Mating patterns, pollen dispersal, and the ecological maternal neighbourhood in a Prunus mahaleb L. population

Gender polymorphism, plant-animal interactions, and environmental heterogeneity are the three important sources of variation in mating system and pollen dispersal patterns. We used progeny arrays and paternity analysis to assess the effects of gender type and density level on variation in mating patterns within a highly isolated population of Prunus mahaleb, a gynodioecious species. All the adult trees in the population were sampled and located. The direct estimate of long-distance insect-mediated pollination events was low (< 10%). Gender expression deeply influenced the mating system, decreasing the outcrossing rates (t(m)) and the pollen pool diversity in hermaphrodite trees. Long intermate distances (> 250 m) were significantly more frequent among female mother trees. Variation in local tree density also affected pollen pool diversity and intermate distance, with a higher effective number of fathers (k(e)) and longer intermate distances for female trees in low-density patches. A canonical correlation analysis showed significant correlations between mating variables and the maternal ecological neighbourhood. Only the first canonical variable was significant and explained 78% of variation. Outcrossing rates tended to decrease, and the relatedness among the fathers tended to increase, when mother trees grew in dense patches with high cover of other woody species and taller vegetation away from the pine forest edge. We highlight the relevance of considering maternal ecological neighbourhood effects on mating system and gene flow studies as maternal trees act simultaneously as receptors of pollen and as sources of the seeds to be dispersed.     

Historical and contemporary mating patterns in remnant populations of the forest tree Fraxinus excelsior L

Genetic variation at microsatellite markers was used to quantify genetic structure and mating behavior in a severely fragmented population of the wind-pollinated, wind-dispersed temperate tree Fraxinus excelsior in a deforested catchment in Scotland. Remnants maintain high levels of genetic diversity, comparable with those reported for continuous populations in southeastern Europe, and show low interpopulation differentiation (E = 0.080), indicating that historical gene exchange has not been limited (Nm = 3.48). We estimated from seeds collected from all trees producing fruits in three of five remnants that F. excelsior is predominantly outcrossing (t(m) = 0.971 +/- 0.028). Use of a neighborhood model approach to describe the relative contribution of local and long-distance pollen dispersal indicates that pollen gene flow into each of the three remnants is extensive (46-95%) and pollen dispersal has two components. The first is very localized and restricted to tens of meters around the mother trees. The second is a long-distance component with dispersal occurring over several kilometers. Effective dispersal distances, accounting for the distance and directionality to mother trees of sampled pollen donors, average 328 m and are greater than values reported for a continuous population. These results suggest that the opening of the landscape facilitates airborne pollen movement and may alleviate the expected detrimental genetic effects of fragmentation.     

Non-Density Dependent Pollen Dispersal of Shorea maxwelliana (Dipterocarpaceae) Revealed by a Bayesian Mating Model Based on Paternity Analysis in Two Synchronized Flowering Seasons

Pollinator syndrome is one of the most important determinants regulating pollen dispersal in tropical tree species. It has been widely accepted that the reproduction of tropical forest species, especially dipterocarps that rely on insects with weak flight for their pollination, is positively density-dependent. However differences in pollinator syndrome should affect pollen dispersal patterns and, consequently, influence genetic diversity via the mating process. We examined the pollen dispersal pattern and mating system of Shorea maxwelliana, the flowers of which are larger than those of Shorea species belonging to section Mutica which are thought to be pollinated by thrips (weak flyers). A Bayesian mating model based on the paternity of seeds collected from mother trees during sporadic and mass flowering events revealed that the estimated pollen dispersal kernel and average pollen dispersal distance were similar for both flowering events. This evidence suggests that the putative pollinators – small beetles and weevils – effectively contribute to pollen dispersal and help to maintain a high outcrossing rate even during sporadic flowering events. However, the reduction in pollen donors during a sporadic event results in a reduction in effective pollen donors, which should lead to lower genetic diversity in the next generation derived from seeds produced during such an event. Although sporadic flowering has been considered less effective for outcrossing in Shorea species that depend on thrips for their pollination, effective pollen dispersal by the small beetles and weevils ensures outcrossing during periods of low flowering tree density, as occurs in a sporadic flowering event.     

