Data from: Rapid genetic adaptation precedes the spread of an exotic plant species

Human activities have increasingly introduced plant species far outside their native ranges under environmental conditions that can strongly differ from those originally met. Therefore, before spreading, and potentially causing ecological and economical damage, non native species may rapidly evolve. Evidence of genetically based adaptation during the process of becoming invasive is very scant however, which is due to the lack of knowledge regarding the historical genetic makeup of the introduced populations and the lack of genomic resource. Capitalizing on the availability of old non-native herbarium specimens, we examined frequency shifts in genic SNPs of the Pyrenean Rocket (Sisymbrium austriacum subsp. chrysanthum), comparing the (i) native, (ii) currently spreading non-native, and (iii) historically introduced gene pool. Results show strong divergence in flowering time genes during the establishment phase, indicating that rapid genetic adaptation preceded the spread of this species and possibly assisted in overcoming environmental constraints.人类活动正日益将植物物种引入其原生分布范围之外的区域，且引入地的环境条件往往与物种原生境存在显著差异。因此，外来物种在实现扩散并可能造成生态与经济损害之前，有可能发生快速演化。然而，关于物种在入侵过程中发生遗传适应性演化的相关证据却极为匮乏，这主要源于我们对引入种群的历史遗传组成缺乏了解，同时可用的基因组资源也十分有限。本研究借助可获取的老旧外来蜡叶标本，对比了三类基因库：原生种群基因库、当前正在扩散的外来种群基因库以及历史引入种群基因库，并对比利牛斯播娘蒿（Sisymbrium austriacum subsp. chrysanthum）的基因区单核苷酸多态性（SNPs）的频率变化展开分析。研究结果显示，在物种定殖阶段，其开花时间相关基因出现了显著分化，这表明该物种在扩散之前便已发生快速的遗传适应性演化，且这一过程可能助力其克服了引入地的环境限制。