The spatial mating network of an insect-pollinated plant

The interplay between the movement of pollinators and the spatial distribution of trees within a population of plants highly determines the patterns of gene flow. In the present study, we describe the structure of the spatial mating network of an isolated population of Prunus mahaleb, a small tree pollinated by insects. First, we use data based on paternity analysis and maximum-likelihood methods to assign paternity in order to estimate the pollen dispersal kernel. Second, we explore the role of the long-distance pollination events on the topology of the spatial mating network. Finally, using artificial spatial scenarios we investigate how the interaction between the spatial distribution of the trees and the shape of the dispersal kernel affects the spatial mating network of trees.