Propagule phenotypic traits of Kandelia obovata and sampling sites information in China

Increasing studies have shown the importance of intraspecific trait
variation (ITV) on the ecological process. However, the patterns and
sources of ITV are still unclear, especially in the propagule of coastal
vegetation. Here, we measured fresh weight (FW), fresh length (FL),
maximum transverse diameter (TDmax), minimum transverse diameter (TDmin)
and the ratio of TDmax to TDmin (RTD) of the hypocotyl (propagule) of
Kandelia obovata for 66 genealogies across 26 sites. By combining multiple
factors of climate, ocean and maternal tree to analyze their effects on
the intraspecific trait variation of mangrove hypocotyl. The results
showed that value of establishment traits (FW, FL, TDmax and TDmin which
are related to mass) decreased along increasing latitudinal gradients and
they were directly positively regulated by temperature. ITV of dispersal
trait (RTD) was unstructured along latitudinal gradients, which was
constrained by fitness tradeoff. Our findings indicate that establishment
traits mainly varied between populations, whereas dispersal traits mainly
varied between individuals. This study provides insights into the ITV of
propagule in different functional dimensions on a broad scale and that may
help integrate ITV into future analyses of mangrove protection.