Low Inbreeding and High Pollen Dispersal Distances in Populations of Two Amazonian Forest Tree Species

Recent studies suggest that tropical tree species exhibit low inbreeding and high gene dispersal levels despite the typically low density of conspecifics in tropical forests. To examine this, we undertook a study of pollen gene dispersal and mating system of two Amazonian tree species. We analyzed 341 seeds from 33 trees at four microsatellite loci in a Carapa guianensis population from Brazil, and 212 seeds from 22 trees at four microsatellite loci in a Sextonia rubra population from French Guiana. Differentiation of allele frequencies among the pollen pool of individual trees was Φ_FT= 0.053 (95% CI: 0.027–0.074) for C. guianensis and Φ_FT= 0.064 (95% CI: 0.017–0.088) for S. rubra. The mean pollen dispersal distances were estimated at 69–355 m for C. guianensis , and 86–303 m for S. rubra , depending on the pollen dispersal model and the estimate of reproductive tree density used. The multi-locus outcrossing rate was estimated at 0.918 and 0.945, and the correlation of paternity at 0.089 and 0.096, for C. guianensis and S. rubra , respectively, while no significant levels of biparental inbreeding were detected. Comparing trees with high and low local density of conspecifics, we found no evidence for differences in inbreeding levels. The results are discussed within the framework of the emerging picture of the reproductive biology of tropical forest trees.     

Mating patterns of black oak Quercus velutina (Fagaceae) in a Missouri oak-hickory forest

Wind-pollinated forest trees usually have high outcrossing rates, but allogamy does not necessarily translate into high pollen movement. The goal of this study was to determine the outcrossing rates, pollen pool genetic structure, and the size of the effective pollination neighborhood in a population of black oak, Quercus velutina, in a Missouri oak-hickory forest. Based on 6 allozyme loci, 12 maternal trees, and 439 progenies sampled along a transect of 1300 m, we found complete outcrossing (t(m) = 1.000, P < 0.001) and small amounts of biparental inbreeding. Using a TwoGener analysis of the pollen gene pool, we found significant structure across maternal plants (Phi(FT) = 0.078, P < 0.001), which when corrected for adult inbreeding translates into Phi(FT) = 0.066 that corresponds to an effective number of pollen donors of 7.5 individuals. Assuming a bivariate normal distribution and an adult density of 16.25 trees ha(-1), we estimated that the effective pollination neighborhood area had a radius of 41.9 m. Even assuming that our estimates may be conservative, these findings join a growing body of evidence that suggest that the local neighborhood of wind-pollinated forest tree populations may be relatively small creating opportunities for local selection and genetic drift.     

Mating patterns and pollen dispersal in a heterodichogamous tree, Juglans mandshurica (Juglandaceae)

Mating patterns in heterodichogamous species are generally considered to be disassortative between flowering morphs, but this hypothesis has hitherto not been vigorously tested. Here, mating patterns and pollen dispersal were studied in Juglans mandshurica, a heterodichogamous wind-pollinated species that is widely distributed in northern and north-eastern China. Paternity analyses carried out on 11 microsatellite loci were used to estimate morph-specific rates of outcrossing and disassortative mating. Pollen dispersal and genetic structure were also investigated in the population under study. The mating pattern of J. mandshurica was highly outcrossing and disassortative. Pairwise values of intramorph relatedness were much higher than those of intermorph relatedness, and a low level of biparental inbreeding was detected. There was no significant difference in outcrossing and disassortative mating rates between the two morphs. The effective pollen dispersal distribution showed an excess of near-neighbor matings, and most offspring of individual trees were sired by one or two nearby trees. These results corroborate the previous suggestion that mating in heterodichogamous plant species is mainly disassortative between morphs, which not only prevents selfing but also effectively reduces intramorph inbreeding.     

