Zallek, Taylor
(2024)
Empirically testing the impact of rapid evolution during experimental biological invasions.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
This dissertation seeks to quantify the effects of evolution on biological invasions, a process that has historically been limited to ecological perspectives. I utilized duckweed (Lemnaceae) and other floating aquatic macrophytes as a model system to conduct manipulative eco-evolutionary experiments in field mesocosms. I allowed populations to evolve in response to various biotic and abiotic conditions and tested how evolutionary changes altered invasiveness and community invasibility. In the first empirical chapter, I evolved populations of Lemna minor to stressful levels of iron and aluminum before introducing these populations to communities of floating aquatic plants. I found that evolution in certain stressful environments (namely aluminum) can have significant impacts on a population’s invasiveness in communities experiencing similar environments, but these results are not universal across stressors. In the third chapter, I conducted experimental invasions of duckweed communities by L. minor to determine how early versus late stage of invasion may cause different evolutionary outcomes. I found that different genotypes of the invader were increased in relative frequency in early versus late-stage invasions. I did not, however, detect significant correlations among phenotypic traits and fitness. In the fourth chapter, I tested whether populations of L. minor would evolve in response to management (repeated reductions in population size). I found that evolution in response to management increased invasiveness into resident communities compared to evolving populations without management. In the fifth chapter, I evolved communities of duckweed (L. minor and Spirodela polyrhiza) in the presence, absence, or combination (i.e. co-invasion) of invasive aquatic ferns, Salvinia molesta and Salvinia minima. I found that the community members (L. minor and S. polyrhiza) evolved differently in body size to certain invader treatments. Then, using additional invasion experiments, I found that evolution of the resident community altered invasibility depending on which invasive Salvinia species they previously evolved alongside. Altogether, this dissertation provides some of the first experimental insight towards understanding evolution’s ability to alter invasiveness and invasibility. In summary, my dissertation research suggests that evolution can be very rapid, can occur in response to numerous biotic and abiotic factors, and can have detectable impacts on invasion dynamics.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
19 December 2024 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
3 December 2024 |
| Approval Date: |
19 December 2024 |
| Submission Date: |
6 December 2024 |
| Access Restriction: |
1 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 1 year. |
| Number of Pages: |
167 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences > Biological Sciences |
| Degree: |
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Experimental evolution, invasiveness, invasibility, pest management, duckweed, stressor, |
| Date Deposited: |
19 Dec 2024 21:02 |
| Last Modified: |
19 Dec 2024 21:02 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/47195 |
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