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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
Published on: February 3, 2023
Evolution in closely adjacent plant populations X: long-term persistence of prereproductive isolation at a mine
1Biology Department, Gilmer Hall, McCormick Road, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA. ja8n@virginia.edu
Abstract:
Flowering time differences between metal-tolerant and nontolerant populations of the grass Anthoxanthum odoratum growing across a mine boundary have persisted for over 40 years. These flowering time differences result in a high degree of prezygotic genetic isolation (isolation index=0.43) between the tolerant mine populations and nontolerant pasture populations. Previous work showing genetic determination of flowering time and a high turnover of individual plants argues strongly for the selective maintenance of this difference.
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