Low Interannual Variation of Mating System and Gene Flow of Symphonia globulifera in the Brazilian Amazon

Six microsatellite loci were used to compare the mating system and gene flow in two consecutive years of a natural, unlogged population of Symphonia globulifera in a 500 ha experimental plot in the Brazilian Amazon (Flona Tapajós). The species had a low density of reproductive trees per hectare (   d = 0.46  trees/ha). We analyzed 205 trees and 261 and 487 open-pollinated seeds from 26 and 30 mother-trees in the years 2002 and 2003, respectively. A significant spatial genetic structure was detected for the adult trees for distances up to 100 m. We observed only small interannual differences in multilocus outcrossing rate (     ,     ), biparental inbreeding (     ,     ), and paternity correlation (     ,     ). The number of pollen donors contributing to mating of each tree in both years was estimated to be low (     ). Using TwoGener analysis to calculate the density of reproductive trees and the distance of pollen dispersal for normal and exponential models, the lowest error was detected for exponential model. For this model, the estimated density of reproductive trees was lower in 2002 (     trees/ha) than 2003 (     trees/ha), resulting in a higher distance of pollen dispersal in 2002 (     m) than 2003 (     m), although these changes did not affect the outcrossing and correlated mating rates.     

Mating system and early viability resistance to habitat fragmentation in a bird-pollinated eucalypt

Habitat fragmentation has been shown to disrupt ecosystem processes such as plant-pollinator mutualisms. Consequently, mating patterns in remnant tree populations are expected to shift towards increased inbreeding and reduced pollen diversity, with fitness consequences for future generations. However, mating patterns and phenotypic assessments of open-pollinated progeny have rarely been combined in a single study. Here, we collected seeds from 37 Eucalyptus incrassata trees from contrasting stand densities following recent clearance in a single South Australian population (intact woodland=12.6 trees ha⁻¹; isolated pasture=1.7 trees ha⁻¹; population area=10 km²). 649 progeny from these trees were genotyped at eight microsatellite loci. We estimated genetic diversity, spatial genetic structure, indirect contemporary pollen flow and mating patterns for adults older than the clearance events and open-pollinated progeny sired post-clearance. A proxy of early stage progeny viability was assessed in a common garden experiment. Density had no impact on mating patterns, adult and progeny genetic diversity or progeny growth, but was associated with increased mean pollen dispersal. Weak spatial genetic structure among adults suggests high historical gene flow. We observed preliminary evidence for inbreeding depression related to stress caused by fungal infection, but which was not associated with density. Higher observed heterozygosities in adults compared with progeny may relate to weak selection on progeny and lifetime-accumulated mortality of inbred adults. E. incrassata appears to be resistant to the negative mating pattern and fitness changes expected within fragmented landscapes. This pattern is likely explained by strong outcrossing and regular long-distance pollen flow.     

Airborne‐pollen pool and mating pattern in a hybrid zone between Pinus pumila and P. parviflora var. pentaphylla

The reproductive isolation barriers and the mating patterns among Pinus pumila, P. parviflora var. pentaphylla and their hybrids were examined by flowering phenology and genetic assays of three life stages: airborne‐pollen grains, adults and seeds, in a hybrid zone on Mount Apoi, Hokkaido, Japan. Chloroplast DNA composition of the airborne‐pollen was determined by single‐pollen polymerase chain reaction. Mating patterns were analysed by estimating the molecular hybrid index of the seed parent, their seed embryos and pollen parents. The observation of flowering phenology showed that the flowering of P. pumila precedes that of P. parviflora var. pentaphylla by about 6 to 10 days within the same altitudinal ranges. Although this prezygotic isolation barrier is effective, the genetic assay of airborne‐pollen showed that the two pine species, particularly P. pumila, still have chances to form F₁ hybrid seeds. Both parental species showed a strong assortative mating pattern; F₁ seeds were found in only 1.4% of seeds from P. pumila mother trees and not at all in P. parviflora var. pentaphylla. The assortative mating was concluded as the combined result of flowering time differentiation and cross‐incompatibility. In contrast to the parental species, hybrids were fertilized evenly by the two parental species and themselves. The breakdown of prezygotic barriers (intermediate flowering phenology) and cross‐incompatibility may account for the unselective mating. It is suggested that introgression is ongoing on Mount Apoi through backcrossing between hybrids and parental species, despite strong isolation barriers between the parental species.     

