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• Premise of the study: Patterns of spatial genetic structure (SGS) were analyzed within a population of the endangered tropical tree Guaiacum sanctum located in northwestern Costa Rica. Documentation of these patterns provides insights into the gene dispersal mechanisms that play a central role in the maintenance and structure of genetic diversity within plant populations.

• Methods: Allozyme analyses were used to examine SGS in Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica. The SGS was compared among three plots and different age classes.

• Key results: High levels of genetic diversity were found overall with a pooled genetic diversity of H_e = 0.302 (±0.02). Selfing was proposed as the proximate cause for significant levels of heterozygote deficiency observed across size classes and plots. An unexpected lack of SGS (r_j < 0.02) was observed for all size classes, suggesting the mixing of seeds from several adults. A …