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Browne_et_al_2018_pollen_vs_seed_dispersal.xlsx (245.78 kB)

Dataset for Browne et al. - The relative contributions of seed and pollen dispersal to gene flow and genetic diversity in seedlings of a tropical palm

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posted on 2018-06-04, 21:49 authored by Luke BrowneLuke Browne, Kym Ottewell, Victoria Sork, Jordan Karubian
Data set from:The relative contributions of seed and pollen dispersal to gene flow and genetic diversity in seedlings of a tropical palm by Luke Browne, Kym Ottewell, Victoria Sork, and Jordan Karubian.

Abstract
Seed and pollen dispersal shape patterns of gene flow and genetic diversity in plants. Pollen is generally thought to travel longer distances than seeds, but seeds determine the ultimate location of gametes. Resolving how interactions between these two dispersal processes shape micro-evolutionary processes is a long-standing research priority. We unambiguously isolated the separate and combined contributions of these two dispersal processes in seedlings of the animal-dispersed palm Oenocarpus bataua to address two questions. First, what is the spatial extent of pollen vs. seed movement in a system characterized by long distance seed dispersal? Second, how does seed dispersal mediate seedling genetic diversity? Despite evidence of frequent long distance seed dispersal, we found that pollen moves much further than seeds. Nonetheless, seed dispersal ultimately mediates genetic diversity and fine-scale spatial genetic structure. Compared to undispersed seedlings, seedlings dispersed by vertebrates were characterized by higher female gametic and diploid seedling diversity and weaker fine-scale spatial genetic structure for female gametes, male gametes, and diploid seedlings. Interestingly, the diversity of maternal seed sources at seed deposition sites (Nem) was associated with higher effective number of pollen sources (Nep), higher effective number of parents (Ne), and weaker spatial genetic structure, whereas seed dispersal distance had little impact on these or other parameters we measured. These findings highlight the importance of frugivore-mediated diversity of maternal seed sources (Nem) at deposition sites in driving emergent patterns of fine scale genetic diversity and structure.

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