An absence of ecotype evolution in three Eucalyptus species colonizing coal mine soils with low pH and high aluminium content

The genetic structure of stands of Eucalyptus calophylla, E. patens and two subspecies of E. rudis trees colonizing acidic, aluminium-containing coal mining soils was compared with stands in an adjacent, uncontaminated forest using allozyme studies. For all Eucalyptus species, there was no significant difference in allele frequencies at any locus, genetic diversity measure or mating system between mine- and forest-site trees. In addition, a field assessment of progeny indicated that there was no significant difference in the survival of mine- or forest-site plants for E. patens and subspecies of E. rudis. A significantly higher percentage of forest-site E. calophylla plants survived over mine-site progeny. These findings indicated that ecotypes in Eucalyptus species may have not yet occurred in response to coal mining soils.