Biodiversity Research Seminar Series (BRS)
BRS Katrina Dlugosch: Ecological and evolutionary contributions to species invasions
March 22, 2023, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Zoom webinar link recording for remote attendees:
Passcode: this recording is only available to members of the UBC Biodiversity Research Centre. Please contact Katie.beall@ubc.ca for access
host: Amy Angert
Title: Ecological and evolutionary contributions to species invasions
Abstract: My lab group studies the rapid evolution of distribution and abundance on human timescales, particularly in invasive species that are colonizing new locations, as well as in native species responding to environmental change and urbanization. We are working to understand how genetic and environmental variation in these species translate into phenotypic diversity, adaptation, and changes in ecologically important traits. In this talk, I will take a deep dive into the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underpinning the success of one particular species, yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis), a major invader of grasslands in North and South America. In this system we have identified genomic signatures of adaptation during invasion, which include unique contributions of cryptic admixture and a potential role for balancing selection. We are associating these genetic changes with phenotypic and environmental changes, including rapid evolution of life history and context-dependent plant-microbial interactions. Our findings demonstrate the potential for rapid evolutionary change to alter ecological interactions and resulting patterns of distribution and abundance.