Increased selfing and correlated paternity in a small population of a predominantly outcrossing conifer, Pinus sylvestris

Outcrossing rate, the rates of ovule and seed abortion, and levels of correlated paternity were estimated in a small population of Pinus sylvestris, a predominantly outcrossing conifer, and were compared with estimates from two widely dispersed woodlands of the same species, showing a range of densities. On average, seed trees of the small population showed an eight-fold higher selfing rate (25 vs. 3%) and a 100-fold greater incidence of correlated paternity (19.6 vs. 0.2%) than did trees from the large populations. No evidence was found of pollen limitation within the remnant stand, as suggested by ovule abortion rates. Investigation of the mating patterns in the small population, based on the unambiguous genealogy of 778 open-pollinated seeds, showed a large departure from random mating. Only 8% of the possible mating pairs within the stand were observed. Correlated paternity rate within a maternal sibship was negatively associated (rs = -0.398, P < 0.050) with the distance to the nearest neighbour, and shared paternity among maternal sibships was negatively correlated (rs = -0.704, P < 0.001) with the distance between seed trees. Numerical simulations, based on the estimated individual pollen dispersal kernel, suggest that restricted dispersal might have been the key factor affecting mating patterns in the small population and, together with low population density, may account for the observed mating system variation between the small and the large populations. The results of this study show that a severe size reduction may substantially affect the mating system of a wind-pollinated, typically outcrossed plant species.     

Genetic and reproductive consequences of forest fragmentation for populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Magnolia obovata</Emphasis>

In order to evaluate the consequences of forest fragmentation on populations of Magnolia obovata, we compared genetic diversity and reproductive characteristics at two nearby sites, one conserved and one fragmented. The genetic diversity between adults trees of the different sites was not significantly different. However, saplings in the conserved site showed a significantly higher genetic diversity than both adult trees in the conserved site and saplings in the fragmented sites; this was found to be the result of the larger gene flow into the conserved site. The density of the adult trees was significantly related to all of the reproductive traits analyzed (fertilization of ovules, insect attack to seeds, ovules that developed into seeds and outcrossing at the stage of seeds) at both sites. At both sites, fertilization of ovules and insect attack on seeds were positively correlated to adult tree density while outcrossing rate was negatively correlated to adult tree density. The fertilization of ovules and outcrossing were more dependent on adult tree density in the fragmented site than in the conserved site. The probability of ovules developing into outcrossed seeds showed a negative correlation with adult tree density at both sites, indicating the advantage of low density for this species and possibly implying a resilience to habitat fragmentation. A two-generation-analysis did not identify significant differences between sites in terms of the structure of the pollen pool and the number of pollen donors. Although fragmentation affected reproductive characteristics, the effect on seedling establishment and subsequent survival remains to be determined. Proposals for future studies that will assist in the development of management strategies for forests suffering fragmentation are made.     

Individual and Temporal Variation in Outcrossing Rates and Pollen Flow Patterns in Ceiba pentandra (Malvaceae: Bombacoidea)

