Reproductive biology

We have been studying the reproductive biology of eucalypts since the 1990s. Our findings have had important practical applications in forestry and biodiversity management, as well as contributed to an understanding of how variation in reproductive traits has shaped eucalypt evolution.

Flowering asynchrony is a major barrier to gene flow, and an understanding of reproductive traits is therefore important to minimise the potential for gene flow between plantations and native forests. In support of forest certification we have been studying gene flow from eucalypt plantations in Australia and its impact on the integrity of native gene pools.

Knowledge of the reproductive biology of eucalypts also assists in the design and management of seed orchards, which are used to produce genetically improved eucalypt seed for plantations. There is high demand for seed for eucalypt plantations in Australia and internationally, and the use of seed orchard seed rather than that collected from natural populations can provide significant genetic gains and reduce the impact on native seed stocks.

Many insects and birds feed on the nectar of eucalypt flowers, and research on the genetic and environmental control of flowering time, and how the synchrony in plant-pollinator phenology may be disrupted under shifting temperature regimes, is important for biodiversity management.

We are also interested in how variation in developmental traits, such as flowering and the striking transition from juvenile to adult foliage, has shaped eucalypt evolution.

Key researchers in this theme include Rebecca Jones and Brad Potts.

Interested Honours, Masters and PhD students can contact the group using the contact form at the bottom of this page.