Microgeographic local adaptation and ecotype distributions: The role of selective processes on early life-history traits in sympatric, ecologically divergent Symphonia populations.

ABSTRACT: Trees are characterized by the large number of seeds they produce. Although most of those seeds will never germinate, plenty will. Of those which germinate, many die young, and eventually, only a minute fraction will grow to adult stage and reproduce. Is this just a random process? Do variations in germination and survival at very young stages rely on variations in adaptations to microgeographic heterogeneity? and do these processes matter at all in determining tree species distribution and abundance? We have studied these questions with the Neotropical Symphonia tree species. In the Guiana shield, Symphonia are represented by at least two sympatric taxa or ecotypes, Symphonia globulifera found almost exclusively in bottomlands, and a yet undescribed more generalist ta

SUBMITTER: Tysklind N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7548183 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature