Integrating population information using DNA methylation to explore the spatiotemporal dynamics and developmental mechanisms of populations

Serious disconnection among researches on individual physiological
adaption, population genetic diversity and spatiotemporal demography has
obstructed us in the knowledge of plant population ecology. Here we develop an
approach to integrate those three research aspects by taking advantage of
recent knowledge about DNA methylation. We show that by using various
epigenetic parameters corresponding to individual physiological metabolic
reprogramming potential, gene expression repression degree and physiological
reaction characteristics, the contribution of various biotic and abiotic
factors to an individual state and population structure can be quantified.
Furthermore, population dynamics can be narrowly estimated by analysing DNA
methylation of populations at different developmental stages. This study demonstrates
an approach for the overall analysis of plant populations and exploring the
spatiotemporal dynamics and developmental mechanisms of a population using <i>Castanopsis chinensis </i>as the model
species.