Understanding clonal diversity patterns through allozyme polymorphism in an endangered and geographically restricted Australian shrub, Zieria baeuerlenii and its implications for conservation

An electrophoretic genetic analysis utilising starch gel electrophoresis wa s employed to assess clonality in endangered Zieria baeuerlenii populations distributed over an area of less than a kilometre square in Nowra (NSW). E leven enzymes systems encoded by 19 loci (41 alleles) when assayed to estim ate levels of genetic diversity within and among populations, revealed mode rate levels of genetic diversity. Despite finding seven loci being fixed at a particular locus, 20 unique multilocus genotypes/clones restricted to a particular population were detected within a sample of 179 ramets collected from throughout the range of the species. The probability of finding any c lone produced by sexual reproduction is <0.0025 and is further supported by the fact that reproduction appears to be exclusively by vegetative spread and there is virtually no pollen viability and seed production. The lack of seed set in this area may be due to additional factors inhibiting sexual r eproduction. Overall, such genetic studies play a crucial role in devising conservation and management strategies for rare and endangered taxa. (C) 20 01 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.