The mid-west of Western Australia is a hotspot for plant species biodiversity, with many rare or short range endemic species. It is also heavily impacted by mining activities, which combined make conservation a priority. This thesis aims to assess the potential of high-throughput sequencing of chloroplast genomes to underpin the conservation genetics of the highly diverse and speciose genus Acacia (Fabaceae). This thesis focuses firstly on establishing a fully sequenced chloroplast genome for the Acacia genus, which also represents the first fully sequenced chloroplast genome of the Mimosoideae subfamily. The genome was compared to previously sequenced Fabaceae chloroplast genomes, all of which occur in the Papilionoideae subfamily and display significant rearrangements relative to Acacia. The key finding of these comparisons was the highly divergent nature of the A. ligulata clpP1 gene, which is extremely unusual in such a highly conserved gene. Using the A. ligulata genome as a reference, chloroplast genomes from an additional 64 Acacia species were sequenced and assembled. These genomes were used in a phylogenetic analysis of the genus, and the integration of these genome sequences with previously sequenced small amplicon sequences from throughout the Acacia genus was investigated. The results of this study suggested that the integration of these vastly different sized sequence types has the ability to significantly improve poorly supported phylogenies, particularly when utilising a whole chloroplast genome phylogeny as a constraint upon the shorter sequences. Further investigation of the Acacia clpP1 gene was performed using the full complement of Acacia chloroplast genome sequences. This study found that divergence in the gene was present throughout the genus with four clades in particular exhibiting extreme divergence, indicated by mutations in the ClpP1 catalytic site. Additionally, two clpP1 pseudogenes (one plastid and one nuclear) were identified in two different Acacia clades. Sequencing of the A. ligulata transcriptome ruled out the possibility of a functional nuclear clpP1 gene in this species, suggesting that despite its unusual sequence, the divergent plastid clpP1 gene is likely to be functional. Finally, this thesis tested whether the whole chloroplast genome was better able to distinguish between species than traditional DNA barcoding loci. The results of this study indicated that the whole chloroplast genome provided a better means of sequence based identification than the matK and rbcL barcodes, with 19 out of 26 currently recognised taxa distinguished using the chloroplast genome sequences compared to 14 and 8 taxa distinguished using matK and rbcL, respectively. This thesis has significantly increased our knowledge of Acacia chloroplast genome structure and content, provides a reference for further chloroplast genetics research in the Acacia genus, solidifies the backbone of the Acacia phylogeny, and takes a first step towards whole chloroplast genome DNA barcoding in Acacia, all of which informs our conservation of Acacia species.

This book is about phylogenetic diversity as an approach to reduce biodiversity losses in this period of mass extinction. Chapters in the first section deal with questions such as the way we value phylogenetic diversity among other criteria for biodiversity conservation; the choice of measures; the loss of phylogenetic diversity with extinction; the importance of organisms that are deeply branched in the tree of life, and the role of relict species. The second section is composed by contributions exploring methodological aspects, such as how to deal with abundance, sampling effort, or conflicting trees in analysis of phylogenetic diversity. The last section is devoted to applications, showing how phylogenetic diversity can be integrated in systematic conservation planning, in EDGE and HEDGE evaluations. This wide coverage makes the book a reference for academics, policy makers and stakeholders dealing with biodiversity conservation.

Nearly 700 species of plants may become extinct by the year 2000. Faced with this overwhelming prospect, plant conservationists must take advantage of every technique available. This unique work summarizes our current knowledge of the genetics and population biology of rare plants, and integrates it with practical conservation recommendations. It features discussions on the distribution and significance of genetic variation, management and evaluation of rare plant germplasm, and conservation strategies for genetic diversity. Case studies focusing on specific problems offer important insights for today's challenges in rare plant conservation.

A text, based on papers given at a symposium in Perth, discusses the plants, fungi and animals of WA. Examines their place in the environment, their evolution, their biology and their interaction as well as the fossil history of the flora and the evolution of genetic systems. The introductory chapter provides an overview, while subsequent chapters are grouped around themes. Includes colour plates, diagrams, charts and an index.