Kolbe, Jason J.Larson, AllanLosos, Jonathande Queiroz, Kevin2009-03-122008Kolbe, Jason J., Allan Larson, Jonathan B. Losos, and Kevin de Queiroz. 2008. Admixture determines genetic diversity and population differentiation in the biological invasion of a lizard species. Biology Letters 4(4): 434-437.1744-9561http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:2656535Molecular genetic analyses show that introduced populations undergoing biological invasions often bring together individuals from genetically disparate native-range source populations, which can elevate genotypic variation if these individuals interbreed. Differential admixture among multiple native-range sources explains mitochondrial haplotypic diversity within and differentiation among invasive populations of the lizard Anolis sagrei. Our examination of microsatellite variation supports the hypothesis that lizards from disparate native-range sources, identified using mtDNA haplotypes, form genetically admixed introduced populations. Furthermore, within-population genotypic diversity increases with the number of sources and among-population genotypic differentiation reflects disparity in their native-range sources. If adaptive genetic variation is similarly restructured, then the ability of invasive species to adapt to new conditions may be enhanced.en-USmultiple native-range sourcesmicrosatelliteintroduced speciesmitochondrial DNA10.1098/rsbl.2008.0205