Ecophysiological transition mediated by hybridization in a hybrid pine species complex.

ABSTRACT: Hybridization is a driving force in ecological transitions and speciation, yet direct evidence linking it to adaptive differentiation in natural systems remains limited. This study evaluates the role of hybridization in the speciation of Pinus densata, a keystone forest species on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. By creating artificial interspecific F1s and a long-term common garden experiment on the plateau, we provide in situ assessments on 44 growth and physiological traits across four seasons, along with RNA sequencing. We found significant phenotypic divergence between P. densata and its putative parental species P. tabuliformis and P. yunnanensis, with P. densata demonstrating superior growth and dynamic balance between photosynthesis and ph

SUBMITTER: Li ZC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12302495 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature