University of Tasmania, Australia

I am studying genetic diversity in Eucalyptus pauciflora. This species has a wide distribution, from northern New South Wales to South Australia and Tasmania, and occurs naturally from the tree line (up to 1965 m) in the Australian Alps to near sea-level in southern Victoria and Tasmania. This species has the ability to withstand cold temperatures, dry winds and periodic drought and is currently being explored for the development of biodiverse carbon plantings in dry, cold areas of Tasmania.

My study will focus on Tasmanian and southern Victorian populations and integrate both molecular and quantitative genetic approaches with multi-environment pedigreed field trials to provide a better understanding of the adaptive potential of tree species to changing environments. Molecular markers will be used to provide insights into the patterns of genetic diversity, phylogeography and mating system of Eucalyptus pauciflora. This information will be linked to glasshouse studies of seedling morphology as well as assessments of growth and other adaptive traits in large field trials that were established in late 2010.

Outcomes from the study will include empirical information to prepare guidelines and general strategies for identifying the most appropriate seed sources for planting genetically robust forests. The research approach adopted and the inferences and guidelines developed are expected to be replicable to other regions and similar species.