Rapid establishment of species barriers in plants compared with that in animals.
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| Title: | Rapid establishment of species barriers in plants compared with that in animals. |
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| Authors: | Monnet, François, Postel, Zoé, Touzet, Pascal, Fraïsse, Christelle, Van de Peer, Yves, Vekemans, Xavier, Roux, Camille |
| Source: | Science. 9/11/2025, Vol. 389 Issue 6765, p1147-1150. 4p. |
| Subjects: | Plant species, Genomes, Plant hybridization, Microevolution, Genetic variation |
| Abstract: | Speciation, the process by which new reproductively isolated species emerge from ancestral populations, results from the gradual accumulation of barriers to gene flow within genomes. To date, the notion that interspecific genetic exchange (introgression) occurs more frequently between plant species than animals has gained a strong footing in scientific discourse. By examining the dynamics of gene flow across a continuum of divergence in both kingdoms, we observed the opposite relationship: Plants experience less introgression than animals at the same level of genetic divergence, suggesting that species barriers are established more rapidly in plants. This pattern raises questions about which differences in microevolutionary processes between plants and animals influence the dynamics of reproductive isolation establishment at the macroevolutionary scale. Editor's summary: Introgression has been extensively studied for its potential to introduce adaptive alleles into another population or species. Although hybridization has been historically documented more often in plants, the relative rates of introgression in animals and plants have been difficult to quantify. Monnet et al. examined the relationship of introgression with genetic divergence in 61 animal and 280 plant pairs (see the Perspective by Brandvain). They found that the likelihood of plants hybridizing dropped off after genetic divergence levels of 0.3% in plants (consistent across different plant types) compared with 1.8% in animals. These results suggest that barriers to hybridization may arise more quickly in plants, contrary to historical views. —Corinne Simonti [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Speciation, the process by which new reproductively isolated species emerge from ancestral populations, results from the gradual accumulation of barriers to gene flow within genomes. To date, the notion that interspecific genetic exchange (introgression) occurs more frequently between plant species than animals has gained a strong footing in scientific discourse. By examining the dynamics of gene flow across a continuum of divergence in both kingdoms, we observed the opposite relationship: Plants experience less introgression than animals at the same level of genetic divergence, suggesting that species barriers are established more rapidly in plants. This pattern raises questions about which differences in microevolutionary processes between plants and animals influence the dynamics of reproductive isolation establishment at the macroevolutionary scale. Editor's summary: Introgression has been extensively studied for its potential to introduce adaptive alleles into another population or species. Although hybridization has been historically documented more often in plants, the relative rates of introgression in animals and plants have been difficult to quantify. Monnet et al. examined the relationship of introgression with genetic divergence in 61 animal and 280 plant pairs (see the Perspective by Brandvain). They found that the likelihood of plants hybridizing dropped off after genetic divergence levels of 0.3% in plants (consistent across different plant types) compared with 1.8% in animals. These results suggest that barriers to hybridization may arise more quickly in plants, contrary to historical views. —Corinne Simonti [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 00368075 |
| DOI: | 10.1126/science.adl2356 |
