Data from: Comparing the genetic architecture and potential response to selection of native and invasive populations of reed canary grass

Evolutionary processes such as migration, genetic drift, and natural selection are thought to play a prominent role in species invasions into novel environments. However, few empirical studies have explored the mechanistic basis of invasion in an evolutionary framework. One promising tool for inferring evolutionarily important changes in introduced populations is the genetic variance-covariance matrix (G matrix). G matrix comparisons allow for the inference of changes in the genetic architecture of introduced populations relative to their native counterparts that may facilitate invasion. Here, we compare the G matrices of reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) populations across native and invasive ranges, and between populations along a latitudinal gradient within each range. We find that the major differences in genetic architecture occur between populations at the Northern and Southern margins within each range, not between native and invasive populations. Previous studies have found that multiple introductions in introduced populations caused an increase in genetic variance on which selection could act. In addition, we find that differences in the evolutionary potential of Phalaris populations are driven by differences in latitude, suggesting that selection also shapes the evolutionary trajectory of invasive populations.迁移、遗传漂变（genetic drift）、自然选择等进化过程，被认为在物种入侵新生境的过程中发挥着核心作用。然而目前鲜有实证研究从进化框架层面，探究物种入侵的机制性基础。用于推断入侵种群进化层面重要变化的一种颇具前景的工具，便是遗传方差-协方差矩阵（genetic variance-covariance matrix，G matrix）。通过G矩阵比较，可推断入侵种群相较于其本土种群的遗传结构变化，而这类变化或可促进物种入侵。本研究针对虉草（reed canarygrass，Phalaris arundinacea L.）的种群展开G矩阵比较：涵盖其本土分布区与入侵分布区的种群，以及各分布区内沿纬度梯度分布的种群。研究结果显示，遗传结构的主要差异出现在各分布区内的北部与南部边缘种群之间，而非本土种群与入侵种群之间。既往研究表明，入侵种群经历的多次引入事件，提升了可被选择作用靶向的遗传方差。此外，本研究还发现，虉草种群的进化潜力差异由纬度差异驱动，这表明选择作用同样塑造了入侵种群的进化轨迹。