Mating system analyses of tropical populations of the black mangrove, Avicennia germinans (L.) L. (Avicenniaceae)

., 2006). Mating system and pollen dispersal patterns have a direct infl uence on in-dividual reproductive ability, effective population size, and degree of popula-tion subdivision; affecting the levels of inbreeding, genetic variation, genetic structure, and speciation (Barrett, 2003, Charlesworth, 2003). Mating system is a complex trait that re fl ects the interac-tion between fl oral traits, demography, genetics, population structure, and a number of environmental factors that affect pollination (Barrett and Eckert, 1990, Ritland 2002). Understanding a species’ mating system is crucial for a meaningful analysis of the genetic di-versity among its natural populations and for successful long term conserva-tion efforts (Charlesworth, 2003). Mangrove swamps are highly productive ecosystems that provide numerous environmental services, including protection from fl ood and coastal erosion, habitat for reproduc-tion, and nurseries for a variety of or-ganisms – many of which are critical for fi sheries maintenance and biodi-versity conservation (Polidoro