Publications by authors named "Paige Matheson"
Article Synopsis
- Invasive species typically experience genetic bottlenecks that reduce their genetic diversity and fitness, yet they often still succeed in new environments.
- The study focused on the blowfly Calliphora vicina, which has been introduced to Australia and New Zealand, to assess how genetic diversity impacts its population fitness.
- Experimental results showed that while inbreeding led to significant reductions in fitness for specific traits, these effects did not lead to population collapse, indicating C. vicina can adapt even after experiencing genetic bottlenecks.
Article Synopsis
- Global rates of biological invasion are rising, negatively impacting native biodiversity and ecosystem services, and hybridization may enhance this by increasing genetic variation and fitness in invasive species.
- The study focused on blowflies in New Zealand, which are believed to have invaded from Australia between 1779 and 1841, analyzing genome-wide SNPs from 154 individuals across 24 populations to assess gene flow and hybridization.
- Results indicated weak genetic structure in New Zealand populations, suggesting high gene flow, with evidence of both interspecific hybridization between species and intraspecific admixture among populations, underscoring the significance of hybridization in the context of biological invasions.
Human activities are accelerating rates of biological invasions and climate-driven range expansions globally, yet we understand little of how genomic processes facilitate the invasion process. Although most of the literature has focused on underlying phenotypic correlates of invasiveness, advances in genomic technologies are showing a strong link between genomic variation and invasion success. Here, we consider the ability of genomic tools and technologies to (i) inform mechanistic understanding of biological invasions and (ii) solve real-world issues in predicting and managing biological invasions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInvasive species threaten native biota, putting fragile ecosystems at risk and having a large-scale impact on primary industries. Growing trade networks and the popularity of personal travel make incursions a more frequent risk, one only compounded by global climate change. With increasing publication of whole-genome sequences lies an opportunity for cross-species assessment of invasive potential.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) is one of the world's most destructive pests of cotton. This invasive lepidopteran occurs in nearly all cotton-growing countries. Its presence in the Ord Valley of North West Australia poses a potential threat to the expanding cotton industry there.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiological invasions drive environmental change, potentially threatening native biodiversity, human health, and global economies. Population genomics is an increasingly popular tool in invasion biology, improving accuracy and providing new insights into the genetic factors that underpin invasion success compared to research based on a small number of genetic loci. We examine the extent to which population genomic resources, including reference genomes, have been used or are available for invasive species research.
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