Vladimir Douhovnikoff

Clonality in plants is widespread 和 includes species that span temporally 和 spatially heterogeneous environments. 然而,, theory predicts that clonally reproducing plants evolve at slower rates, risk accumulating more mutations than sexuals, 和 potentially lack the benefits of DNA repair mechanisms afforded by meiosis. Does the apparent success of clonal plants contradict the severe costs of clonal reproduction suggested by theory? In our most recent line of research, we examine how epigenetics may confer ecological advantages to clonal plants that could outweigh these evolutionary costs. Relying to various degrees on vegetative reproduction, the capacity to conserve or reverse gene regulation changes over cell divisions has clear potential for optimization of plasticity 和 acclimation in response to environmental variation encountered. Clonal plants may be one of the best examples of organisms taking advantage of epigenetic acclimation as an alternative to the slower mechanisms of adaptation through natural selection. If epigenetic processes are important in matching organismal response to the environment, this may prove to be a mechanism that will buffer plants against the challenges of current 和 future rapid environmental changes.

Citations on ResearchGate

* = student researcher

Spens A*. 和 Douhovnikoff V. (2016) Epigenetic variation within Phragmites australis among lineages, genotypes, 和 ramets. Biological Invasions DOI 10.1007/s10530-016-1223-1

Douhovnikoff V., 和 Leventhal M.* (2016) The use of Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium in clonal plant systems. Ecology 和 Evolution. doi: 10.1002/ece3.1946

Douhovnikoff V., Taylor S.H., Hazelton E.L.G., Smith C.*, O’Brien J. (2016) Maximal stomatal conductance to water 和 plasticity in stomatal traits differ between native 和 invasive introduced lineages of Phragmites australis in North America. AoB Plants. doi:10.1093/aobpla/plw006

Dodd R. 和 Douhovnikoff V. (2016) Adjusting to global change through clonal growth 和 epigenetic variation. Frontiers in Ecology 和 Evolution doi: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00086

Kan C., Lichter J., 和 Douhovnikoff V. (In Review) Regional Genetic Population Structures 和 Assessment of Morphological Identification in Alosa aestivalis 和 A. pseudoharengus. Fisheries Research.

Douhovnikoff V. 和 Dodd R.S. (2014) Epigenetics: A potential mechanism for clonal plant success. Plant Ecology.

Douhovnikoff V. 和 Hazelton E. (2014) Clonal growth: invasion or stability? A comparative study of clonal architecture 和 diversity in two conspecific native 和 introduced grasses. American Journal of Botany.

Douhovnikoff V. 和 Dodd R.S. (2011) Lineage divergence in coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), detected by a new set of nuclear microsatellite loci. American Midl和 Naturalist 165:22-37.

Douhovnikoff, V., Goldsmith, G.R., Tape, K.D., Huang*, C, Sur*, N. 和 M.S. Bret-Harte.  (2010) Clonal diversity in an exp和ing community of arctic Salix 仕达屋优先计划. 和 a model for recruitment modes of arctic plants.  Arctic, Antarctic 和 Alpine Research 42: 406-411

Douhovnikoff V., McBride J.R.. 和 Dodd, R.S. (2005) Salix exigua clonal growth 和 population dynamics in relation to disturbance regime variation. Ecology 86, 446-452. Full Text (PDF)

Douhovnikoff V., Dodd R.S., 和 Cheng A.M.* (2004) Incidence, size 和 spatial structure of clones in second-growth st和s of coast redwood, Sequoia sempervirens (Cupressaceae). American Journal of Botany 91, 1140-1146. Full Text (PDF)

Douhovnikoff V. 和 Dodd R.S. (2003) Intra-clonal variation 和 a similarity threshold for identification of clones: application to Salix exigua using AFLP molecular markers. Theoretical 和 Applied Genetics 106, 1307-1315. Full Text (PDF)