Spatial genetic structure in a Neolitsea sericea population (Lauraceae)

Neolitsen sericea (Bl.) Koidz. (Lauraceae) is a dioecious, insect-pollinate d, and broad-leaved evergreen tree with bird-dispersed seeds. We used alloz yme loci, F-statistics, and spatial autocorrelation statistics (Moran's I) to examine the changes in genetic structure among five age classes within a study population (60 m x 100 m area) in southern Korea. No significant dif ferences in expected heterozygosity were found among the age classes. The m ean F-values averaged over loci were similar among age classes and showed o verall conformance of heterozygosities with Hardy-Weinberg proportions. Dif ferences in allelic frequencies among age classes were small (mean G(ST) = 0.012), and statistically significant only for one locus (Pgd-2). The mean Moran's I-values for each of five age classes indicated essentially random spatial distribution. The homogeneity of genetic structure and genetic dive rsity among the five age classes may reflect the occurrence of similar repr oductive events, year after year. The results may reflect the attractive re d drupes of N. sericea in that they cause various frugivorous birds to disp erse the seed long distances and independently, which in turn may help N. s ericea maintain higher levels of genetic diversity within populations.