Université de Fribourg

Contrasting spatio-temporal climatic niche dynamics during the eastern and western invasions of spotted knapweed in North America

Broennimann, Olivier ; Mráz, Patrik ; Petitpierre, Blaise ; Guisan, Antoine ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Journal of Biogeography, 2013///n/a–n/a

Aim: The spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe), a plant native to south-east and central Europe, is highly invasive in North America. We investigated the spatio-temporal climatic niche dynamics of the spotted knapweed in North America along two putative eastern and western invasion routes. We then considered the patterns observed in the light of historical, ecological and evolutionary...

Université de Fribourg

Anthropogenic disturbance as a driver of microspatial and microhabitat segregation of cytotypes of Centaurea stoebe and cytotype interactions in secondary contact zones

Mráz, Patrik ; Španiel, Stanislav ; Keller, Andreas ; Bowmann, Gillianne ; Farkas, Alexandre ; Šingliarová, Barbora ; Rohr, Rudolf P. ; Broennimann, Olivier ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Annals of Botany, 2012, p. -

Background and Aims: In a mixed-ploidy population, strong frequency-dependent mating will lead to the elimination of the less common cytotype, unless prezygotic barriers enhance assortative mating. However, such barriers favouring cytotype coexistence have only rarely been explored. Here, an assessment is made of the mechanisms involved in formation of mixed-ploidy populations and coexistence...

Université de Fribourg

Shift in cytotype frequency and niche space in the invasive plant Centaurea maculosa

Treier, Urs A. ; Broennimann, Olivier ; Normand, Signe ; Guisan, Antoine ; Schaffner, Urs ; Steinger, Thomas ; Müller-Schärer, Heinz

In: Ecology, 2009, vol. 90, no. 5, p. 1366-1377

Polyploidy is often assumed to increase the spread and thus the success of alien plant species, but few empirical studies exist. We tested this hypothesis with Centaurea maculosa Lam., a species native to Europe and introduced into North America approximately 120 years ago where it became highly invasive. We analyzed the ploidy level of more than 2000 plants from 93 native and 48 invasive C....