Data from: Colonization history, host distribution, anthropogenic influence and landscape features shape populations of white pine blister rust, an invasive alien tree pathogen

We characterized 1,292 samples of C. ribicola from 66 geographic locations in North America using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and evaluated the effect of landscape features, host distribution, and colonization history on the structure of these pathogen populations. We identified eastern and western genetic populations in North America that are strongly differentiated. Genetic diversity is two to five times higher in eastern populations than in western ones, which can be explained by the repeated accidental introductions of the pathogen into northeastern North America compared with a single documented introduction into western North America.

These distinct genetic populations are maintained by a barrier to gene flow that corresponds to a region where host connectivity is interrupted. Furthermore, additional cryptic spatial differentiation was identified in western populations. This differentiation corresponds to landscape features, such as mountain ranges, and also to host connectivity.

We also detected genetic differentiation between the pathogen populations in natural stands and plantations, an indication that anthropogenic movement of this pathogen still takes place. These results highlight the importance of monitoring this invasive alien tree pathogen to prevent admixture of eastern and western populations where different pathogen races occur.

Usage notes

Cronartium ribicola SNP genalex SNPs An excel spreadsheet containing genotypes of 1292 Cronartium ribicola individuals genotyped at 31 SNPs using sequenom. The data are arranged for processing in Genalex biology-assets.anu.edu.au/GenAlEx/Welcome.html Dryad_Genalex.xlsx Cronartium ribicola Arlequin Cronartium ribicola Arlequin file comprising genotypes at 31 SNP loci for 1292 individuals sampled across 66 populations in North America and separated into eastern and western regions for AMOVA analyses CR_1292_region.arp