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Founder effects and phenotypic variation in Adelges cooleyi, an insect pest introduced to the eastern United States

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Abstract

Introduced organisms experience founder effects including genetic bottlenecks that result in significant reductions in genetic variation. Genetic bottlenecks may constrain the evolution of phenotypic traits that facilitate success in novel habitats. We examined the effect of introduction into novel environments on genetic diversity of an insect pest, Adelges cooleyi, which was introduced into the eastern United States during the mid nineteenth century. We compared variation in mitochondrial and nuclear genomes in native and introduced samples to determine the effect of introduction on genetic variation experienced by this insect. We also measured an ecologically important phenotype, variation in host preference, in both native and introduced samples to compare variation in that trait with molecular genetic variation. To further investigate the relationship between genetic and phenotypic variation, we examined the degree to which mtDNA haplotypes provide information about host preference. Adelges cooleyi in eastern North America has significantly reduced genetic and phenotypic variation, but this low variation does not appear to have prevented persistence in a novel environment. Introduced insects appear to have retained host preference phenotypes similar to those of insects found where introductions likely originated.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Galen Dively, Matthew Hare, Sonja Scheffer, Kerry Shaw, and four anonymous reviewers for valuable comments that improved an earlier version of this manuscript. Bob Foottit and Nathan Havill provided expertise and primers, respectively. Joan West provided technical assistance, and Whitney Cranshaw, Ruth Hufbauer, Carol von Dohlen, and Jill O’Donnell assisted with collection and collection trips. We would also like to thank Susan Newhart, Larry May, Don and Joan Hilliker; David Walker; Tom Brobson and David Brady for graciously allowing and facilitating collection efforts on their personal property. Sequencing was supported by funding to the Canadian Barcode of Life Network from Genome Canada (through the Ontario Genomics Institute), NSERC and other sponsors listed at www.BOLNET.ca.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 204 Center for Integrated Plant Systems, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Robert G. Ahern

  2. Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, 4112 Plant Sciences Building, College Park, MD, 20742, USA

    David J. Hawthorne & Michael J. Raupp

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  1. Robert G. Ahern
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  2. David J. Hawthorne
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  3. Michael J. Raupp
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Correspondence to Robert G. Ahern.

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Ahern, R.G., Hawthorne, D.J. & Raupp, M.J. Founder effects and phenotypic variation in Adelges cooleyi, an insect pest introduced to the eastern United States. Biol Invasions 11, 959–971 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-008-9308-0

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