Data from: Comparison of pollen gene flow among four European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) populations characterized by different management regimes

The study of dispersal capability of a species can provide essential information for the management and conservation of its genetic variability. Comparison of gene flow rates among populations characterized by different management and evolutionary histories allows one to decipher the role of factors such as isolation and tree density on gene movements. We used two paternity analysis approaches and different strategies to handle possible presence of genotyping errors to obtain robust estimates of pollen flow in four beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) populations from Austria and France. In each country one of the two plots is located in an unmanaged forest, the other plots are managed with a shelterwood system and inside a colonization area (in Austria and France, respectively). The two paternity analysis approaches provided almost identical estimates of gene flow. We found high pollen immigration (~75% of pollen from outside), with the exception of the plot from a highly isolated forest remnant (~50%). In the unmanaged plots the average within-population pollen dispersal distances (from 80 to 184 m) were higher than previously estimated for beech. From the comparison between the Austrian managed and unmanaged plots, that are only 500 m apart, we found no evidence that either gene flow or reproductive success distributions were significantly altered by forest management. Shelterwood seems to have an effect on the distribution of within-population pollen dispersal distances. In the managed plot, pollen dispersal distances were shorter, possibly because adult tree density is threefold (163 vs. 57 trees/ha) with respect to the unmanaged one.对物种扩散能力的研究，可为其遗传变异的管理与保护提供关键依据。对具有不同管理与进化历史的种群间基因流（gene flow）速率进行比较，可解析隔离、树木密度等因素对基因迁移的作用。本研究采用两种父本分析（paternity analysis）方法，以及多种应对基因型分型（genotyping）误差的策略，对奥地利与法国的4个欧洲山毛榉（Fagus sylvatica L.）种群的花粉流进行了稳健估算。两国各设置2个样地：每个国家的其中1个样地位于未受管理的森林中；奥地利的另一样地采用渐伐抚育系统（shelterwood system）经营，法国的另一样地则位于定植区域内。两种父本分析方法得到的基因流估算结果几乎一致。研究发现花粉迁入率较高（约75%的花粉来自种群外），仅高度隔离的森林残存样地例外，其花粉迁入率约为50%。未受管理样地的种群内花粉平均扩散距离为80至184米，高于此前针对山毛榉的估算结果。对相距仅500米的奥地利经营样地与未受管理样地进行比较后发现，没有证据表明森林经营会显著改变基因流或繁殖成功率的分布模式。渐伐抚育系统似乎对种群内花粉扩散距离的分布存在影响。经营样地内的花粉扩散距离更短，这可能是因为其成年树木密度是未受管理样地的3倍（分别为163株/公顷与57株/公顷）。