A survey design for monitoring the abundance of arboreal marsupials in the Central Highlands of Victoria

We describe a non-standard sample design for monitoring the abundance of arboreal marsupials in the montane ash forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria, south-eastern Australia. The survey design is based on overlapping and rotating sampling from a given population of sites—in this case 160 sites, each measuring 1 ha in size. Estimates of population sizes are obtained using a model-based statistical analysis. Results so far reveal considerable year-to-year variability in populations of Leadbeater's Possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri), the Mountain Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus cunninghamii), and the Greater Glider (Petauroides volans). There appears to be an initial decline in the numbers of Leadbeater's Possum, an increase in the Mountain Brushtail Possum and no change in the Greater Glider and the total number of arboreal marsupials. It will be possible report more substantive findings about long-term trends after several more years of the program. Relationships between current and past counts for Leadbeater's Possum and Mountain Brushtail Possum were very weak. This result appeared to be due to low levels of site fidelity for these two species.

[1]  A. Welsh,et al.  Methodology for Estimating the Abundance of Rare Animals: Seabird Nesting on North East Herald Cay , 2000, Biometrics.

[2]  Barrie Goldsmith,et al.  Monitoring for Conservation and Ecology , 1990 .

[3]  D. Lindenmayer,et al.  Modelling the abundance of rare species: statistical models for counts with extra zeros , 1996 .

[4]  David B. Lindenmayer,et al.  The conservation of arboreal marsupials in the montane ash forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria, South-East Australia: III. The habitat requirements of leadbeater's possum Gymnobelideus leadbeateri and models of the diversity and abundance of arboreal marsupials , 1991 .

[5]  Reed F. Noss,et al.  Saving Nature's Legacy: Protecting And Restoring Biodiversity , 1994 .

[6]  D. Lindenmayer,et al.  Use of Den Trees by Leadbeater's Possum (Gymnobelideus Leadbeateri) , 1996 .

[7]  D. Lindenmayer,et al.  Public Participation in Stagwatching Surveys of a Rare Mammal - Applications for Environmental and Public Education , 1991, Australian Journal of Environmental Education.

[8]  Db Lindenmayer,et al.  Use of Nest Trees by the Mountain Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus Caninus) (Phalangeridae: Marsupialia). I. Number of Occupied Trees and Frequency of Tree Use. , 1996 .

[9]  Ian F. Spellerberg,et al.  Monitoring Ecological Change: Index , 1991 .

[10]  Andrew J. M. Smith,et al.  Possums and gliders , 1984 .

[11]  Marjorie Jean Holmes,et al.  The government of Victoria , 1976 .

[12]  D. Lindenmayer,et al.  The abundance and development of cavities in Eucalyptus trees: a case study in the montane forests of Victoria, southeastern Australia , 1993 .

[13]  A. Burbridge,et al.  The 1996 action plan for Australian marsupials and monotremes , 1996 .

[14]  David B. Lindenmayer,et al.  DECAY AND COLLAPSE OF TREES WITH HOLLOWS IN EASTERN AUSTRALIAN FORESTS: IMPACTS ON ARBOREAL MARSUPIALS , 1997 .

[15]  David B. Lindenmayer,et al.  How effective is spotlighting for detecting the greater glider (Petauroides volans) , 2001 .

[16]  D. B. Lindenmayer,et al.  Factors at multiple scales affecting distribution patterns and their implications for animal conservation – Leadbeater's Possum as a case study , 2004, Biodiversity & Conservation.

[17]  D. Lindenmayer,et al.  Evaluation of the Stagwatching Technique for Census of Possums and Gliders in Tall Open Forest , 1989 .

[18]  David B. Lindenmayer,et al.  The conservation of arboreal marsupials in the montane ash forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria, south-east Australia. II: The loss of trees with hollows and its implications for the conservation of leadbeater's possum Gymnobelideus leadbeateri McCoy (Marsupialia: Petauridae) , 1990 .

[19]  R. Campbell,et al.  Development of silviculture in the native State forests of Victoria , 1999 .

[20]  C. Tyndale-Biscoe,et al.  Studies on the Marsupial Glider, Schoinobates volans (Kerr): III. Response to Habitat Destruction , 1969 .

[21]  P. Tabbush,et al.  Forest Management in Australia. , 1991 .

[22]  D. Lindenmayer,et al.  A population study of the mountain brushtail possum (Trichosurus caninus) in the central highlands of Victoria , 2000 .

[23]  Raymond L. Czaplewski,et al.  Adaptive Monitoring Design for Ecosystem Management , 1996 .