ddRAD sequence data of Jacobaea vulgaris (Asteraceae)

The success of non-native species may depend on the genetic variation of the colonizing population. The importance of genetic variation for individual growth and population survival may differ between native and invasive range. We tested these hypotheses for Jacobaea vulgaris (Asteraceae, syn. Senecio jacobaea) a species native to Europe and invasive in North America. We used ddRAD sequencing (enzymes EcoRI and MspI) to identify single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Using a pool sequencing approach we quantified genetic differentiation (Fst) between 22 native and 16 invasive populations, respectively. We generated artificial experimental populations by combining seeds of each 5 populations (either native or invasive) at varying levels of mean genetic differentiation, assuming that mean Fst is a proxy for genotypic diversity of the mixture. We set up a common garden experiment with a factorial design of 15 levels of genetic diversity, 3 levels of microsite availability and 2 ranges. We measured survival, biomass and reproduction. For most of the monitoring dates, there was a significant main effect both of genetic diversity and of the origin for the number of individuals. In addition, there were significant origin × genetic diversity interaction effects. Final performance as assessed at final harvest (biomass, height) was almost completely independent from any of the examined factors. Accompanying paper: The beginning makes the difference – invasive and native populations of Jacobaea vulgaris exhibit similar performance but different strategies in initial establishment Watermann LY 1, Durka W 2,3, Erfmeier A 1 1 Kiel University, Institute for Ecosystem Research / Geobotany, Olshausenstr. 75, 24118 Kiel, Germany 2 Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Straße 4, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany 3 German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5E, 04103 Leipzig, Germany