Differential Role of a persistent Seed Bank for genetic Variation in early vs. late successional Stages

The file contains data of AFLP analyses of the perennial plant Viola elatior, collected in populations in Germany and the Czech Republic.

The first sheet contains a read-me describing the data that reads as follows: "Presence/absence matrix (1/0) of AFLP markers. The first column provides the sample ID (R - Upper Rhine region; T - Thaya/Morava region; M - meadow habitat; W - woodland habitat; sb - seedbank sample) and second and third column provides coordinates used for analyses of small-scale spatial genetic structure. Note that for SB cohorts, only samples originating from soil pools with a maximum distance of 4 m between the two soil sampling sites (cf. SB sampling strategy in M&M) were considered, using the corresponding midpoint coordinates, respectively. The first row provides the marker ID (selective primer combination + fragment size in bp). Selective Primer Combinations: F1 - FAM_AAC-CTA; F2 - FAM_ACT-CAA; V1 - VIC_ACA-CAA; V2 - VIC_ACA-CTC; N1 - NED_AAG-CAC; N2 - NED_AAG-CTC; P1 - PET_AGC-CAA; P2 - PET_AGG-CTC".

We used the data to compare genetic variation of aboveground and seed bank cohorts in 15 populations of the partially cleistogamous Viola elatior in two contrasting early and late successional habitats characterized by strong differences in light-availability and declining population size. Using AFLP markers, we found significantly higher aboveground than seed bank genetic diversity in early successional meadow but not in late successional woodland habitats.