Leveraging contemporary species introductions to test phylogenetic hypotheses of trait evolution

(a) Phylogenetic studies are powerful for generating hypotheses (see Table 1) about macroevolutionary associations between phenotypic or genetic trait states (shown in blue) and potential abiotic or biotic selective environments (shown in green). Tips on the cladogram represent species. (b) Contemporary evolution in introduced and invading (I) populations can be leveraged to test these hypotheses. Introduced populations of a lineage are often replicated across multiple environments and vary in both traits and the genetic diversity available for adaptation (including through admixture among native (N) subpopulations, shown here by asterisk *).▪ •There is a need to test character evolution hypotheses over human timescales.•Introduced species could provide good models of some evolutionary transitions in traits.•Phylogenetic and contemporary studies investigate some of the same traits.•Many traits show promising evidence of rapid evolution.•Trait databases can help link disciplines, particularly if expanded toward this goal. Plant trait evolution is a topic of interest across disciplines and scales. Phylogenetic studies are powerful for generating hypotheses about the mechanisms that have shaped plant traits and their evolution. Introduced plants are a rich source of data on contemporary trait evolution. Introductions could provide especially useful tests of a variety of evolutionary hypotheses because the environments selecting on evolving traits are still present. We review phylogenetic and contemporary studies of trait evolution and identify areas of overlap and areas for further integration. Emerging tools which can promote integration include broadly focused repositories of trait data, and comparative models of trait evolution that consider both intra and interspecific variation.