Gene flow through cross-pollination and seed exchange encourages novel variation and recombination, as well as differentiation among populations when gene flow is restricted.
Reproductive biology mainly focuses on flowering phenology, floral biology, pollen-pollinator interaction, breeding systems and gene flow through pollen and seeds.
Also, we found low population genetic differentiation and high values of connectivity for M. pectinifera, as the result of historical events of gene flow through pollen and seed dispersal.
Myrmecochory may decrease extinction rates by increasing plant fitness and enhance speciation rates by reducing gene flow through short dispersal distances.
As gene flow does not seem to be limited by physical barriers, the observed partitioning of S. hystrix in this study supports the notion of reduced gene flow through divergent selection between distinct reef habitats.
Male-mediated gene flow through sex-biased dispersal patterns or alternative mating tactics (e.g. Antarctic fur seal) [51], [52] could reduce the degree of population differentiation seen in microsatellites relative to maternally inherited mtDNA.
Although interspecific gene flow through frequent hybridization could potentially lead to morphological convergence between B. gymnorrhiza and B. sexangula, at least in Hainan, the two species can still be separated genetically in accordance with their taxonomic identifications.
Weckworth et al. [10], [11] demonstrated the distinctiveness of Alexander Archipelago and adjoining coastal (Alaska) wolves from adjacent continental populations and attributed diversification to barriers to gene flow through the coastal mountains.
This indicates that continued gene flow through inter-island dispersal is also likely occurring, which is consistent with the AMOVA results, where Fst values are more similar to plant groups with continental populations than isolated island populations.
Furthermore, genetic and chemical differentiation should also entail behavioural suppression of intercolonial gene flow through worker aggression against allocolonial sexuals even if they came into contact again (e.g. as a result of range expansion).
For example, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) populations on the Swedish West coast differ from those close-by in the Southern Baltic, indicating no inward (into the Baltic), and little outward gene flow through the Danish straits [14].
