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

<p>The file contains data of AFLP analyses of the perennial plant <em>Viola elatior</em>, collected in populations in Germany and the Czech Republic.</p> <p>The first sheet contains a read-me describing the data that reads as follows: &quot;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&amp;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&quot;.</p> <p>We used the data to compare genetic variation of aboveground and seed bank cohorts in 15 populations of the partially cleistogamous <em>Viola elatior</em> 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.</p>