Disturbance, density-dependent processes and genetic relatedness

Fajardo et al. examined the role of competition and facilitation on the degree of conspecific genetic relatedness of nearby individuals of tree populations of Nothofagus pumilio following large-scale fires in Patagonia (Chile). They found that trees located in the interior of second-growth forests had significantly lower relatedness suggesting a fading of the recolonization structure by competition, whereas trees located in the edge of the same second-growth forests showed a positive and highly significant relatedness among trees, resulting from facilitation.