TY  - JOUR
A1  - Shi, Jun
A1  - Joshi, Jasmin Radha
A1  - Tielboerger, Katja
A1  - Verhoeven, Koen J. F.
A1  - Macel, Mirka
T1  - Costs and benefits of admixture between foreign genotypes and local populations in the field
T2  - Ecology and evolution
N2  - Admixture is the hybridization between populations within one species. It can increase plant fitness and population viability by alleviating inbreeding depression and increasing genetic diversity. However, populations are often adapted to their local environments and admixture with distant populations could break down local adaptation by diluting the locally adapted genomes. Thus, admixed genotypes might be selected against and be outcompeted by locally adapted genotypes in the local environments. To investigate the costs and benefits of admixture, we compared the performance of admixed and within-population F1 and F2 generations of the European plant Lythrum salicaria in a reciprocal transplant experiment at three European field sites over a 2-year period. Despite strong differences between site and plant populations for most of the measured traits, including herbivory, we found limited evidence for local adaptation. The effects of admixture depended on experimental site and plant population, and were positive for some traits. Plant growth and fruit production of some populations increased in admixed offspring and this was strongest with larger parental distances. These effects were only detected in two of our three sites. Our results show that, in the absence of local adaptation, admixture may boost plant performance, and that this is particularly apparent in stressful environments. We suggest that admixture between foreign and local genotypes can potentially be considered in nature conservation to restore populations and/or increase population viability, especially in small inbred or maladapted populations.
KW  - heterosis
KW  - inbreeding depression
KW  - local adaptation
KW  - Lythrum salicaria
KW  - outbreeding depression
Y1  - 2018
UR  - https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/53200
SN  - 2045-7758
VL  - 8
IS  - 7
SP  - 3675
EP  - 3684
PB  - Wiley
CY  - Hoboken
ER  -