Fine-scale genetic analyses reveal invasion dynamics and management opportunities in a mountain basin for an avian-dispersed shrub

Fine-scale genetic analyses reveal invasion dynamics and management opportunities in a mountain basin for an avian-dispersed shrub | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Fine-scale genetic analyses reveal invasion dynamics and management opportunities in a mountain basin for an avian-dispersed shrub Lisandro Fernández, David L. Vergara-Tabares, Carolina Carrizo García This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8160283/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract In studies of biological invasions, genomic data reveal introduction events, population structure and spatial expansion pathways, providing key insights to inform targeted and effective invasive species management. Fine-scale genetic studies elucidating the invasion processes remain scarce. This study investigates the local invasion dynamics of the avian-dispersed shrub Pyracantha angustifolia in a mountain basin of the Chaco Serrano, Córdoba, Argentina, integrating spatial distribution surveys with high-throughput RAD-sequencing genomic data. Sampling across an elevation gradient along a stream revealed species density decline with increasing elevation and distance from water, indicating recruitment hotspots near streams. Genetic analyses uncovered two distinct clusters with a patchy distribution, moderate differentiation and differing genetic diversity, suggesting at least two, genetically diverse, independent introductions. Kinship analyses revealed pervasive familial relationships within clusters but none between them, indicating fine-scale kin structure driven by localized dispersal and lack of post-introduction interbreeding between groups. Partial Mantel tests indicated a weak isolation-by-distance pattern at the landscape scale, while dispersal kernel modeling supported predominance of short-distance dispersal and occasional longer dispersal events. The findings provide practical data to improve ongoing management and control strategies to preserve the invaded ecosystem. Pyracantha angustifolia kinship analysis dispersal kernel mountain riparian habitats invasive species management Full Text Supplementary Files FernandezetalESM1.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 01 Dec, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 01 Dec, 2025 Editor invited by journal 27 Nov, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 20 Nov, 2025 First submitted to journal 19 Nov, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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