Global population structures and demographic history of Suillus luteus, a pine co-introduced ectomycorrhizal fungus associated with exotic forestry and invasion.
Human colonization since the 19th century has resulted in the global spread of pines across the Southern Hemisphere, well beyond their original northern boreal distribution. Such introductions moved not only the pines but also expanded the distribution of their symbiotic partners. Although the introduction of pines is documented through historical records, little is known about the introduction history of their ectomycorrhizal fungi, which are critical symbionts for the survival and invasion of pines. Using Suillus luteus as an example, population genomic analyses of 208 individuals across both native and introduced ranges showed that all introductions originated from Europe, likely mediated by human activities along with pine introductions. With the exception of North America, introduced populations were genetically differentiated from the Europe population, with varying magnitudes of population expansion in different introduced regions, often linked to forestry practices. Genetic variation within the native European population followed isolation by distance, but not in the introduced range, highlighting the disparity in the spatial genetic patterns of native versus exotic habitats. This study provides insight into the population genetics of a globally introduced ectomycorrhizal fungus whose introduction process is likely applicable to other pine-co-introduced ectomycorrhizal fungi.