DOI: 10.5061/dryad.3bk3j9kvb
title: High-performing plastic clones best explain the spread of yellow monkeyflower from lowland to higher elevation areas in New Zealand

description: The relative contribution of adaptation and phenotypic plasticity can vary
 between core and edge populations, with implications for invasive success.
 We investigated the spread of the invasive yellow monkeyflower,
 Erythranthe gutatta in New Zealand, where it is spreading from lowland
 agricultural land into high-elevation conservation areas. We investigated
 the extent of phenotypic variation among clones from across the South
 Island, looked for adaptation and compared degrees of plasticity among
 lowland core versus montane range-edge populations. We grew 34 clones and
 measured their vegetative and floral traits in two common gardens, one in
 the core range at 9 m a.s.l. and one near the range-edge at 560 m a.s.l.
 Observed trait variation was explained by a combination of genotypic
 diversity (as identified through common gardens) and high phenotypic
 plasticity. We found a subtle signature of local adaptation to lowland
 habitats but all clones were plastic and able to survive and reproduce in
 both gardens. In the range-edge garden, above-ground biomass was on
 average almost double and stolon length almost half that of the same clone
 in the core garden. Clones from low-elevation sites showed higher
 plasticity on average than those from higher elevation sites. The highest
 performing clones in the core garden were also top performers in the
 range-edge garden. These results suggest some highly fit general-purpose
 genotypes, possibly pre-adapted to New Zealand montane conditions, best
 explains the spread of E. gutatta from lowland to higher elevation areas.
description: <em>E. gutatta</em> cuttings of clones from 34
 distinct locations across the South Island of New Zealand were grown at
 two garden locations. Plants were randomly assigned positions in each
 common garden. Nine quantitative traits have been measured for each
 plant.
description: # High-performing plastic clones best explain the spread of yellow
 monkeyflower from lowland to higher elevation areas in New Zealand
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.3bk3j9kvb](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.3bk3j9kvb) ## Description of the data and file structure *E. gutatta* cuttings of clones from 34 distinct locations across the South Island of New Zealand were grown at two garden locations. Plants were randomly assigned positions in each common garden. Nine quantitative traits have been measured for each plant. NA entries denote not available observations. ### Files and variables #### File: mimulus.csv **Description:**  ##### Variables * Area: identifiers of the origin of each clone / Region * Population me: identifiers of the origin of each clone / Location name * Population: identifiers of the origin of each clone / 1, ..., 37 * Y Co-ordite: location for each clone, Latitude * X Co-ordite: location for each clone, Longitude * Water Logged: information about each location, 0: no, 1: yes * Flowing Water: information about each location, 0: no, 1: yes * Annual Average Temperature: information about each location [°C] * GrowingPeriod Average Temperature: information about each location [°C] * GrowingPeriod Temperature Min: information about each location [°C] * GrowingPeriod Temperature Max: information about each location [°C] * Annual Average Rainfall: information about each location [mm] * GrowingPeriod Humidity: information about each location [%] * GrowingPeriod Precipitation: information about each location [mm] * Temperature at Collection: information about each location [°C] * Sunlight Hours: information about each location [h] * PLANT ID: 1A, 1B, ..., 37C * Garden Location: identifier for the two common gardens Ilam and Cass * Survival: an indicator if plant survived 1 or not 0 * Starting Weight: quantitative measurements on each plant * Above Ground Wet Weight: quantitative measurements on each plant [g] * Above Ground Dry Weight: quantitative measurements on each plant [g] * Largest Flower Height: quantitative measurements on each plant [mm] * Largest Flower Depth: quantitative measurements on each plant [mm] * Largest Flower Width: quantitative measurements on each plant [mm] * Average Largest Leaf Width: quantitative measurements on each plant [mm] * Average Largest Leaf Length: quantitative measurements on each plant [mm] * Longest Vertical Shoot: quantitative measurements on each plant [mm] * Longest Horizontal Shoot: quantitative measurements on each plant [mm] * Internode Length: quantitative measurements on each plant [mm] * Anthocyanin Score: quantitative measurements on each plant [0: none, 1: low, 2: moderate, 3: high] * Max Bud Number: quantitative measurements on each plant 0, 1, 2, ... * Date of Max Bud Number: quantitative measurements on each plant [Julian date] * Date of First Bud: quantitative measurements on each plant [Julian date] * Tip Cutting Weight: quantitative measurements on each plant [g] * Complete Wet Weight: quantitative measurements on each plant [g] * Root Wet Weight: quantitative measurements on each plant [g] * Complete Dry Weight: quantitative measurements on each plant [g] * Root Dry Weight: quantitative measurements on each plant [g] ## Code/software R script: A linear mixed-effect model is fitted separately for each quantitative trait, estimating the effect of the common garden location. A summary of the effects as figure or table is provided. All figures and tables of the corresponding publication can be reproduced with the script.