Sex ratio and spatial pattern of Taxus fuana, a Wild Plant with Extremely Small Populations in Tibet

doi:10.17520/biods.2019102

Abstract

Abstract:

Dioecious plant populations possess sex ratio and gender distribution of individuals, which are important for individual reproduction, population viability, natural regeneration and maintenance of genetic diversity. This is particularly true for rare and endangered dioecious ones. In China, Taxus fuana is among the 120 Wild Plant with Extremely Small Populations (WPESP) and observed only in the Jilong County of Tibet Autonomous Region. However, little has been reported about its population ecology, especially about its sex ratio and gender spatial distribution pattern of individuals. We did a field investigation for six T. fuana populations in Jilong and recorded 1,651 male and 1,231 female individuals in total, whereby its sex ratio and gender spatial distribution pattern of individuals per population were analyzed. Our results showed that Jipu (male/female = 1.89) and Kaire (male/female = 1.39) populations tended to be male-biased (P < 0.001), but male and female individuals from the six populations showed weak spatial association. Individuals of smaller size of Jilong and Kaire populations showed significantly male-biased, while male biased occurred medium size of Jipu population. In summary, T. fuana populations were different in size structure distribution, sex ratio, size structure of male and female individuals, and their spatial patterns. Our study suggests that it is necessary to carry out targeted conservation considering different population characteristics, disturbance types, and environmental factors.

Key words: Taxus fuana, dioecism, sex ratio, spatial pattern, Wild Plant with Extremely Small Populations

Yaobin Song, Li Xu, Junpeng Duan, Weijun Zhang, Xiaolu Shentu, Tianxiang Li, Runguo Zang, Ming Dong. Sex ratio and spatial pattern of Taxus fuana, a Wild Plant with Extremely Small Populations in Tibet[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2020, 28(3): 269-276.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2019102

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2020/V28/I3/269

Figures/Tables 5

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种群名称 Population	经纬度 Locality	海拔 Altitude (m)	种群面积 Population area (m × m)	种群数量 Population size (ind.)
吉普 Jipu	85.33° E, 28.37° N	2,650-2,780	1,600 × 300	~3,000
多甫 Duofu	85.31° E, 28.39° N	2,737-2,875	250 × 70	95
朗久 Langjiu	85.36° E, 28.40° N	2,810-2,865	250 × 80	63
吉隆 Jilong	85.33° E, 28.40° N	2,910-3,150	750 × 550	2,534
开热 Kaire	85.22° E, 28.47° N	3,140-3,170	800 × 160	1,766
唐蕃 Tangbo	85.22° E, 28.48° N	3,200	60 × 45	64

种群名称 Population	经纬度 Locality	海拔 Altitude (m)	种群面积 Population area (m × m)	种群数量 Population size (ind.)
吉普 Jipu	85.33° E, 28.37° N	2,650-2,780	1,600 × 300	~3,000
多甫 Duofu	85.31° E, 28.39° N	2,737-2,875	250 × 70	95
朗久 Langjiu	85.36° E, 28.40° N	2,810-2,865	250 × 80	63
吉隆 Jilong	85.33° E, 28.40° N	2,910-3,150	750 × 550	2,534
开热 Kaire	85.22° E, 28.47° N	3,140-3,170	800 × 160	1,766
唐蕃 Tangbo	85.22° E, 28.48° N	3,200	60 × 45	64

种群 Population	雄株 Male (N)	雌株 Female (N)	性比(雄/雌) Sex ratio	P
吉普 Jipu	350	185	1.89	<0.001
多甫 Duofu	18	11	1.64	0.502
朗久 Langjiu	19	27	0.70	0.530
吉隆 Jilong	620	445	1.39	<0.001
开热 Kaire	609	545	1.12	0.197
唐蕃 Tangbo	35	18	1.94	0.138
总计 Total	1,651	1,231	1.34	<0.001

种群 Population	雄株 Male (N)	雌株 Female (N)	性比(雄/雌) Sex ratio	P
吉普 Jipu	350	185	1.89	<0.001
多甫 Duofu	18	11	1.64	0.502
朗久 Langjiu	19	27	0.70	0.530
吉隆 Jilong	620	445	1.39	<0.001
开热 Kaire	609	545	1.12	0.197
唐蕃 Tangbo	35	18	1.94	0.138
总计 Total	1,651	1,231	1.34	<0.001

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