Ceiba pentandra is a tropical tree with high rates of selfing in some populations. In mixed‐mating species, variation in selfing is due to changes in adult density or variability of incompatibility systems. The effect of spatial isolation and phenology on selfing rates and pollen flow distances was analyzed using microsatellites in a fragmented population of Ceiba pentandra, in southern Costa Rica. Adult trees within a heterogeneous landscape were classified as grouped or isolated. We compared selfing rates at the individual level, between isolation conditions and 2 yr (2007, 2009), which differed in the number of flowering individuals. Mixed mating was estimated in both years (t_m = 0.624–0.759). Trees mated predominantly by outcrossing, while only a few trees reproduced through selfing. Spatial isolation did not significantly affect outcrossing rates. The progeny of grouped trees was mostly sired by near‐neighbors (<1 km) and by long‐distance pollen flow events in isolated trees. A reduction in the number of flowering individuals in 2009 reduced near‐neighbor matings, increased selfing in grouped trees, and decreased the number of unsampled sires in the progeny. Comparing selfing rates on individuals that flowered in both reproductive periods suggests a flexible mating system. Variation in self‐fertilization rates in this population appears to depend on variation of individual traits, such as genetic variability in self‐incompatibility genes, but it is independent of landscape heterogeneity. In contrast, pollen flow distances depend on local tree density as bats concentrate their foraging between near individuals to maximize energy efficiency.     

Extensive pollen immigration and no evidence of disrupted mating patterns or reproduction in a highly fragmented holm oak stand

Aims Forest fragmentation and reduced tree population densities can potentially have negative impacts on mating patterns, offspring genetic diversity and reproductive performance. The aim of the present study is to test these hypotheses comparing an extremely fragmented, low tree density (~0.02 trees/ha) holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) stand from Central Spain with a nearby high tree density stand (~50 trees/ha).Methods We genotyped adult trees and seeds from the low-density stand (436 seeds from 15 families) and the high-density stand (404 seeds from 11 families) using nine microsatellite markers. With these data, we performed paternity analyses, determined pollen flow, mating patterns and pollen pool structure, and estimated progeny genetic diversity in both stands. We also studied seed set and production and performed a pollen supplementation experiment to determine whether reduced tree density has limited foreign pollen availability.Important findings We have found extensive pollen immigration (>75%) into the low tree density stand and Monte Carlo simulations revealed that pollen moves larger distances than expected from null models of random dispersal. Mating patterns and differentiation of pollen pools were similar in the high-density stand and the low-density stand but we found higher inter-annual differentiation of pollen pools in the former. Progeny genetic diversity and self-fertilization rates did not differ between the low-density stand and the high-density stand. Seed set rates were significantly lower in the low-density stand than in the high-density stand and experimental cross-pollen supplementation evidenced that foreign pollen availability is indeed a limiting factor in the former. However, seed crops did not differ between the low-density stand and the high-density stand, indicating that limitation of foreign pollen is not likely to be of great concern in terms of reduced seed production and potential recruitment. Poor forest regeneration due to other ecological and human factors is probably a more important threat for the persistence of fragmented and low tree density stands than reduced pollen flow and only extremely small and isolated tree populations would be expected to suffer severe loss of genetic diversity in the long term.     

Limited pollen dispersal and biparental inbreeding in Symphonia globulifera in French Guiana

In this paper, we report a study of the mating system and gene flow of Symphonia globulifera, a hermaphroditic, mainly bird-pollinated tree species with a large geographic distribution in the tropical Americas and Africa. Using three microsatellites, we analysed 534 seeds of 28 open pollinated families and 164 adults at the experimental site 'Paracou' in French Guiana. We observed, compared to other tropical tree species, relatively high values for the effective number of alleles. Significant spatial genetic structure was detected, with trees at distances up to 150 m more genetically similar than expected at random. We estimated parameters of the mating system and gene flow by using the mixed mating model and the TwoGener approach. The estimated multilocus outcrossing rate, tm, was 0.920. A significant level of biparental inbreeding and a high proportion of full-sibs were estimated for the 28 seed arrays. We estimated mean pollen dispersal distances between 27 and 53 m according to the dispersal models used. Although the adult population density of S. globulifera in Paracou was relatively high, the joint estimation of pollen dispersal and density of reproductive trees gave effective density estimates of 1.6 and 1.3 trees/ha. The parameters of the mating system and gene flow are discussed in the context of spatial genetic and demographic structures, flowering phenology and pollinator composition and behaviour.     

