Landscape genetics of Solidago virgaurea ecotypic populations in Hokkaido, Japan

This study aims to address a scientific question about how environmental, geographic and temporal isolation mechanisms play roles in early stage of ecological speciation in Solidago virgaurea. The goldenrod is a common species in our study sites in Japan, and occurs in various environments where morphologically and physiologically differentiated ecotypic populations are maintained. Interestingly, the populations in two extreme habitats of serpentine barren and alpine grassland show a habit of early flowering, which little overlap with that of the typical woodland populations in close parapatry. Particularly we are interested in the effects of environmental gradients showing abrupt and gradual changes and prezygotic isolation effects on potential gene flow between adjacent populations.