Native pioneer understory tree Miconia affinis to colonize deforested areas

 

 

A plant present in Brazil is capable of colonizing deforested areas

Source: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Summary:

Researchers have studied the genetic diversity and differentiation patterns of the native pioneer understory tree Miconia affinis. They collected leaf tissue from approximately 30 reproductive trees bearing inflorescences or infructescences in 11 different populations and estimated the influence of geographic distance, elevation and deforestation on the genetic structure.

The genetic differentiation of this tree species significantly increased with elevation and geographic distance between populations.