Evolutionary processes in the Tasmanian high altitude eucalypts

TL;DRAbstract

<p>The rugged Tasmanian topography results in a patchy distribution oftreeline habitat, which can be viewed as a mosaic of "habitat islands"varying considerably in size and degree of isolation. In recentgeological time the Pleistocene glacial cycles have subjected this mosaicto dramatic perturbation involving habitat relocation, fragmentation,coalescence and, on a local scale, extinction and birth of unique adaptivemodes. In this paper we examine the adaptive response of populations to afluctuating mosaic of selective forces through a discussion of theevolution of clines in the Tasmanian high altitude eucalypts.</p><p>The eucalypts primarily associated with the treeline habitat inTasmania (i.e. <i>E. coccifera</i>, <i>E. urnigera</i>, <i>E. vernicosa</i> and <i>E. gunnii</i>) areall endemic. Populations of these species are distributed as mosaics ordisjunctions within more continuous and widespread populations ofsubalpin

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