Old Meets New: Combining Herbarium Databases with Genetic Methods to Evaluate the Invasion Status of Baby’s Breath (Gypsophila paniculata) in North America

Abstract

AimThis paper aims to inform our knowledge of common babys breaths (Gypsophila paniculata) current population structure and invasion status using a combination of contemporary genetic methods and historical herbarium data.\n\nTaxonGypsophila paniculata (Angiosperms: Eudicot, Caryophyllaceae)\n\nLocationSamples were collected from seven locations spanning a portion of the plants North American range: Washington, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Michigan, United States.\n\nMethodsTo analyze contemporary population structure, individuals of G. paniculata from 7 distinct sampling locations were collected and genotyped at 14 microsatellite loci. Population structure was inferred using both Bayesian and multivariate methods. To investigate G. paniculatas invasion status, public herbarium databases were searched for mention of the species. Records were combined, resulting in a database of 307 herbarium collections dating from the late 1800s to current day. Using this database, invasion curves were created at different geospatial scales.\n\nResultsResults of genetic analyses suggest the presence of at least two genetic clusters spanning our seven sampling locations. Sampling locations in Washington, North Dakota, Minnesota, and northwestern Michigan form one genetic cluster, distinct from our two more southern sampling locations in Michigan, which form a second cluster with increased relative genetic diversity. Invasion curves created for these two clusters show different time periods of invasion. An invasion curve created for North America suggests G. paniculatas range may still be expanding.\n\nMain conclusionsGypsophila paniculata has likely undergone at least two distinct invasions in North America, and its range may still be expanding. Restricted genetic diversity seen across a wide geographic area could be a signature of limited seed distributors present during the early period of this garden ornamentals invasion.