Flowering phenology and wind-pollination efficacy of heterodichogamous Juglans mandshurica (Juglandaceae)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Heterodichogamy differs from normal dichogamy, in that it involves two mating types (protogyny and protandry) that occur at a 1 : 1 ratio in a population. Flowering phases of the two mating types are synchronized and reciprocal, which was considered to ensure between-type outcrossing. This study aims to quantify the flowering pattern and pollination efficacy in Juglans mandshurica, a wind-pollinated heterodichogamous tree. METHODS: The pattern of flowering phenology was monitored within individual trees and pollen traps were used to measure air-borne pollen loads during the spring in 2003 and 2004. Pollen longevity was determined by staining technique. Also a pollen supplementation experiment was performed in 2004 to assess pollen limitation of fruit production. KEY RESULTS: There was no overlap between sexual functions within individual trees. Flowering periods of the two mating types were reciprocal and synchronous in both 2003 and 2004. Air-borne pollen loads were large, and protogynous and protandrous individuals each produced a high pollination peak, consistent with the two blooming periods. Maximum pollen longevity was about 4 h for protandrous individuals, and 3 h for protogynous individuals. Pollen supplementation did not increase fruit production in either protogynous or protandrous individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Heterodichogamous flowering in Juglans mandshurica effectively avoids selfing, promotes between-type outcrossing, and leads to efficient pollination in a natural population.     

MATING SYSTEM OF A TROPICAL RAIN FOREST TREE SPECIES

Canopy tree species are the dominant elements of the species-rich, fragile and endangered tropical rain forest ecosystems, yet little is known about the genetics of these species. We provide an estimate of the outcrossing rate in a population of Pithecellobium pedicellare, a large canopy tree in the tropical rain forests of Costa Rica. The outcrossing rate was high (t = 951 ± 0.021) and the pollen pool contributing to the progeny arrays used to measure outcrossing rate showed departure from homogeneity. The high outcrossing rate indicates that individuals scattered over a large area in this low density population could be bound with each other via outcrossing. However, despite a high outcrossing rate, the potential for inbreeding in this population is not negligible. We found a relatively large number of albino and chlorotic seedlings among the progeny arrays of several seed parents. Heterogeneity of pollen pool further indicates that the population, though widely outcrossed, may be structured. A more detailed study of mating systems in tropical rain forest trees may provide additional insights into the mating patterns of these trees. Such studies will be useful not only in understanding the dynamics of micro-evolutionary processes, but also in the conservation and management of tropical forest trees.     

Effects of population density on male and female reproductive success in the wind-pollinated, wind-dispersed tree species Betula maximowicziana

The effects of population density on male and female reproductive success of Betula maximowicziana were evaluated in two mixed and two post-fire stands, with various population densities, ranging from 1.9 to 300.0 trees per ha, in central Hokkaido, Japan. First, we investigated ecological determinants of reproductive success (seed set and germination) of both seeds collected from the trees (tree seeds) and dispersed seeds collected from seed traps (dispersed seeds). We then evaluated the effects of population density on seed set and germination of tree seeds and dispersed seeds using a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM). Subsequently, we genotyped 950 seeds collected from mother trees and 940 seeds trapped after dispersal derived from tree seeds and dispersed seeds, respectively, using eleven microsatellite loci. Using the acquired data, we then evaluated the outcrossing rate and effective number of pollen donors (N _ep) of the tree seeds, and the genetic structure of both pollen pools and dispersed seed populations. The seed set and germination rate of dispersed seeds was significantly lower both in the lowest-density stand and in the highest-density stand. The GLMM revealed that seed set and germination rates of dispersed seeds may be maximal at approximately 120 trees per hectare (optimal density). Outcrossing rates were consistently high (t _m = 0.995), regardless of the population density. In contrast, N _ep was lower in the lowest-density stands. Significant genetic structure of the dispersed seed population was found in two low-density stands, probably due to the limitation of overlapping seed shadows.     

