Hybrid introgression as a mechanism of rapid evolution and resilience to climate change in a riparian tree species.

ABSTRACT: Determining whether organisms can undergo adaptive evolution at a pace commensurate with contemporary climate change is critical to understanding and predicting the consequences of such change. Hybrid introgression is a mechanism of rapid evolution by which species may adapt to climatic shifts. Here, we examine variation in growth and survival in a long-term common garden experiment with a foundation tree species to determine if introgression is enhancing climate change resilience. Two naturally hybridizing tree species, low elevation Populus fremontii and high elevation Populus angustifolia, and hybrid and backcross genotypes were planted in a low elevation, warm common garden. We show that P. angustifolia and backcross trees are vulnerable to warming, and their survival is related to cli

SUBMITTER: Hord AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12331986 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature