Data from: High invasion potential of Hydrilla verticillata in the Americas predicted using ecological niche modeling combined with genetic data

Ecological niche modeling is an effective tool to characterize the spatial distribution of suitable areas for species, and it is especially useful for predicting the potential distribution of invasive species. The widespread submerged plant Hydrilla verticillata (hydrilla) has an obvious phylogeographical pattern: four genetic lineages occupy distinct regions in native range, and only one lineage invades the Americas. Here, we aimed to evaluate climatic niche conservatism of hydrilla in North America at the intraspecific level and explore its invasion potential in the Americas by comparing climatic niches in a phylogenetic context. Niche shift was found in the invasion process of hydrilla in North America, which is probably mainly attributed to high levels of somatic mutation. Dramatic changes of range expansion in the Americas were predicted in the situation of all four genetic lineages invading the Americas or future climatic changes, especially in South America; this suggests that there is a high invasion potential of hydrilla in the Americas. Our findings provide useful information for the management of hydrilla in the Americas and give an example of exploring intraspecific climatic niche to better understand species invasion.

生态位模型（Ecological niche modeling）是表征物种适宜生境空间分布的有效工具，尤其在预测入侵物种潜在分布范围方面具备重要应用价值。广布沉水植物黑藻（Hydrilla verticillata，下称hydrilla）具有显著的系统地理学格局：其原生分布区内存在4个遗传谱系，各占据独立的分布区域，而仅有1个谱系入侵至美洲地区。本研究旨在从种内水平评估北美地区黑藻的气候生态位保守性，并通过系统发育框架下的气候生态位对比，探究其在美洲的入侵潜力。研究发现，黑藻入侵北美地区的过程中发生了生态位转移，这一现象大概率主要源于高水平的体细胞突变。预测显示，若4个遗传谱系均入侵美洲，或在未来气候变化情景下，美洲地区（尤其南美洲）的黑藻分布范围扩张将发生剧烈变化，这表明黑藻在美洲具备极高的入侵潜力。本研究结果可为美洲地区黑藻的综合治理提供参考依据，同时也为通过探究种内气候生态位以深入理解物种入侵机制提供了研究范例。