Sexual expression and spatial neighborhood relationships in sexual reproduction in plant populations

Abstract

The ways of plants reproduction have been relevant for the characterization and understanding of the community functioning. Reproductive biology studies comprise an effective tool for the management and conservation of plant species. Patterns of sexual expression are strongly related to the distribution of the gametophyte among population morphs. In vascular plants, homoicy and heteroicy are the usual sexual system. Monocliny comprises a single morphological expression of sexual hermaphrodite flowers, while dicliny can be represented by a morpho monoecious, with separate gametophytes in distinct flowers (dicliny) in the same individual or by a mixture of flowers and monoclin diclinous distributed the same morph, morphs and presenting from dioecy, characterized by the existence of two morphs diclinous flowers from respectively the androdioicia the ginodioicia and trioicia. Distinct sexual morphs may be more or less efficient in the production of gametes, which depends on the biology of the species. The total number of gamete produced by an individual can influence the success rate of each gamete, depending on the pollination mechanism and pollen and seeds dispersal. Thus, questions remain about the evolution of dioecy, about his relationship with ecological conditions. In a population of plants, the spatial distribution can be considered one of the factors that affect the mating system, which through the mechanisms of dispersal of seeds and pollen, are able to exert great consequence in the spatial structure. Furthermore, the structure and process may be intrinsically linked and associated to the influence of ecological factors affecting reproduction, dispersion and group size neighborhood, becoming particularly important in this determination.