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High genetic diversity and contrasting fine-scale spatial genetic structure in four seasonally dry tropical forest tree species

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Abstract

In this study we compared population structure, genetic diversity and fine-scale spatial genetic structure (SGS) in four Bignoniaceae tree species, Handroanthus chrysotrichus, H. impetiginosus, Tabebuia roseoalba and H. serratifolius in a remnant of seasonally dry tropical forest in Central-West Brazil, based on polymorphisms at six microsatellite loci. All species, except T. roseoalba, presented the inverted ‘J’ population structure indicating recruitment of juveniles. Juveniles presented a clumped distribution suggesting limitation in dispersal or patchy distribution of suitable microhabitat for recruitment. All species showed high levels of polymorphism and genetic diversity but without a clear pattern of distribution among life stages. The SGS was significant for all species, except T. roseoalba, but the pattern and strength of the spatial genetic structure differed among species. Handroanthus serratifolius had stronger SGS with significant kinship until 77 m. For H. impetiginosus and H. chrysotrichus, kinship was significant just until 23 and 6 m, respectively. Despite the high genetic diversity, all species showed low number of adults and high fixation indices suggesting that habitat fragmentation and disturbance have been affecting these populations in Central-West Brazil.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a competitive grant from CNPq to RGC (project no. 471366/2007-2), CAPES/PNADB N°17/2009 and PRONEX CNPq/FAPEG/AUX PESQ CH 007/2009. R.G.C. has continuously been supported by CNPq (Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology) grants and scholarships whose assistance we gratefully acknowledge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Genética & Biodiversidade, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, CP 131, Goiânia, GO, 74001-970, Brazil

    Rosane Garcia Collevatti, Raquel Estolano & Suelen Gonçalves Rabelo

  2. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil

    Marina Lopes Ribeiro

  3. Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil

    Elizangela J. Lima & Cássia B. R. Munhoz

  4. Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Goiás, CP 131, Goiânia, GO, 74001-970, Brazil

    Rosane Garcia Collevatti

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  1. Rosane Garcia Collevatti
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Correspondence to Rosane Garcia Collevatti.

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606_2014_993_MOESM3_ESM.pdf

Fig. S1 Spatial cluster analysis for four seasonally dry tropical forest tree species in a reserve in Central Brazil, based on Ripley’s K-function (overall individuals) and Diggle’s G-function (for size stages). Distance in meters. Black thick line, observed values; thin line, expected values for random distribution; light grey area, confidence interval (95 %) (PDF 157 kb)

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Collevatti, R.G., Estolano, R., Ribeiro, M.L. et al. High genetic diversity and contrasting fine-scale spatial genetic structure in four seasonally dry tropical forest tree species. Plant Syst Evol 300, 1671–1681 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-014-0993-0

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