Is gene flow the most important evolutionary force in plants?

Abstract

Although theory has demonstrated rather low levels of gene flow are sufficient to counteract opposing mutation, drift, and selection, widespread recognition of the evolutionary importance of gene flow has come slowly. The perceived role of gene flow as an evolutionary force has vacillated over the last century. In the last few decades, new methods and analyses have demonstrated that plant gene flow rates vary tremendously-from nil to very high-depending on the species and specific populations involved, and sometimes over time for individual populations. In many cases, the measured gene flow rates are evolutionarily significant at distances of hundreds and sometimes thousands of meters, occurring at levels sufficient to counteract drift, spread advantageous alleles, or thwart moderate levels of opposing local selection. Gene flow in plants is likely to often act as a cohesive force, uniting individual plant species into real evolutionary units. Also, gene flow can evolve under natural selection, decreasing or increasing. The fact of frequent, but variable, plant gene flow has important consequences for applied issues in which the presence or absence of gene flow might influence the outcome of a policy, regulatory, or management decision. Examples include the unintended spread of engineered genes, the evolution of invasiveness, and conservation. New data-rich genomic techniques allow closer scrutiny of the role of gene flow in plant evolution. Most plant evolutionists now recognize the importance of gene flow, and it is receiving increased recognition from other areas of plant biology as well.

Keywords: biological species concept; conservation; dispersal; gene flow; hybridization; immigration; local adaptation; migration; population genetics; transgenes.