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REALIZED GENE FLOW VIA POLLEN IN ARTIFICIAL POPULATIONS OF MUSK THISTLE, CARDUUS NUTANS L.
Author(s) -
Smyth C. A.,
Hamrick J. L.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.84
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1558-5646
pISSN - 0014-3820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1987.tb05832.x
Subject(s) - biology , thistle , gene flow , biological dispersal , population , range (aeronautics) , allele , botany , seed dispersal , evolutionary biology , pollen , genetics , genetic variation , gene , demography , materials science , sociology , composite material
Realized gene flow via pollen was measured in four adjacent, artificial populations of musk thistle, Carduus nutans L. by observing the distribution of electrophoretic markers at two allozyme loci. Realized gene movement declined exponentially with distance. Dispersal distances of the marker alleles averaged 5.0 m. Estimates of effective neighborhood sizes based on the movement of these genetic markers ranged from 126 to 378 individuals. When measures of seed movement were included, estimates of effective population sizes range from 1,281 to 3,844 individuals. It is, therefore, unlikely that chance effects play a major role in shaping the genetic structure of well‐established musk thistle populations.