Testing the impacts of polyploid using duckweed

Whole genome duplication is a common macro mutation that can lead to immediate speciation. Polyploids, including duckweed, can differ greatly in their traits (e.g., increased body size) compared to their diploid progenitors. Yet, polyploids must overcome major ecological challenges in order to establish and persist in the face of competition with their much more common diploids progenitors. In collaboration with Dr. Tia-Lynn Ashman’s Lab, we are exploring how duckweed neopolyploid lineages perform under various abiotic and biotic conditions thought to promote their establishment.

RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS:

Turcotte, M.M., Kaufmann, N., Wagner K.L., Zallek, T.A., Ashman, T.-L. (2024) Neopolyploidy increases stress tolerance and reduces fitness plasticity across multiple urban pollutants: support for the ‘general purpose’ genotype hypothesis. Evolution Letters, 8(3): 416-426 (Open Access)

Assour, H.R., Ashman, T.-L., and Turcotte, M.M. (2024) Neopolyploidy‐induced changes in giant duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza) alter herbivore preference and performance and plant population performance. American Journal of Botany, 11:e16301 (Open Access)

Anneberg, T.J., Turcotte, M.M., and Ashman, T.-L. (2023) Plant neopolyploidy and genetic background differentiates the microbiome of duckweed across a variety of natural freshwater sources. Molecular Ecology 32(21), 5849-5863.

Anneberg, T.J., O’Neil, E.M., Ashman, T.-L., and Turcotte, M.M. (2023) Polyploidy impacts population growth and competition with diploids: multigenerational experiments reveal key life history tradeoffs. New Phytologist 238: 1294-1304 (Open Access).