Presented by Matthew Larcombe, University of Tasmania, Wednesday 9th July, 2014.
Eucalyptus globulus is widely grown in plantations outside its natural range, and often close to potentially cross-compatible native eucalypts. Matthew’s PhD investigated whether these plantations posed a genetic risk to these native eucalypts through hybridisation. The study identified the existence of phylogenetic genetic, physical and fitness barriers that will probably act to limit widespread exotic gene flow.
The monitoring of high-risk situations, as well as the spread of E. globulus seedlings from plantations was also investigated Matthew is currently employed as postdoctoral fellow working on the evolutionary genetics of Eucalyptus at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Tasmania. He recently completed his PhD within the same department and his thesis is entitled “Exotic gene flow from plantation to native eucalypts”.
Earlier this year he spent two months as visiting fellow at the Centre for Applied Ecology at the University of Lisbon in Portugal, studying the invasive potential of Eucalyptus globulus.
