Habitat fragmentation and the genetic structure of the Amazonian palm Mauritia flexuosa L.f. (Arecaceae) on the island of Trinidad

Abstract

Studies of small-scale spatial genetic structure are crucial to the implementation of successful conservation and management plans as they enhance our capacity to predict a population’s ability to respond to changing environments. This is especially true in the tropics, where high rates of fragmentation and land-use change create potential barriers to genetic exchanges. We examined the genetic diversity of wild populations of the economically important palm, Mauritia flexuosa (Arecaceae) in and around the Aripo Savannas Scientific Reserve on the island of Trinidad. In a small collection area of roughly 10 km2 we found both spatial and inter-generational, or temporal, genetic differentiation and high levels of nearest-neighbor mating. We suggest that these spatial and temporal genetic patterns reflect recent and drastic anthropogenic changes to the landscape of the study sites, which we hypothesize have created barriers to gene flow through animal-mediated seed dispersal and pollination.