Phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation favor range expansion of a Neotropical palm

摘要: One of the most intriguing questions in plant ecology is which evolutionary strategy allows widely distributed species to increase their ecological range and grow changing environmental conditions. Phenotypic plasticity local adaptations are major processes governing margins, but little known about relative contribution for tree distribution tropical forest regions. We investigated role phenotypic adaptation widespread palm Euterpe edulis Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Genetic sampling experiments were performed old-growth remnants two types with higher (Seasonal Semideciduous Forests vs. Submontane Rainforest) lower biogeographic association similarities (Submontane Rainforest Restinga Forest). first assessed molecular genetic differentiation among populations, focusing on group loci potentially under selection each forest, using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) outliers. Further, we looked potential adaptive divergence populations a common garden experiment reciprocal transplants development phases: seedling establishment sapling growth. Analysis outlier indicated that all individuals from Forest formed single group, while another was by overlapping Molecular corroborated transplants, yielded strong evidence biogeographically divergent Forest, not Rainforest. favors expansion related or recently colonized types, persistence newly ecosystem may be favored if climatic conditions diverge over time, reducing gene flow between populations. SNPs obtained next-generation sequencing can help exploring variation trees, impose several challenges use transplants.