Invasion of an asexual American water flea clone throughout Africa and rapid displacement of a native sibling species.

ABSTRACT: The huge ecological and economic impact of biological invasions creates an urgent need for knowledge of traits that make invading species successful and factors helping indigenous populations to resist displacement by invading species or genotypes. High genetic diversity is generally considered to be advantageous in both processes. Combined with sex, it allows rapid evolution and adaptation to changing environments. We combined paleogenetic analysis with continent-wide survey of genetic diversity at nuclear and mitochondrial loci to reconstruct the invasion history of a single asexual American water flea clone (hybrid Daphnia pulexxDaphnia pulicaria) in Africa. Within 60 years of the original introduction of this invader, it displaced the genetically diverse, sexual population of native D.

SUBMITTER: Mergeay J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1664637 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature