Journal Article
Population Genomics of a Cosmopolitan Weed Provides Insights Into Its Local Adaptation and Recent Demographic History
Marilia Souza Lucas; Christoph Rosche; Isabell Hensen; Stefan G. Michalski; Dávid U. Nagy; Diana Gamba; Renske E. Onstein; Karime Abidkulova; Mohammad Al‐Gharaibeh; Ali A. Al‐Namazi; Sirwan Babaei; Fernando Bastida; Caio Brunharo; Aurélien Caillon; Ragan M. Callaway; Sam St Clair; Darron A. Cullen; Ryan Donnelly; Alyson Ennis; David J. Ensing; Özkan Eren; Andrey Erst; Rita Filep; Luke Flory; Lauren J. Frazee; Yusufjon Gafforov; Fidji Gendron; Zigmantas Gudžinskas; Christopher Matt Guilliams; Avni Hajdari; Jian‐Hua Hao; Erin Haramoto; Anna A. Ivashchenko; Li Jun; Nolan Kane; Matthew A. Kaproth; Hesham Kassem; Abdelmajid Khabbach; Damase P. Khasa; Matthew Koski; Maria Kozhevnikova; Nikos Krigas; Denis Krivenko; Jesse R. Lasky; Ylva Lekberg; Mohamed Libiad; Vanessa Lozano; Wenbo Luo; Trobjon Makhkamov; Elizabete Marchante; Chandra Moffat; Abigail Moore; Albert Muldashev; Anush Nersesyan; Pål l Axel Olsson; Adrian Oprea; Robert Pal; Astghik Papikyan; Christopher Proctor; Vadim Prokhorov; Satu Ramula; Emily Rauschert; Bryan Reatini; Christian Rixen; Scott Rush; Gemma Rutten; Mariem Saadani; Ioulietta Samartza; Julian Selke; Stepan Senator; Manzoor A. Shah; Min Sheng; Jamal Sheriff; Baasanmunkh Shukherdorj; Peter Sikkema; Tatiana Silaeva; Satoshi N. Suzuki; Arpad E. Thoma; Baoliang Tian; Valeriy Tokhtar; Sabrina Träger; Tomonori Tsunoda; Orzimat Turginov; Kathryn G. Turner; Tatyana Vakhlamova; Yulia Vinogradova; Viktoria Wagner; Lydia Westberg; Sa Xiao; Christopher D. Barratt; Walter Durka
Molecular Ecology · Vol. 35, Issue 10 · 2026
Abstract
Invasive plant species present a growing ecological and economic challenge, and often adapt rapidly to their novel environments through complex demographic and evolutionary processes. Invasion genomics offers powerful tools to disentangle these processes, but most studies rely on geographically narrow sampling across native and non‐native ranges. Erigeron canadensis is a cosmopolitan weed native to North America that has successfully invaded diverse climates worldwide. We used double‐digest restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) to investigate the genetic diversity and structure of 280 E. canadensis populations across the Northern Hemisphere. We found that native and non‐native populations maintained comparable genetic diversity. Population structure analyses revealed four genetic clusters that were mainly differentiated along latitudinal and aridity gradients. However, one cluster was strongly overrepresented in the non‐native compared to the native range. In the native range, genetic differentiation was shaped by spatial and environmental gradients, while in non‐native regions human‐mediated dispersal and repeated introductions disrupted environmentally driven genetic structure. Migration network analyses revealed limited intercontinental connectivity and a possible role of long‐distance dispersal in within‐range expansions. Genomic offset analyses showed that genotype‐environment mismatches in non‐native populations associated with reduced growth and reproduction. Together, our results indicate that the invasion dynamics of E. canadensis were driven by multiple introductions, population admixture, and lineage sorting, while some genotypes contributed disproportionately to the spread of this invader. The presence of apparent maladaptation suggests that even long‐established invaders may still be evolving in response to their novel environment, raising concerns about potential future expansions.