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Microsatellite DNA analysis of spatial and temporal population structuring of Phragmites australis along the Hudson River Estuary

  • PHRAGMITES INVASION
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Abstract

Phragmites australis is a perennial grass that has invaded wetlands of the northeastern United States over the past century. The Hudson River Estuary and surrounding watersheds are no exception in that populations of P. australis have spread dramatically along its shores and tributaries in the past 40 years. Recent studies have shown that genetically variable populations of P. australis can spread by seed dispersal in addition to clonal mechanisms. It is important to characterize the genetic variation of Hudson River populations as part of a management strategy for this species to determine the mechanisms by which its spreads and colonizes new habitats, particularly those with frequent anthropogenic disturbances. The goals of this study were to quantify levels of genetic variation and structuring in Hudson River populations of P. australis using microsatellite DNA analysis. A total of 354 culms of P. australis were collected from nine locations ranging from Albany, New York to Staten Island, New York in the summers of 2004 (N = 174) and 2011 (N = 180). Microsatellite data from eight loci indicated that the Hudson River Estuary has some of the highest levels of genetic variation of all U. S. Atlantic Coast regions containing P. australis. Gene diversity (Hs) across all loci in the 2004 collection was 0.45 (±0.02) and that of the 2011 collection was 0.47 (±0.07). Patches within sample sites were rarely monoclonal and had multiple genetic phenotypes. Moran’s Identity tests indicated that individuals within a patch were closely related, whereas little genetic relatedness was evident among individuals from sample sites >1 km apart. Spatial structuring was also not evident in autospatial correlation and principle coordinate analyses. These findings suggest that genetic diversity is maintained within stands by sexual reproduction and that seeds are important in dispersal of P. australis across the Hudson River Estuary. Ample habitats are available for establishment of new Phragmites stands due to high levels of anthropogenic disturbance from populations living along the Estuary. Wildlife managers should focus on monitoring habitats that provide seedbed for Phragmites and promote land use practices that prevent soil disturbance and establishment of new stands.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Hudson River Foundation for Tibor T. Polgar Fellowships to M.M and D.L, the Patrick Martin Foundation for funding D.L and support of the Tri-Beta Biological Honors Society for funding M.M. We also acknowledge NIEHS Center Grant ES00260 for use of their facilities core. We are grateful to Erik Kiviat, Chuck Nieder, Sarah Fernald, Eric Lind and Serena Ciparis for their advice and help in obtaining samples. Yourha Kang and two anonymous reviewers provided insightful comments on this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, Iona College, New Rochelle, NY, 10801, USA

    Joseph Stabile, Daniel Lipus & Michele Maltz

  2. Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, Tuxedo, NY, 10987, USA

    Joseph Stabile, Lorraine Maceda, Nirmal Roy & Isaac Wirgin

  3. Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA

    Daniel Lipus

  4. Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA

    Michele Maltz

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  1. Joseph Stabile
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  2. Daniel Lipus
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  3. Lorraine Maceda
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  4. Michele Maltz
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  5. Nirmal Roy
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  6. Isaac Wirgin
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Correspondence to Joseph Stabile.

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Guest editors: Laura A. Meyerson and Kristin Saltonstall/Phragmites invasion.

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Stabile, J., Lipus, D., Maceda, L. et al. Microsatellite DNA analysis of spatial and temporal population structuring of Phragmites australis along the Hudson River Estuary. Biol Invasions 18, 2517–2529 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-016-1157-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-016-1157-7

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