THE INVASIVE SPECIES IMPATIENS PARVIFLORA IS REPRESENTED BY A SINGLE HAPLOTYPE OF THE CHLOROPLAST GENOME REGION RPL32-TRNL(UAG) WITHIN THE SECONDARY RANGE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31861/biosystems2025.03.368Keywords:
biodiversity, invasive species, genetic barcoding, cpDNAAbstract
Impatiens parviflora DC. is among the most successful invasive plant species in Central Europe, demonstrating a high capacity for spread in forest ecosystems, where it effectively competes with the native I. noli-tangere. The invasion of this species into Europe began in the 1830s, following its introduction from the highlands of Central Asia into the botanical gardens of Geneva and Dresden. The introduced material is believed to have originated from a single source population. Although populations within the secondary range exhibit pronounced , their genetic diversity has not yet been comprehensively assessed using DNA barcoding approaches.
The aim of this study was to identify chloroplast haplotypes of I. parviflora from Ukraine and to compare them with haplotypes from other parts of Europe and from the native range. For this purpose, the chloroplast intergenic spacer rpl32–trnL(UAG), known for its high level of polymorphism, was selected as a molecular marker. The rpl32–trnL(UAG) region was sequenced for five accessions from Ukraine and Poland, and an additional 22 sequences retrieved from GenBank were included, representing accessions from the secondary range (Great Britain, russia) and the primary range (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan).
Comparative analysis of the rpl32–trnL(UAG) sequences revealed the widespread occurrence of a single chloroplast DNA haplotype of I. parviflora across Europe, indicating a pronounced genetic uniformity within the secondary range. In contrast, an additional haplotype exhibiting substantial sequence divergence was detected exclusively within the native range. These results support the hypothesis that European populations of I. parviflora originated from a single geographical source.
Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis demonstrated a close genetic relationship between I. parviflora and another invasive species, I. glandulifera. This finding raises the possibility of interspecific hybridization between these species within the secondary range.
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