Multi-stemmed trees of Nothofagus pumilio second-growth forest in Patagonia are formed by highly related individuals

摘要

Background and AimsMulti-stemmed trees (tree clusters) in Nothofagus pumilio, a dominant tree species in Patagonia, are very uncommon and are restricted to the edge of second-growth forests following human-provoked fires. No vegetative reproduction has been reported so far. The genetic structure of multi-stemmed trees of this species was investigated and it was hypothesized that genets within a cluster were more closely related than average in the population.