Genetic Diversity and Conservation of Tropical Forest

Abstract

Estimates of the level and distribution of genetic diversity in tropical tree species are compared with similar estimates for temperate tree species and those for non-woody plants. The data on allozymes suggest that tropical tree species have lower proportions of polymorphic loci and lower levels of heterozygosity per individual than tree species from colder climates. A detailed analysis of genetic diversity in common and uncommon species from the moist tropical forest of Barro Colorado Island, Panama, is discussed to determine whether perceived population sizes affect levels of genetic diversity. The genetic diversity among populations of mainly animal-pollinated tropical trees appears to be higher than that for predominantly wind-pollinated temperate species. Tropical tree species with strong flying pollinators and long distance seed dispersal have less genetic diversity than temperate species. These indirect estimates of gene flow are compared with direct estimates based on studies of the breeding structure of species located in the neotropical moist forests of Panama. Implications of this research for the conservation of genetic diversity in tropical tree species are discussed