Abstract
We analyzed differences in the relationship between the intermate distance and the cumulative mating frequency, the allelic richness of the pollen pool, and effective number of pollen parents among neighboring trees of Faugs crenata. Six mother trees we studied were located relatively close together but under slightly different microenvironments. We determined genotypes of 823 seedlings derived from the mother trees at seven microsatellite loci. We assigned seedling paternity and estimated the three parameters of pollen dispersal. Patterns of increases in the cumulative mating frequency with the increasing intermate distance varied among the mother trees although short-distance matings were frequently observed. The pollen immigration rates from outside the 4-ha study plot varied from 15.7 to 33.8%. Among the mother trees, the allelic richness of pollen pools was very similar, with values ranging from 8.524 to 12.803, and the effective number of pollen parents (Nep) varied from 2.941 to 16.340. In addition, the rate of unsound seeds production was high in mother trees with low Nep value. In conclusion, patterns of pollen dispersal and seed soundness were similar among neighboring mother trees but varied in accordance with their microenvironments.
