Abstract
Curlyleaf Pondweed (Potamogeton crispus L.) is a prolific invasive species that has spread across the United States and into parts of Canada since its introduction to North America in the 1840s. It causes extensive economic and environmental damage across its invasive range, and its control and eradication are of utmost importance to agricultural, ecological, recreational, and transportational stakeholders. Developments in molecular ecology and invasive management have found that genetic diversity and hybridization of aquatic macrophytes may affect their susceptibility to herbicide treatments, and genotype or lineage identification are important control variables that must be considered in field and lab Potamogeton crispus management trials. With new methods of GBS and denovo sequencing, the possibility of exploring complex genomes of non-model species has also arisen, calling for the need to investigate the genetic diversity of P. crispus, a species with a long evolutionary history in the United States. Despite this, little research has been conducted on the widespread genetic diversity of Potamogeton crispus. This species has, however, been observed to hybridize with other species in the Potamogetonaceae family and, therefore, has some propensity for sexual reproduction, which was previously thought to be rare in its invasive range as asexual reproduction through turions is more common. Because hybridization and genetic diversity in aquatic macrophytes is known to pose a risk to efficacious management, further and broader analysis of P. crispus genetic diversity must be undertaken in its North American range. A genotyping by sequencing study of 271 P. crispus individuals from 18 states and one Canadian territory revealed high within state and lake clonality but also led to the discovery of at least 64 unique P. crispus clonal lineages. Additionally, an admixture analysis revealed at least two ancestral population clusters, including clusters tied to genetically distinct and widespread lineages. ITS sequencing of five lineages suspected of being hybrids elucidated Potamogeton praelongus sequences, a pondweed native to North America. It is still unclear whether these individuals are true hybrids, or if P. crispus is highly admixed with inter- and intraspecific lineages. These findings will likely impact future Potamogeton crispus chemical management studies, research regarding the propensity for interspecific Potamogetonaceae hybridization, challenge preconceived notions about genetic diversity in relation to aquatic plants that reproduce primarily through asexual reproduction and further highlight the dangers of multiple introductions of invasive species; or subsequent evolution of these species in their invasive range, to management.
Advisor
Ryan Wersal
Committee Member
Ryan Thum
Committee Member
Michael Minicozzi
Date of Degree
2026
Language
english
Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Science (MS)
Program of Study
Biology
Department
Biological Sciences
College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Recommended Citation
Kaiser, M. M. (2026). Characterization of the genetic diversity of Curlyleaf Pondweed (Potamogeton crispus L.) in the contiguous United States and Canada and analysis of possible hybrid Potamogeton crispus lineages [Master’s thesis, Minnesota State University, Mankato]. Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works for Minnesota State University, Mankato. https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/etds/1594/
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Included in
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