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Genetic Variation in Natural Mahogany Populations in Bolivia

  • Chapter
Big-Leaf Mahogany

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 159))

Abstract

Allozyme analysis was used to measure genetic variation, population differentiation, and the mating system in natural populations of big-leaf mahogany from Bolivia. We sampled seeds from individual maternal trees in four mahogany populations separated by as much as 100km. Data were analyzed based on estimated maternal genotypes and on randomly drawn progeny arrays from known mothers. The analysis indicated that mahogany in this part of its range was characterized by genetic variation similar to that found in other common tropical tree species. The average gene diversity in populations ranged from H e = 0.200 to H e = 0.205. The G ST values among these four populations ranged from 0.034 to 0.063, indicating rather low population differentiation on a scale of 40 to 100km. We also used progeny arrays to estimate the mahogany mating system in one population. Mahogany seeds were completely outcrossed; the multilocus outcrossing estimate was t m = 1.038 (SE = 0.024). Mahogany thus con forms to the model emerging from other genetic studies of tropical trees: a long-lived woody species, with a highly outcrossed breeding system that generates the potential for significant pollen movement, and high variation, mostly within regionally distributed populations. We discuss the implications of these data for conserving and managing populations of mahogany and other tropical trees.

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Authors
  1. Marilyn D. Loveless
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  2. Raymond E. Gullison
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Río Piedras, PR, 00928-5000, USA

    Ariel E. Lugo

  2. Puerto Rico Conservation Foundation, Urbanización Puerto Nuevo, San Juan, PR, 00920-4131, USA

    Julio C. Figueroa Colón

  3. International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Río Piedras, PR, 00928-5000, USA

    Mildred Alayón

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Loveless, M.D., Gullison, R.E. (2003). Genetic Variation in Natural Mahogany Populations in Bolivia. In: Lugo, A.E., Figueroa Colón, J.C., Alayón, M. (eds) Big-Leaf Mahogany. Ecological Studies, vol 159. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-21778-9_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-21778-9_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-98837-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-21778-9

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