Abstract Pterodon emarginatus Vogel and P. pubescens (Benth.) Benth. are phylogenetically related trees that compose a clade of sister species abundant in the Brazilian Savanna. Despite their morphological differences, some individuals with intermediate morphological characteristics have been reported, indicating the formation of interspecific hybrids. This study proposed to evaluate the genetic structure and controlled pollination of individuals of P. pubescens and P. emarginatus in areas of sympatry with the presence of putative hybrids. For this purpose, we genotyped seven microsatellite loci from 61 individuals collected from four apparent contact zones between P. pubescens and P. emarginatus. Controlled pollination experiments were performed on 4,133 flowers from six trees of P. emarginatus and five of P. pubescens. We observed two genetic clusters (k= 2) that corroborate the divergence between P. pubescens and P. emarginatus. The individual genetic assignment showed evidence of natural hybridization between P. pubescens and P. emarginatus. The genetic assignment did not fully support the visual description of the diagnoses of individual morphological characteristics. Controlled interspecific pollination generated fruit and seed production, possibly indicating the absence of a reproductive barrier at the pollination and ovule fertilization levels between these species. Our results enlarge the understanding of the diversification process of Pterodon species.

Understanding what determines species co-occurrence and its consequences for ecosystem functioning is central to the study of plant ecology. The ecological similarity of species can explain co-occurrence patterns, species interactions, and how species affect ecosystem processes. A useful approach to answer these questions is to group similar species in functional groups and then perform removal experiments. Here, we conducted a scientometric review of articles about plant functional diversity and plant functional group removal. We identified publication patterns and impact; environmental and geographic gaps; ecological effects being tested; which groups are removed; and what the removal methods are. We analyzed articles published between 1991 and 2012 in journals indexed for the Thomson ISI Web of Science database. Although the number of articles and citations of experimental articles increased during that period, the corresponding increase for functional diversity articles was 12 times greater. This might be because field and cafeteria experiments are harder to conduct. Most studies were performed in temperate regions, where taxonomic knowledge and scientific investment is greater. Studies on herbaceous vegetation predominate, probably because short-lived species are more easily removed and manipulated than are trees. The main reason for the removal experiments was to test hypotheses related to competition, and clipping at ground level was the most common removal method. Few studies were performed in the field and in greenhouses, which could control for differential responses of natural conditions and controlled environments.