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Spatial structure and genetic diversity of three tropical tree species with different habitat preferences within a natural forest

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Abstract

Analyses of the spatial distribution pattern, spatial genetic structure and genetic diversity were carried out using a 33-ha plot in a hill dipterocarp forest for three dipterocarps with different habitat preferences, i.e. Shorea curtisii on the ridges, Shorea leprosula in the valleys and Shorea macroptera both on the ridges and in the valleys. The significant spatial aggregation in small-diameter trees of all the three species was explained by limited seed dispersal. At the large-diameter trees, only S. macroptera showed random distribution and this might further prove that S. macroptera is habitat generalist, whilst S. curtisii and S. leprosula are habitat specific. The levels of genetic diversity estimated based on five microsatellite loci were high and comparable in all the three studied species. As the three studied species reproduced mainly through outcrossing, the observed high levels of genetic diversity might support the fact that the plant mating system can be used as guideline to infer the levels of genetic diversity, regardless of whether the species is habitat specific or habitat generalist. The lack of spatial genetic structure but significant aggregation in the small-diameter trees of all the three species might indicate limited seed dispersal but extensive pollen flow. Hence, if seed dispersal is restricted but pollen flow is extensive, significant spatial aggregation but no spatial genetic structure will be observed at the small-diameter trees, regardless of whether the species is habitat specific or habitat generalist. The inferred extensive pollen flow might indicate that energetic pollinators are involved in the pollination of Shorea species in the hill dipterocarp forests.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Ghazali Jaafar, Yahya Marhani, Mariam Din, Sharifah Talib, the late Baya Busu, Ramli Ponyoh, Ayau Kanit and Mohd. Lan Musa for their assistance in the field and laboratory. The Selangor State Forest Department is acknowledged for granting the permission to work in the forest under their tenure. KNKS was supported by a PhD fellowship from the Forest Research Institute Malaysia. This study was supported in part by the IRPA research grant (09-04-01-0006-EA001) and the Timber Export Levy Fund under the Project A179 QIZZ.

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  1. Forest Research Institute Malaysia, 52109, Kepong, Selangor, Malaysia

    Kevin Kit Siong Ng, Soon Leong Lee & Leng Guan Saw

  2. Harvard Society of Fellows, Harvard University, 78 Mount Auburn St, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA

    Joshua B. Plotkin

  3. DNA Centre, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1, Nanyang Walk, Singapore, 637616, Singapore

    Chong Lek Koh

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  1. Kevin Kit Siong Ng
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Correspondence to Soon Leong Lee.

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Ng, K.K.S., Lee, S.L., Saw, L.G. et al. Spatial structure and genetic diversity of three tropical tree species with different habitat preferences within a natural forest. Tree Genetics & Genomes 2, 121–131 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-006-0035-3

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