To self, or not to self... a review of outcrossing and pollen-mediated gene flow in neotropical trees

Despite the typically low population densities and animal-mediated pollination of tropical forest trees, outcrossing and long-distance pollen dispersal are the norm. We reviewed the genetic literature on mating systems and pollen dispersal for neotropical trees to identify the ecological and phylogenetic correlates. The 36 studies surveyed found >90% outcrossed mating for 45 hermaphroditic or monoecious species. Self-fertilization rates varied inversely with population density and showed phylogenetic and geographic trends. The few direct measures of pollen flow (N=11 studies) suggest that pollen dispersal is widespread among low-density tropical trees, ranging from a mean of 200 m to over 19 km for species pollinated by small insects or bats. Future research needs to examine (1) the effect of inbreeding depression on observed outcrossing rates, (2) pollen dispersal in a wide range of pollination syndromes and ecological classes, (3) and the range of variation of mating system expression at different hierarchical levels, including individual, seasonal, population, ecological, landscape and range wide.     

Long‐distance pollen and seed dispersal and inbreeding depression in Hymenaea stigonocarpa (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae) in the Brazilian savannah

Hymenaea stigonocarpa is a neotropical tree that is economically important due to its high‐quality wood; however, because it has been exploited extensively, it is currently considered threatened. Microsatellite loci were used to investigate the pollen and seed dispersal, mating patterns, spatial genetic structure (SGS), genetic diversity, and inbreeding depression in H. stigonocarpa adults, juveniles, and open‐pollinated seeds, which were sampled from isolated trees in a pasture and trees within a forest fragment in the Brazilian savannah. We found that the species presented a mixed mating system, with population and individual variations in the outcrossing rate (0.53–1.0). The studied populations were not genetically isolated due to pollen and seed flow between the studied populations and between the populations and individuals located outside of the study area. Pollen and seed dispersal occurred over long distances (>8 km); however, the dispersal patterns were isolated by distance, with a high frequency of mating occurring between near‐neighbor trees and seeds dispersed near the parent trees. The correlated mating for individual seed trees was higher within than among fruits, indicating that fruits present a high proportion of full‐sibs. Genetic diversity and SGS were similar among the populations, but offspring showed evidence of inbreeding, mainly originating from mating among related trees, which suggests inbreeding depression between the seed and adult stages. Selfing resulted in a higher inbreeding depression than mating among relatives, as assessed through survival and height. As the populations are not genetically isolated, both are important targets for in situ conservation to maintain their genetic diversity; for ex situ conservation, seeds can be collected from at least 78 trees in both populations separated by at least 250 m.     

Jatropha curcas L. (Euphorbiaceae) exhibits a mixed mating system, high correlated mating and apomixis

The hierarchical mating system among and within fruits of Jatropha curcas was investigated in a base population using five microsatellite loci, employing mixed mating and correlated mating models. Open-pollinated fruits were collected from 15 randomly selected seed trees, sampling seven fruits per tree for a total of 21 seeds from each tree. We detected multilocus genotypes identical to the mother tree in 13 % of offspring, implying the occurrence of apomixis in J. curcas. The presumed apomictic individuals were excluded from the analysis of the remaining results. Evidence of substantial selfing was provided by the average multilocus outcrossing rate (t _m?=?0.683), showing that the species exhibits a mixed mating system. The outcrossing rate showed a large variation among seed trees, ranging from 0.21 to 1.0, indicating that the species is not self-incompatible. Significant differences were detected between the multilocus and the single locus outcrossing rates (t _m???t _s?=?0.347) that suggested mating among related individuals, possibly because of the presence of individuals from the same progeny (sibs) in the base population. The multilocus paternity correlation was extremely high for the population (r _p(m)?=?0.999), indicating that the progenies were manly composed of full-sibs. As a consequence of selfing and a high paternity correlation, the co-ancestry coefficient within the progeny was higher (Θ?=?0.369) than expected for panmictic populations. Our results indicated that J. curcas produces seeds asexually by apomixis and sexually by a mixed mating system, combining selfing and outcrossing.