Replication data for: Morphological variation in Balanites aegyptiaca fruits and seeds within and among parkland agroforests in eastern Niger

This dataset was moved to: https://doi.org/10.34725/DVN/HC0ECPBalanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile. is one of the priority indigenous fruit trees for rural communities in the West African Sahel. As part of a participatory tree omestication program in Niger, phenotypic variation in fruit and seed morphology was assessed in four natural populations in eastern Niger. Measured variables were weight of the fruit, seed coat and kernel; length and width of the fruit and seed (25 trees per population, 30 fruits per tree). Derived variables were the tree’s coefficient of variation (CVs) for each measured variable, and two sets of factor scores from principal compo nents analysis of tree means and CVs. ANOVA indicated significant variation in all measured variables due to trees nested in populations. ANOVA and simple linear regression indicated significant geographic variation in some ariables: the drier parts of the sample region tended to have heavier fruits and kernels, longer/narrower seeds, and lower within-tree variability in fruit and seed width. Length and width were strongly correlated between fruits and seeds, fruit weight was moderately correlated with seed dimensions, and CVs of fruit weight and width were moderately correlated with the CV of seed width. Some hypotheses for the geographic variation are presented, and some practical implications of the correlations for tree domestication programs are discussed.

本数据集已迁移至：https://doi.org/10.34725/DVN/HC0ECP
埃及罗灯树（Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile.）是西非萨赫勒地区农村社区优先关注的本土果树之一。作为尼日尔参与式果树驯化项目的组成部分，本研究对尼日尔东部4个自然种群的果实与种子形态表型变异进行了系统评估。本次测定的指标包括果实、种皮及种仁的重量，以及果实与种子的长度、宽度（每个种群采样25株供试树，每株树采集30个果实）。衍生指标涵盖单株树各测定指标的变异系数（CV），以及基于单株树均值与变异系数开展主成分分析（PCA）得到的两组因子得分。方差分析（ANOVA）结果显示，所有测定指标均存在显著的种群内单株树间变异。方差分析与简单线性回归分析表明，部分指标存在显著的地理变异：采样区域内越干旱的生境，其果实与种仁重量越高，种子越长且形态越狭长，且单株内果实与种子宽度的变异程度越低。果实与种子的长度和宽度均呈强相关关系；果实重量与种子尺寸呈中度相关；果实重量、宽度的变异系数与种子宽度的变异系数亦呈中度相关。本研究针对该地理变异提出了若干假说，并探讨了上述相关性对果树驯化项目的实际指导意义。