DOI: 10.5061/dryad.s0vf6
title: Data from: Early genetic consequences of defaunation in a large-seeded vertebrate-dispersed palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)

description: Plant populations are seriously threatened by anthropogenic habitat
 disturbance. In particular, defaunation may disrupt plant-disperser
 mutualisms, thus reducing levels of seed-mediated gene flow and genetic
 variation in animal-dispersed plants. This may ultimately limit their
 adaptive potential and ability to cope with environmental change. Tropical
 forest remnants are typically deprived of medium to large vertebrates upon
 which many large-seeded plants rely for accomplishing effective seed
 dispersal. Our main goal was to examine the potential early genetic
 consequences of the loss of large vertebrates for large-seeded
 vertebrate-dispersed plants. We compared the genetic variation in
 early-stage individuals of the large-seeded palm Syagrus romanzoffiana
 between continuous protected forest and nearby partially defaunated
 fragments in the Atlantic Forest of South America. Using nine
 microsatellites, we found lower allelic richness and stronger fine-scale
 spatial genetic structure in the disturbed area. In addition, the
 percentage of dispersed recruits around conspecific adults was lower,
 although not significantly, in the disturbed area (median values: 0.0 vs
 14.4%). On the other hand, no evidence of increased inbreeding or reduced
 pollen-mediated gene flow (selfing rate and diversity of pollen donors)
 was found in the disturbed area. Our findings are strongly suggestive of
 some early genetic consequences resulting from the limitation in
 contemporary gene flow via seeds, but not pollen, in defaunated areas.
 Plant-disperser mutualisms involving medium–large frugivores, which are
 seriously threatened in tropical systems, should therefore be protected to
 warrant the maintenance of seed-mediated gene flow and genetic diversity
 in large-seeded plants.
description: Genotypes and geographic
 coordinates of sampling locationsThe excel file
 'Spatial_coordinates&Genotypes_Giombini_et_al_2016' contains
 supporting data of sampling locations and microsatellite genotypes of the
 Syagrus romanzoffiana individuals analyzed in the article entitled
 'Early genetic consequences of defaunation in a large-seeded
 vertebrate-dispersed palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)'. (Heredity, 2016)
 Information is presented as follows: Column A: Sampling plots
 (100x10m-plots and 3m-radius focal plots). Columns B-C: Geographic
 coordinates of sampling plots expressed as latitude (S) and longitude (W)
 in decimal degrees. Column D: IDs of Syagrus romanzoffiana individuals.
 For each sampling plot, recruits are denoted by unique numbers
 ("#1", "#2",...). The nearest conspecific adult
 (candidate mother) in focal sites is denoted by "#ADULT" and
 located in the last row for each focal sampling plot. Columns E-F: Spatial
 position of recruits within the 100x10m-sampling plots (X,Y Coordinates
 expressed in meters). Columns G-O: Genotypes, in 3-digit format (alleles
 in each locus separated by '/'), for each of the nine
 microsatellites ('0/0' denotes missing data).Spatial_Coordinates&Genotypes_Giombini_et_al_2016.xlsx