AFLPs reveal an absence of geographical genetic structure among remnant populations of pohutukawa ( <i>Metrosideros excelsa</i> , Myrtaceae)

Abstract

Abstract Ten populations spanning the natural geographical range of Metrosideros excelsa (pohutukawa) were analysed using AFLP. All populations were highly variable showing levels of genetic diversity similar to other long‐lived outcrossing tree species. UPGMA analysis of interpopulation genetic distances and multivariate analysis of individual multilocus genotype data showed genetic differentiation among populations, but there was no obvious relationship between genetic structure and geographical location. There was also no evidence of greater genetic variation in areas of New Zealand that have been proposed to be glacial refugia. These data provide a contrast to previously published observations on M. excelsa using chloroplast DNA, which showed that plants from putative glacial refugia exhibited higher levels of variation than those from non‐refugial areas.