Reproductive biology and gene flow considerations in the conservation of forest genetic resources
1999
Owino, Fred
Sustainable-yield forest management is founded on species growth and recruitment dynamics. Forest fragmentation caused by deforestation, on the other hand, may destabilize the pollination link to such an extent as to render sustainable management of forest genetic resources (FGR) untenable. For many tropical and sub-tropical tree species, there exist vital interdependencies between trees and fauna. In the conservation of genetic diversity, knowledge of the reproductive biology and demography of tree species is essential not only for understanding the evolutionary biology of populations but also for elaborating and implementing FGR management or conservation strategies. In all plants that rely on sexual reproduction, the maintenance and distribution of genetic diversity depend on the amount and pattern of pollen transfer within and between plants (Aizen 1998). As most tropical and subtropical trees are pollinated by animals (Bawa 1990), measures for effective conservation of their genetic resources must take into consideration these interdependencies as they affect their reproductive biology and gene flow.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]