Local adaptation to climate has facilitated the global invasion of cheatgrass

Authors: GAMBA, DIANA - Pennsylvania State University; VAHSEN, MEGAN - Utah State University; MAXWELL, TOBY - Boise State University; PIRTEL, NIKKI - Utah State University; Romero, Seth; VAN EE, JUSTIN - Colorado State University; PENN, AMANDA - Pennsylvania State University; DAS, AAYUDH - Pennsylvania State University; BEN-ZEEV, ROTEM - Pennsylvania State University; BAUGHMAN, OWEN - The Nature Conservancy; BLANEY, C - Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre; BODINKS, RANDY - Collaborator; BUDHA-MAGAR, SHANTA - Northtec, Whangarei Campus; Copeland, Stella; DAVIS-FOUST, SHANNON - University Of Wisconsin; DIAMOND, ALVIN - Troy University; DONNELLY, RYAN - Kansas State University; DUNWIDDIE, PETER - University Of Washington; ENSING, DAVID - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada; EVEREST, THOMAS - New Mexico State University; HOITINK, HOLLY - Collaborator; HOLDREGE, MARTIN - Northern Arizona University; HUFBAUER, RUTH - Colorado State University; JUZENAS, SIGITAS - Vilnius University; KALWIJ, JESSE - University Of Johannesburg; KASHIRINA, EKATERINA - Food And Agriculture Organization Of The United Nations (FAO); KIM, SANGTAE - Sungshin Women'S University; KLISZ, MARCIN - Forest Research Institute, Depart Of Silviculture And Genetics; KLYUEVA, ALINA - Bryansk State University; LANGEVELD, MICHAEL - Collaborator; LUTFY, SAMUEL - Texas A&M University; MARTIN, DANIEL - Collaborator; MERKORD, CHRISTOPHER - Minnesota State University; MORGAN, JOHN - La Trobe University; NAGY, DAVID - Goethe University; OTT, JACQUELINE - Us Forest Service (FS); PUCHALKA, RADOSLAW - Nicolaus Copernicus University; PYLE, LYSANDRA - Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute; RASRAN, LEONID - University Of Vienna; Rector, Brian; ROSCHE, CHRISTOPH - Martin Luther University; SADYKOVA, MARINA - Collaborator; SHRIVER, ROBERT - University Of Nevada; STANISLAVSCHI, ALEXANDR - Collaborator; STARZOMSKI, BRIAN - University Of Victoria; STONE, RACHEL - Case Western Reserve University (CWRU); TURNER, KATHRYN - Idaho State University; URZA, ALEXANDRA - Us Forest Service (FS); VANWALLENDAEL, ACER - North Carolina State University; WEGENSCHIMMEL, CARL-ADAM - Collaborator; ZWECK, JUSTIN - Pennsylvania State University; BROWN, CYNTHIA - Colorado State University; LEGER, ELIZABETH - University Of Nevada; Blumenthal, Dana; GERMINO, MATTHEW - Us Geological Survey (USGS); Porensky, Lauren; HOOTEN, MEVIN - University Of Texas At Austin; ADLER, PETER - Utah State University; LASKY, JESSE - Pennsylvania State University

Submitted to: Nature Communications
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/26/2025
Publication Date: 11/20/2025
Citation: Gamba, D., Vahsen, M.L., Maxwell, T.M., Pirtel, N., Romero, S.J., Van Ee, J.J., Penn, A., Das, A., Ben-Zeev, R., Baughman, O., Blaney, C.S., Bodinks, R., Budha-Magar, S., Copeland, S.M., Davis-Foust, S.L., Diamond, A., Donnelly, R.C., Dunwiddie, P.W., Ensing, D.J., Everest, T.A., Hoitink, H., Holdrege, M.C., Hufbauer, R.A., Juzenas, S., Kalwij, J.M., Kashirina, E., Kim, S., Klisz, M., Klyueva, A., Langeveld, M., Lutfy, S., Martin, D., Merkord, C.L., Morgan, J.W., Nagy, D.U., Ott, J.P., Puchalka, R., Pyle, L.A., Rasran, L., Rector, B.G., Rosche, C., Sadykova, M., Shriver, R.K., Stanislavschi, A., Starzomski, B.M., Stone, R.L., Turner, K.G., Urza, A.K., VanWallendael, A., Wegenschimmel, C., Zweck, J., Brown, C.S., Leger, E.A., Blumenthal, D.M., Germino, M.J., Porensky, L.M., Hooten, M.B., Adler, P.B., Lasky, J.R. 2025. Local adaptation to climate has facilitated the global invasion of cheatgrass. Nature Communications. 16. Article e10203. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64799-9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64799-9

Interpretive Summary: Local adaptation may facilitate range expansion by invasive species. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is a grass native to Eurasia and Africa that has invaded globally, particularly western North America. Through resequencing of 307 cheatgrass genotypes, we found that diverse lineages invaded North America, where long-distance gene flow is common. Associations between the environment and genotypes in the native range predicted those in the invaded range, suggesting colonization of pre-adapted genotypes to different regions. In the Great Basin, evidence also suggests that local adaptation facilitates cheatgrass dominance. Our results show how multiple introductions promote local adaptation and spread of an invasion. They should be useful to scientists and managers working to control one of the most problematic invasive plants in North America.

Technical Abstract: Range expansions may be facilitated by local adaptation. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is a grass native to Eurasia and Africa that has invaded globally, particularly western North America. We resequenced 307 genotypes and conducted controlled experiments. We found that diverse lineages invaded North America, where long-distance gene flow is common. Ancestry and phenotypic clines in the native range predicted those in the invaded range, suggesting colonization of pre-adapted genotypes to different regions. Common gardens showed directional selection on flowering time that reversed between warm and cold sites, potentially maintaining clines. In the Great Basin, genomic predictions of strong local adaptation identified the most highly invaded sites, suggesting local adaptation facilitates cheatgrass dominance. Our results show how multiple introductions promote local adaptation and spread of an invasion.