Hypotheses regarding the association of increased species or genetic diversity with gradually warmer regions as a global pattern have been proposed, but no direct and solid experimental data are available to approve the association between plant genetic diversity and ambient temperatures. To test the diversity-temperature hypothesis, we studied genetic diversity and genetic differentiation of weedy rice (Oryza sativa f. spontanea) populations occurring naturally in early- and late-season rice fields that share nearly the same ecological conditions but with slightly different temperatures. Data collected from 10-year historical climatic records indicated a ~2 ℃ higher average air temperature in the late rice-cultivation seasons than in the early seasons. Results based on molecular fingerprints of 27 SSR (simple sequence repeat) loci showed a higher level of genetic diversity in the late-season weedy rice populations than in the early-season populations. In addition, a positive correlation was detected between the increased proportion of genetic diversity (ΔHe ) and genetic differentiation among the weedy rice populations, suggesting limited gene flow. Therefore, we conclude from this study that increased genetic diversity in the late-season weedy rice populations is probably caused by the higher ambient temperatures. This finding provides evidence for the possible association between genetic diversity and ambient temperatures.
Keywords: gene flow; genetic divergence; increased diversity; temperature effect; temporal isolation; weed.