Data from: Genetic diversity, sexual condition, and microhabitat preference determine mating patterns in Sphagnum (Sphagnaceae) peat-mosses.

In bryophytes, the possibility of intragametophytic selfing creates
complex mating patterns that are not possible in seed plants, although
relatively little is known about patterns of inbreeding in natural
populations. In the peat-moss genus Sphagnum, taxa are generally bisexual
(gametophytes produce both sperm and egg) or unisexual (gametes produced
by separate male and female plants). We sampled populations of 14 species,
aiming to assess inbreeding variation and inbreeding depression in
sporophytes, and to evaluate correlations between sexual expression,
mating systems, and microhabitat preferences. We sampled maternal
gametophytes and their attached sporophytes at 12–19 microsatellite loci.
Bisexual species exhibited higher levels of inbreeding than unisexual
species but did generally engage in some outcrossing. Inbreeding
depression did not appear to be common in either unisexual or bisexual
species. Genetic diversity was higher in populations of unisexual species
compared to populations of bisexual species. We found a significant
association between species microhabitat preference and population genetic
diversity: species preferring hummocks (high above water table) had
populations with lower diversity than species inhabiting hollows (at the
water table). We also found a significant interaction between sexual
condition, microhabitat preference, and inbreeding coefficients,
suggesting a vital role for species ecology in determining mating patterns
in Sphagnum populations.