A comparison of some populations of Eucalyptus viminalis Labill. growing on calcareous and acid soils in Victoria,Australia

A study of populations of Eucalyptus viminalis found on both acid and alkaline soils showed that seedlings differ in their tolerance of calcareous soils and their susceptibility to lime chlorosis. Seedlings from an open-forest population on calcareous dunes in the Otway Ranges, Victoria, averaged a significantly greater yield than seedlings of three other populations found on acid soils when all were grown on calcareous soil of pH 6.8. A tall ribbon gum form of E. viminalis, from Paradise gully in the Otways, was the least tolerant of alkaline conditions and showed severe signs of chlorosis and reddening of leaf margins. The latter appeared to be related to high uptake of phosphorus. This population showed rapid growth on a fertile acid loam. The data presented also emphasize the need to consider the variation in soils which can occur at any one site. Population differences were most marked when seedlings were grown on soils of pH near 7.0. Yield was reduced in the Otways calcareous population when seedlings were grown on the more leached soil from swales (pH 6.5) between dunes and on the highly calcareous soil from the dune crests (pH 7.8–8.0). The failure of any of the populations of E. viminalis studied to grow well on soils of high pH suggest that this species is not tolerant of highly calcareous soils. This may in part explain the absence of this species from the drier calcareous areas on the Mornington Peninsula and the Yanakie Isthmus, Victoria. Since seedlings had reduced root development on the soil collected from the Peninsula, E. viminalis may be restricted, in effect because of drought stress, to non-calcareous sites in the eastern part of Victoria.