attributed to the existence of heterosis resulting from entire genome duplication. However, multiple origins of allopolyploid species may further promote their ecological success by providing genetic variability in ecological traits underlying local adaptation and range expansion. Here we show in a group of allopolyploid species in the genus Aegilops that range size and abundance are correlated with the number of inferred origins. We found that allopolyploid Aegilops spp. contain multiple chloroplast haplotypes, each identical to haplotypes of the diploid progenitor species, indicating multiple origins as the major source of variation. The number of inferred origins in each allopolyploid species was correlated to the total area occupied by the allopolyploid and the tendency for the species to be common. Additionally, we found differences in ecological tolerance among independent origins in Aegilops triuncialis. These results strongly support the hypothesis that the introduction of genetic variability by multiple origins can increase the ecological amplitude and evolutionary success of allopolyploid species.
ISSN:0002-9122
1537-2197
DOI:10.3732/ajb.0800345