Role of Hybridization in a Biological Invasion: An Experimental Study with Silene Latifolia

Biological invasions are now the second leading cause of loss of biodiversity. Recently, hybridization has been hypothesized as a mechanism for invasion success. The combination of individuals from different gene pools may create novel genotypes having increased invisibility. The goal of my research was to examine the role that intraspecific hybridization may play in invasion success by using the agricultural weed Silene latifolia as a model. I used a common garden experiment to examine whether crossing parents of different ancestry results in offspring with differing quality. Plants were pollinated in three treatments reflecting parent plants within the same population (P), between-populations, within-continent (R), and between continent (C). Plants which had been produced by mating plants located intermediate distances apart (R) germinated faster, and had a greater probability of germinating and surviving. This thesis contributes to our knowledge of the potential role hybridization may play in a successful invasion.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Biology (M.S.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Biology

Year dc:date.available

2004

Author dc:creator

• Heaton, Lindsay

Contributors dc:contributor

• Daniel F. Gleason
• Lissa Leege

• ETD
• Invasive species
• Hybridization
• Inbreeding depression
• Outbreeding depression
• Biological invasions

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/698

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1698