Landscape genetics is combination of landscape ecology and conservation genetics. Diversity is generated by cross pollination which may be mediated by wind or any biological agent (pollinator). What will be difference in landscape genetics of species if it is pollinated by insect or wind...
You will certainly get different scores for Spatial Genetic Structure and different values for genetic diversity indicators, but this is something you will need to test empirically on your species of interest.
Three main differences may be observed between wind pollinated species (WPS) and insect pollinated species (IPS). (a) WPS populations are usually dense, while IPS populations may be either dense or sparse. (b) The main direction where the WPS mail gametes are carried to is determined by the prevailed wind direction at the daily time of their pollen dehiscence, while IPS mail gametes are dispersed about evenly toward all directions. (c) The effective distance of WPS pollination is relatively small, while IPS pollination distance may be relatively large, mainly for species that are pollinated by a specific pollinator, like the Orchids. Therefore, one would expect a higher spatial variability for (at list some) IPS than for most WPS.
I have a question related:
Will the seed dispersal method add more variability? for example: if a species is a WPS and also the seeds are dispers by wind (anemochory) will it have a different genetic structure pattern than a species which is WPS but the seeds are dispersed by animals (zoochory)
Landscape genetic structure is mediated by both dispersal of seeds and pollen. To have an idea how the landscape genetics would be, assumptions can only be made is the knowledge of the particular landscape you are talking about is known. For instance if it is a river, a lake, mountain forests etc. But generally, in a place with prevailing winds in a particular direction, then gradient may be observed in that direction if an only if seed dispersal is also by wind (thus in that same direction) or by water (hydrochory) in the same direction. Never the less, if hydrochory is in the opposite direction to the direction of flow of pollen (wind) and or seed dispersal is directionless (by animals: Zoochory) then high admixtures of gene pools is can be expected. In the second scenario of insect pollinated plants, insects would hardly travel very far from an initial plant they have started taking nectar from and will tend to over about very close by populations.... so fine scale structure could be observed if seed dispersal is also limited to. but seed dispersal by animals could transport gene pools to far ways distances and thus lead to the connectivity of meta populations that are somewhat isolated from each other geographically on the landscape. if seed dispersal then is by hydrochory, then the fine scale spatial structure could be marred by seed dispersal in a given direction with the flow of the water, thereby linking very close by populations, and even allowing for distantly located populations to be connected via Long distance dispersal (LDD). this is a theoretical expectation, as hydrochory can transport seeds out if landscape (if the water velocity is strong enough), WITHOUT connecting populations within the landscape, into distantly located populations outside the landscape (LDD), and such events are very hard to quantify or assess. I hope this helps
FYI, we did such a comparison on a wind-pollinated tree (with passive seed dispersal) and an insect-pollinated tree (with bird-dispersal), replicated at three spatial scales (more or less up to 20 km apart, 20-200 km apart, and across Europe).
Spatial genetic structure is much clearer (as expected) in the insect-pollinated species than in the wind-pollinated species, at all three scales.
See https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263237719_An_evaluation_of_seed_zone_delineation_using_phenotypic_and_population_genomic_data_on_black_alder_%28Alnus_glutinosa%29
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273778596_The_population_genomic_signature_of_environmental_selection_in_the_widespread_insect-pollinated_tree_species_Frangula_alnus_at_different_geographical_scales
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262645659_Landscape_genomics_and_a_common_garden_trial_reveal_adaptive_differentiation_to_temperature_across_Europe_in_the_tree_species_Alnus_glutinosa?ev=prf_pub
We did some more research on pedunculate oak on pollen flow
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263391482_Tree_density_and_population_size_affect_pollen_flow_and_mating_patterns_in_small_fragmented_forest_stands_of_pedunculate_oak_%28Quercus_robur_L.%29?ev=prf_pub
Article An evaluation of seed zone delineation using phenotypic and ...
Article The population genomic signature of environmental selection ...
Article Landscape genomics and a common garden trial reveal adaptive...
Article Tree density and population size affect pollen flow and mati...
I want to add one more consideration. For cross pollination accomplishing the pollinating agent has to touch two successive flowers' organs: the first flower stamens, and later on the other flower stigma. Since wind pollination is not directed it demands a high quantity of pollen grains, and its chance for success is decreasing significantly with the distance between the flowers. However, Insects perform a direct cross pollination between the flowers, and therefore use a lower pollen quantity, and in some cases (like flower species of a specific pollinator and sparse stands) may accomplish a long distance cross pollination. The seed dispersal case is different, and somewhat inverse. The seed carrying agent visits the plant only once. Therefore wind dispersed species (WDS) may achieve a LDD (long distance dispersal). Animal dispersed species (ADS), on the other hand, would mainly dispersed within the animal habitat and territory, which is relatively limited. Seed dispersal by migrating animals is a clear exception. Note that wind dispersal may carry many seeds to an inadequate habitat, while animal dispersal would carry them mostly to an adequate one.
Hi,
you might be interested in looking to literature on Salix species: Salix flowers are usually wind-pollinated, but some species are also pollinated by bumble bees.
best regards
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