Home range and habitat use of a low-density population of greater gliders, Petauroides volans (Pseudocheiridae: Marsupialia), in a hollow-limiting environment

Abstract

Greater gliders, Petauroides volans, were radio-tracked within a large tract of forest in the dry inland of southern Queensland. This forest has been commercially logged for timber for more than 100 years. Home-range estimates ranged from 1.4 ha (female) to 19.3 ha (male). Minimum convex polygon (MCP) estimates were larger for males (average, 11.5 ha) than females (average, 3.3 ha) and combined (6.8 ha, sexes pooled) were larger than estimates from other Australian populations. Gliders were located foraging in myrtaceous tree species only, using mostly Eucalyptus moluccana, E. fibrosa and Corymbia citriodora. E. moluccana was used for foraging more frequently than would be expected on the basis of its availability in the forest. E. fibrosa and C. citriodora were used in proportion to their availability in the forest. Gliders were not seen foraging in non-myrtaceous species or myrtaceous trees <20 cm diameter at breast height (dbh), preferring trees in 30–70-cm dbh classes and as ‘mature’ and ‘over-mature’ classified according to growth-stage characteristics. Den tree species included the same species used for foraging as well as dead trees (16% of den trees). E. fibrosa and E. tereticornis were preferred significantly more than expected by their availability in the forest. Non-myrtaceous species were not used as live den trees. Large (dbh >50 cm) and old living trees (in deteriorating and senescent condition: ‘late mature’ and ‘over-mature’ categories) were primarily used as den trees. Individual gliders utilised 4–20 den trees. Females utilised more den trees per unit area of home range (3.8 den trees ha–1, maximum) than males (0.9 den trees ha–1, maximum). Fewer den trees were used per unit area of home range than by gliders at a coastal location with approximately the same latitude. The density of live stems containing hollows suitable as dens is currently lower than 1 tree ha–1 in some parts of the study forest. Gliders were two and half times less likely to be observed during standardised spotlighting surveys in the study area than elsewhere in southern Queensland. It is likely that low availability of den trees is contributing to large home ranges and the apparent low population density observed in this study.

Effects of forest management on structural features important for biodiversity in mixed-age hardwood forests in Australia's subtropics

“…Further, the long-term effectiveness of the spatial arrangement of these features is largely unknown, and empirical tests are needed (Lindenmayer et al, 2000b). Meanwhile, recent fauna studies in the western hardwood forests have demonstrated that even relatively minor fire and logging impacts on habitat structure can dramatically alter species assemblages and distribution (Eyre, 2006(Eyre, , 2007Maron and Kennedy, 2007;Smith et al, 2007;Eyre et al, 2009). Consequently, there is an urgent need for a strategic landscape-scale management approach to ensure key habitat features are maintained across the western hardwood forests.…”

“…In Queensland, the greater glider has been selected as a target species for management of hollow-bearing trees. This is because throughout their distributional range in eastern Australia, the greater glider has been shown to be highly sensitive to reduction of the hollow-bearing tree resource (Recher et al, 1980;Lindenmayer et al, 1990b;Kavanagh and Stanton, 2005;Eyre, 2006;Smith et al, 2007). To manage the hollow-bearing tree resource for greater gliders, state forest timber harvesting prescriptive codes specify the retention of up to six live hollowbearing trees per ha within greater glider habitat, and four live hollow-bearing trees per ha elsewhere (Queensland Environmental Protection Agency, 2007).…”

“…Such significant tracts of intact habitat have obvious benefits for the conservation of species and for landscape health more broadly, but the majority of the Brigalow Belt forests are extensively grazed by cattle, are subject to altered fire regimes and in many areas are also selectively harvested for timber (Maron and Kennedy, 2007;Eyre et al, 2009). Recent studies in the region have suggested that these management practices have a discernible effect on the distribution of habitat features important for sensitive bird (Maron and Kennedy, 2007;Eyre et al, 2009) and arboreal mammal species (Eyre, 2006(Eyre, , 2007Smith et al, 2007). However, such effects have not been quantified for the region, despite the importance of this issue to ongoing policy development regarding sustainable forest management in the Brigalow Belt forests (Maron and Kennedy, 2007).…”

Petauroides volans (Diprotodontia: Pseudocheiridae)

“…Space use.-Home-range estimates are typically 1.2-4.1 ha (Comport et al 1996;Henry 1984;Kavanagh and Wheeler 2004;Kehl and Borsboom 1984;Pope et al 2004), with those of males usually larger than those of females (Comport et al 1996;Henry 1984;Pope et al 2004;Smith et al 2007). However, in southern Queensland, males of Petauroides volans have been recorded using large home ranges of up to 19.3 ha (Eyre 2004;Smith et al 2007).…”

Resting and nesting in a small mammal: sleeping sites as a limiting resource for female grey mouse lemurs

“…Preferences for particular tree species or plant families have been reported for a number of mammals (Cockburn & Lazenby-Cohen 1992;Sedgeley & O'Donnell 1999;Kunz & Lumsden 2003;Smith et al 2007) and have been linked to the size and probability of occurrence of tree cavities (Gibbons & Lindenmayer 2002). Such information is lacking for the tree families in our study area and although these factors are likely to play a role we cannot make similar conclusions from the present data.…”