Early genetic consequences of defaunation in a large-seeded vertebrate-dispersed palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana).

ABSTRACT: Plant populations are seriously threatened by anthropogenic habitat disturbance. In particular, defaunation may disrupt plant-disperser mutualisms, thus reducing levels of seed-mediated gene flow and genetic variation in animal-dispersed plants. This may ultimately limit their adaptive potential and ability to cope with environmental change. Tropical forest remnants are typically deprived of medium to large vertebrates upon which many large-seeded plants rely for accomplishing effective seed dispersal. Our main goal was to examine the potential early genetic consequences of the loss of large vertebrates for large-seeded vertebrate-dispersed plants. We compared the genetic variation in early-stage individuals of the large-seeded palm Syagrus romanzoffiana between continuous protected forest

SUBMITTER: Giombini MI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5436022 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature