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What the reasons for no inbreeding and high genetic diversity of the neotropical fig tree Ficus arpazusa ?

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Abstract

Ficus arpazusa Casaretto is a fig tree native to the Atlantic Rain Forest sensu lato. High levels of genetic diversity and no inbreeding were observed in Ficus arpazusa. This genetic pattern is due to the action of its pollinator, Pegoscapus sp., which disperses pollen an estimated distance of 5.6 km, and of Ficus arpazusa’s mating system which, in the study area, is allogamous. This study highlights the importance of adding both ecological and genetic data into population studies, allowing a better understanding of evolutionary processes and in turn increasing the efficacy of forest management and revegetation projects, as well as species conservation.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Dion Devey (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) for the English revision, Carlos Machado for the critical review and the anonymous referees for their useful comments on previous version of the article. Alison Gonçalves Nazareno was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (scholarship # CRA-1770).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, 14040-901, SP, Brasil

    Alison Gonçalves Nazareno

  2. Departamento de Ciências Florestais, Laboratório de Melhoramento Florestal e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade Federal de Lavras, CP 3037, Lavras, 37200-000, MG, Brasil

    Dulcinéia de Carvalho

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  1. Alison Gonçalves Nazareno
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  2. Dulcinéia de Carvalho
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Correspondence to Alison Gonçalves Nazareno.

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Nazareno, A.G., de Carvalho, D. What the reasons for no inbreeding and high genetic diversity of the neotropical fig tree Ficus arpazusa ?. Conserv Genet 10, 1789 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-008-9776-x

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