EFFECTS OF POPULATION STRUCTURE AND CONE PRODUCTION ON OUTCROSSING RATES IN ENGELMANN SPRUCE AND SUBALPINE FIR

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Abstract
Variation in the mating systems of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir was examined in two adjacent subpopulations in the Colorado Front Range. Multilocus outcrossing rates were estimated from analysis of allozyme variation in embryo and megagametophyte tissue. The overall multilocus outcrossing rate of 0.93 for spruce was significantly higher than the outcrossing rate of 0.89 for fir. Outcrossing rates varied from 0.73 to 0.97 for spruce and from 0.65 to 0.94 for fir when trees of each species were grouped according to age, size, spatial distribution, maternal heterozygosity, cone production, and year of sampling. In both spruce and fir, trees with higher levels of male-cone production and/or more clumped spatial distribution had lower outcrossing rates. Temporal variation in outcrossing rates within subpopulations, examined only in spruce, was less than variation between subpopulations. Male-cone production was significantly correlated with tree size, and regression analyses revealed that the highest outcrossing rates are expected on trees that are medium to large in size, rather than the largest trees in the forest. The results show that, while there is some temporal variation, patterns of male cone production and spatial distribution of individuals are the most important factors influencing outcrossing levels in these wind-pollinated forest trees.
Funding Information
  • Jesse Smith Noyes Foundation Fellowship
  • University of Colorado Graduate Student Foundation Fund
  • K. Lichty Fund
  • G. Alexander Fund
  • Sigma Xi