Conservation of genetic diversity, one of the three main forms of biodiversity, is a fundamental concern in conservation biology as it provides the raw material for evolutionary change and thus the potential to adapt to changing environments. By means of meta-analyses, we tested the generality of the hypotheses that habitat fragmentation affects genetic diversity of plant populations and that certain life history and ecological traits of plants can determine differential susceptibility to genetic erosion in fragmented habitats. Additionally, we assessed whether certain methodological approaches used by authors influence the ability to detect fragmentation effects on plant genetic diversity. We found overall large and negative effects of fragmentation on genetic diversity and outcrossing rates but no effects on inbreeding coefficients. Significant increases in inbreeding coefficient in fragmented habitats were only observed in studies analyzing progenies. The mating system and the rarity status of plants explained the highest proportion of variation in the effect sizes among species. The age of the fragment was also decisive in explaining variability among effect sizes: the larger the number of generations elapsed in fragmentation conditions, the larger the negative magnitude of effect sizes on heterozygosity. Our results also suggest that fragmentation is shifting mating patterns towards increased selfing. We conclude that current conservation efforts in fragmented habitats should be focused on common or recently rare species and mainly outcrossing species and outline important issues that need to be addressed in future research on this area.

The results of several studies suggest that forest fragmentation affects the mating patterns and reproductive success of tropical tree species by reducing pollinator activity, pollen deposition, and outcrossing levels. The flowering synchrony of trees has also been proposed as an additional factor in controlling fruit set and regulating levels of outcrossing, particularly in disturbed habitats. We examined the effects of forest fragmentation and flowering phenology on the reproductive success and genetic structure of the progeny produced by the tropical tree Pachira quinata. We conducted our study in the dry forest of Costa Rica and compared trees in two density and environmental conditions: ( 1 ) isolated trees separated by 500 m from other adult conspecifics and located in disturbed sites and ( 2 ) trees from continuous populations of groups of 20 or more reproductive individuals per hectare surrounded by undisturbed mature forest. Our study was conducted in the Guanacaste Conservation Area, Costa Rica, and surrounding areas. To evaluate flowering phenology, trees were classified as having synchronous or asynchronous flowering. The phenological stage of individuals was classified according to the proximity of the peak flowering date of each tree with respect to the mean peak flowering of the rest of the population. Six percent of the flowers produced a fruit in trees from continuous populations, whereas in isolated trees only 3% of the flowers did so. Fruit set was not affected by the flowering phenology of trees but was influenced mainly by factors associated with forest fragmentation. Seed production per fruit was not affected by forest fragmentation or flowering phenology. Overall, total fruit production per tree was not affected by forest fragmentation, because isolated trees tended to produce more flowers than trees from continuous populations. Genetic analysis revealed that the progeny of trees from continuous populations experienced lower levels of relatedness, a tendency for higher levels of outcrossing, and/or more sires than isolated trees. Our results suggest that forest fragmentation can have an effect on the mating patterns of P. quinata, reducing the number of outcross sires represented in the progeny of isolated trees.

Most of the world's land surface is currently under human use and natural habitats remain as fragmented samples of the original landscapes. Measuring the quality of plant progeny sired in these pervasive environments represents a fundamental endeavour for predicting the evolutionary potential of plant populations remaining in fragmented habitats and thus their ability to adapt to changing environments. By means of hierarchical and phylogenetically independent meta‐analyses we reviewed habitat fragmentation effects on the genetic and biological characteristics of progenies across 179 plant species. Progeny sired in fragmented habitats showed overall genetic erosion in contrast with progeny sired in continuous habitats, with the exception of plants pollinated by vertebrates. Similarly, plant progeny in fragmented habitats showed reduced germination, survival and growth. Habitat fragmentation had stronger negative effects on the progeny vigour of outcrossing‐ than mixed‐mating plant species, except for vertebrate‐pollinated species. Finally, we observed that increased inbreeding coefficients due to fragmentation correlated negatively with progeny vigour. Our findings reveal a gloomy future for angiosperms remaining in fragmented habitats as fewer sired progeny of lower quality may decrease recruitment of plant populations, thereby increasing their probability of extinction.

We compared phenological patterns of tree species of the family Bombacaceae in three seasonal forests in Mexico and Costa Rica whose dry seasons vary in duration and intensity. The objectives were to (1) determine intraspecific variation in phenology between sites in different geographic locations with different precipitation regimes, (2) compare interspecific phenological patterns within sites during one year, and (3) document seasonal pollinator use of floral resources at one site in relation to the flowering phenology of these species. To determine the sequence of phenological events in trees of the family Bombacaceae across three study sites, phenology of marked individuals was recorded every 2 wk from September 2000 through August 2001 for six species. To estimate the importance of bombacaceous species in the diet of nectarivorous bats, pollen samples were collected from the bodies or feces of bats once every 2 wk during flowering. Our study suggests that phenological patterns of the Bombacaceae family in Neotropical dry forests are mainly constrained by phylogenetic membership and adaptive selective pressures associated with competition for pollinators. Abiotic factors related to precipitation and soil water content appear to be regulating leaf flushing and abscission, but the principal causes of flowering are related to ultimate factors associated with competition for pollinators. This study is the first that evaluates the phenological pattern of species and genera of the same family at different latitudes in a similar life zone.