title: Female fruit production depends on female flower production and crown size rather than male density in a continuous population of a tropical dioecious tree (Virola surinamensis).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Factors related to pollen and resource limitation were evaluated to predict female fruit production in a tropical dioecious tree. Pollen limitation via variation in the male density at local scales is expected to limit female reproduction success in dioecious plants.
  
  
  METHODS
  We modeled the roles of local male density, female crown size, crown illumination, and female flower production on female fruit initiation and mature fruit production in a continuous population (62 ha plot) of a tropical dioecious tree (Virola surinamensis). In addition, we used microsatellites to describe the scale of effective pollen flow, the male effective population size, and the spatial genetic structure within/between progenies and males.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The local male density was not related to female fruit initiation or mature fruit production. Female floral production had a positive effect on fruit initiation. The female crown size was positively related to fruit maturation. Seeds from the same female and seeds from different but spatially proximal females were generally half-siblings; however, proximal females showed greater variation. Proximal male-female adult pairs were not significantly more genetically related than distant pairs. The probability of paternity was negatively affected by the distance between seeds and males; most effective pollen dispersal events (∼85%) occurred from males located less than 150 m from females. The number of males siring progenies was greater than the number of males found at local scales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Female fecundity in this continuous population of Virola surinamensis is not limited by the availability of pollen from proximal males. Rather, resource allocation to floral production may ultimately determine female reproductive success.
authors.affiliation: Proyecto Carey, Península de Osa, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Apdo. postal 10672-1000 San José, Costa Rica pabloribah@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riba-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, 2600 San Pedro, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Jorge Lobo
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Segura
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, 2600 San Pedro, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Valverde
mesh_terms: D003710:Demography; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D005638:Fruit / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D005843:Geography; D026324:Myristicaceae / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D011058:Pollen / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D054817:Pollination; D011156:Population Density; D012098:Reproduction; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology
keywords: crown area; dioecy; effective pollen dispersal; fruit production; parentage analysis; spatial genetic structure