title: Spatial genetic heterogeneity in populations of a newly invasive whitefly in china revealed by a nation-wide field survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Even though introductions of exotic species provide ready-made experiments of rapid evolution, few studies have examined the genetic structure of an exotic species shortly after its initial introduction and subsequent spread. To determine the genetic structure of its populations during the initial introduction, we investigated the invasive sweet potato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Q, commonly known as B. tabaci biotype Q) in China, which was introduced in approximately 2003. A total of 619 B. tabaci Q individuals in 20 provinces throughout China were collected and analyzed using five microsatellite loci.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The introduced populations of B. tabaci Q in China represent eight genetic clusters with different geographic distributions. The populations in Yunnan Province, where B. tabaci Q was first detected, are genetically different from the other populations in China.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The introduced populations of B. tabaci Q in China have high spatial genetic heterogeneity. Additional research is required to determine whether the heterogeneity results from multiple introductions, rapid evolution following one or few introductions, or some combination of multiple introductions and rapid evolution. The heterogeneity, however, is inconsistent with a single introduction at Yunnan Province, where B. tabaci Q was first detected, followed by spread.
authors.affiliation: Key Lab of Integrated Crop Pest Management of Shandong Province, College of Agronomy and Plant Protection, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Hui-Peng
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Xian-Chun
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yun-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Bai-Ming
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: You-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D018740:Genetic Heterogeneity; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005843:Geography; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000235:genetics*; D058865:Introduced Species; D011157:Population Dynamics; D062206:Spatial Analysis