The conservation of arboreal marsupials in the montane ash forests of the central highlands of Victoria, south-eastern Australia. VIII. Landscape analysis of the occurrence of arboreal marsupials

Abstract

We describe the results of landscape analysis of the occurrence of a suite of species of arboreal marsupials in the montane ash forests of the central highlands of Victoria, south-eastern Australia. The species targeted for study were: Yellow-bellied Glider (Petaurus australis), Mountain Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus caninus), Greater Glider (Petauroides volans) and Leadbeater's Possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri). Our analyses involved exploring statistical relationships between the presence/absence of these four species and compositional variables used to characterize the landscape within 20 and 80 ha circles surrounding each of 166, 3 ha, sites surveyed for arboreal marsupials. Many potent..