Data from: Relative strength of fine-scale spatial genetic structure in paternally vs biparentally inherited DNA in a dioecious plant depends on both sex proportions and pollen-to-seed dispersal ratio

In plants, the spatial genetic structure (SGS) is shaped mainly by gene
dispersal and effective population density. Among additional factors, the
mode of DNA inheritance and dioecy influence SGS. However, their joint
impact on SGS remains unclear, especially in the case of paternally
inherited DNA. Using theoretical approximations and computer simulations,
here we showed that the relative intensity of SGS measured in paternally
and biparentally inherited DNA in a dioecious plant population depends on
both the proportion of males and the pollen-to-seed dispersal ratio. As
long as males do not prevail in a population, SGS is more intense in
paternally than biparentally inherited DNA. When males prevail, the
intensity of SGS in paternally vs biparentally inherited DNA depends on
the compound effect of sex proportions and the pollen-to-seed dispersal
ratio. To empirically validate our predictions, we used the case of Taxus
baccata, a dioecious European tree. First, we showed that mitochondrial
DNA (mtDNA) in T. baccata is predominantly (98%) paternally inherited.
Subsequently, using nuclear DNA (nuDNA) and mitochondrial microsatellite
data, we compared the fine-scale SGS intensity at both marker types in two
natural populations. The population with equal sex proportions showed
stronger SGS in mtDNA than in nuDNA. On the other hand, we found lower SGS
intensity in mtDNA than in nuDNA in the population with 67% males. Thus,
the empirical results provided good support for the theoretical
predictions, suggesting that knowledge about SGS in paternally vs
biparentally inherited DNA may provide insight into effective sex
proportions within dioecious populations.