Tetraploids of an invasive clonal shrub, Lantana camara, present greater invasiveness than diploids

doi:10.1093/jpe/rtaf222

J Plant Ecol ›› 2026, Vol. 19 ›› Issue (3): rtaf222.DOI: 10.1093/jpe/rtaf222

• Research Article • Next Articles

Tetraploids of an invasive clonal shrub, Lantana camara, present greater invasiveness than diploids

Chun-Can Si^1,2,†, Ying Lin^1,2,†, Misbah Naz³, Shan-Shan Qi⁴, Zhi-Cong Dai^2,5,6,*, Dao-Lin Du^2,7,*

¹School of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Jingdezhen University, Jingdezhen 333400, China
²Institute of Environment and Ecology, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
³State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
⁴Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
⁵Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
⁶School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Key Laboratory of Zhenjiang, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
⁷Jingjiang College, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212028, China
^*Corresponding authors. E-mails: daizhicong@163.com (Z.-C.D.); ddl@ujs.edu.cn (D.-L.D.)
^†These authors contributed equally to this work.

Received:2025-05-16 Revised:2025-08-16 Accepted:2025-12-07 Published:2025-12-30
Supported by:
This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32271587) and Drug Efficacy and Health Risk Assessment Key Laboratory of Zhenjiang (SS2024006).

入侵克隆灌木马缨丹四倍体种群比二倍体种群入侵性更强

Abstract

Abstract: Compared with diploids, polyploids exhibit distinct biological traits and invasion strategies, often conferring enhanced invasive potential. However, the impact of polyploidy on the invasiveness of shrub species remains insufficiently explored. In this study, the role of ploidy in the invasiveness of Lantana camara, a woody invasive clonal shrub widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, was investigated. The cytotypes of eight wild L. camara populations across Hainan Island were analyzed. A comprehensive comparison was conducted between diploid and tetraploid plants to assess niche breadth, clonal growth patterns, morphological traits, and genetic diversity. Additionally, common garden experiments were performed to evaluate the morphological and physiological responses of both cytotypes to environmental fluctuations. Tetraploids accounted for 85% of the individuals, and were distributed across seven populations, whereas diploids represented only 15% and were restricted to a single population. Compared with diploids, tetraploids exhibited: (i) broader ecological niche occupancy, (ii) significantly higher genetic diversity, (iii) more variable growth forms in natural habitats, (iv) increased seed production, and (v) greater phenotypic plasticity under experimental conditions. These findings suggest that polyploidy contributes substantially to the invasive success of L. camara by enhancing adaptability and reproductive capacity. These findings also underscore the role of tetraploids in promoting invasion in this tropical shrub species and highlight the importance of cytotype differentiation in understanding invasion dynamics.

Key words: polyploidy, clonal growth, genetic diversity, phenotypic plasticity, invasion success

摘要：
与二倍体相比，多倍体物种表现出独特的生物学特性与入侵策略，通常赋予其更强的入侵潜力。然而，多倍体化对灌木物种入侵能力的影响仍不清楚。本研究以广泛分布于热带与亚热带地区的入侵克隆灌木马缨丹(Lantana camara)为对象，基于海南岛8个马缨丹种群野外调查，系统比较了二倍体与四倍体植株在生态位宽度、克隆生长模式、形态特征及遗传多样性等方面的差异。进一步通过同质园实验，评估了两种细胞型种群对环境波动的响应特征。结果表明，四倍体个体广泛分布于7个种群(占比达85%)，而二倍体个体仅局限于单一种群(占15%)。与二倍体相比，四倍体表现出： (1)更宽的生态位范围； (2)更高的遗传多样性； (3)自然生境中更多样的生长方式； (4)更高的种子产量； (5)实验条件下更强的表型可塑性。这些结果表明，多倍体化通过增强适应能力和繁殖能力，提升了马缨丹的入侵成功率。总体而言，本研究强调了四倍体在促进该热带灌木物种入侵过程中的作用，并揭示了细胞型分化在理解入侵动态中的重要性。

关键词: 多倍性, 克隆生长, 遗传多样性, 表型可塑性, 入侵成功

Chun-Can Si, Ying Lin, Misbah Naz, Shan-Shan Qi, Zhi-Cong Dai, Dao-Lin Du. Tetraploids of an invasive clonal shrub, Lantana camara, present greater invasiveness than diploids[J]. J Plant Ecol, 2026, 19(3): 0-.

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Tetraploids of an invasive clonal shrub, Lantana camara, present greater invasiveness than diploids

入侵克隆灌木马缨丹四倍体种群比二倍体种群入侵性更强

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