Register      Login
Australian Mammalogy Australian Mammalogy Society
Journal of the Australian Mammal Society
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Range extension of Leadbeater’s possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri)

Timothy C. McBride A C , Aaron Organ B and Elizabeth Pryde https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3582-3571 A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A VicForests, GPO Box 191, Melbourne, Vic. 3001, Australia.

B Ecology and Heritage Partners, Ascot Vale, Vic. 3032, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: tim.mcbride@vicforests.com.au

Australian Mammalogy 42(1) 96-102 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM18025
Submitted: 8 August 2018  Accepted: 19 December 2018   Published: 4 February 2019

Abstract

We report spotlight and camera-trap observations of Leadbeater’s possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri) at six locations up to 15 km east of its described range. Half of our records occurred in fire-affected, mixed-species forest, with a tree species and seral stage composition that differs markedly from its predominant habitat: late-mature forests dominated by Eucalyptus regnans, E. delegatensis and E. nitens.

Additional keywords: ash forest, fire, herb-rich foothill forest, mixed species, remote camera, spotlight survey, young regrowth.


References

Commonwealth of Australia (2016). National recovery plan for Leadbeater’s possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri).

DELWP (2018). Victorian biodiversity atlas. Available at: https://bit.ly/2DXjRw6

DEPI (2014). Supporting the recovery of the Leadbeater’s possum: Report on progress.

DSE (2004a). EVC/Bioregion benchmark for vegetation quality assessment: Highlands – Northern Fall bioregion. Available at: https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/48704/HNF_ EVCs_combined.pdf [accessed 2 July 2018].

DSE (2004b). EVC/Bioregion benchmark for vegetation quality assessment: Highlands – Southern Fall bioregion. Available at: https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/48707/HSF_ EVCs_combined.pdf [accessed 2 July 2018].

DSE (2004c). EVC/Bioregion benchmark for vegetation quality assessment: Victorian Alps region. Available at: https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/48751/VAlp_EVCs_combined.pdf.

Hamilton, F., Penny, R., Black, P., Cumming, F., and Irvine, M. (1999). Victoria’s statewide forest resource inventory: an outline of methods. Australian Forestry 62, 353–359.
Victoria’s statewide forest resource inventory: an outline of methods.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Harley, D. K. P. (2004). A review of recent records of Leadbeater’s possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri). In ‘The Biology of Australian Possums and Gliders’. (Eds R. Goldingay, and S. Jackson.) pp. 330–338. (Surrey Beatty: Sydney.)

Harley, D. K. P., Worley, M. A., and Harley, T. K. (2005). The distribution and abundance of Leadbeater’s possum Gymnobelideus leadbeateri, in lowland swamp forest at Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve. Australian Mammalogy 27, 7–15.
The distribution and abundance of Leadbeater’s possum Gymnobelideus leadbeateri, in lowland swamp forest at Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Harley, D. K. P., Holland, G. J., Hradsky, B., and Antrobus, J. A. (2014). The use of camera traps to detect arboreal mammals: lessons from targeted surveys for the cryptic Leadbeater’s possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri). In ‘Camera Trapping. Wildlife Management and Research’. (Eds P. Meek, P. Fleming, G. Ballard, P. Banks, A. Claridge, J. Sanderson, and D. Swann.) pp. 233–243. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)

Lindenmayer, D. B., and Possingham, H. P. (1995). Modelling the impacts of wildfire on the viability of metapopulations of the endangered Australian species of arboreal marsupial, Leadbeater’s possum. Forest Ecology and Management 74, 197–222.
Modelling the impacts of wildfire on the viability of metapopulations of the endangered Australian species of arboreal marsupial, Leadbeater’s possum.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Lindenmayer, D. B., Cunningham, R. B., Tanton, M. T., Nix, H. A., and Smith, A. P. (1991). 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. Biological Conservation 56, 295–315.
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.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Lindenmayer, D. B., Blanchard, W., McBurney, L., Blair, D., Banks, S. C., Driscoll, D. A., Smith, A. L., and Gill, A. M. (2013). Fire severity and landscape context effects on arboreal marsupials. Biological Conservation 167, 137–148.
Fire severity and landscape context effects on arboreal marsupials.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Lumsden, L. F., Nelson, J. L., Todd, C. R., Scroggie, M. P., McNabb, E. G., Raadik, T. A., Smith, S. J., Acevedo, S., Cheers, G., Jemison, M. L., and Nicol, M. D. (2013). A new strategic approach to biodiversity management – research component. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research unpublished client report for the Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Melbourne.

McCarthy, M. A., and Lindenmayer, D. B. (1998). Multi-aged mountain ash forest, wildlife conservation and timber harvesting. Forest Ecology and Management 104, 43–56.
Multi-aged mountain ash forest, wildlife conservation and timber harvesting.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

McCarthy, G. J., Plucinski, M. P., and Gould, J. S. (2012). Analysis of the resourcing and containment of multiple remote fires: the great divide complex of fires, Victoria, December 2006. Australian Forestry 75, 54–63.
Analysis of the resourcing and containment of multiple remote fires: the great divide complex of fires, Victoria, December 2006.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Nelson, J. L., Lumsden, L. F., Durkin, L. K., Bryant, D. B., Macak, P. V., Cripps, J. K., Smith, S. J., Scroggie, M. P., and Cashmore, M. P. (2015). Targeted surveys for Leadbeater’s possum in 2014–15. Report for the Leadbeater’s Possum Implementation Committee. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Victoria. Available at: https://www.wildlife.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0032/27896/Targeted-survey-report-2015_final-7Oct15r.pdf [accessed 7 January 2019].

Nelson, J. L., Durkin, L. K., Cripps, J. K., Scroggie, M. P., Bryant, D. B., Macak, P. V., and Lumsden, L. F. (2017). Targeted surveys to improve Leadbeater’s possum conservation. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Victoria. Technical Report Series No. 278.

Smith, A. (1984). Demographic consequences of reproduction, dispersal and social interaction in a population of Leadbeater’s possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri). In ‘Possums and Gliders’. (Eds A. P. Smith, and I. D. Hume.) pp. 359–373. (Australian Mammal Society: Sydney.)

Smith, A. P., and Lindenmayer, D. (1988). Tree hollow requirements of Leadbeater’s possum and other possums and gliders in timber production ash forests of the Victorian central highlands. Australian Wildlife Research 15, 347–362.
Tree hollow requirements of Leadbeater’s possum and other possums and gliders in timber production ash forests of the Victorian central highlands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Smith, A. P., and Lindenmayer, D. B. (1992). Forest succession and habitat management for Leadbeater’s possum in the state of Victoria, Australia. Forest Ecology and Management 49, 311–332.
Forest succession and habitat management for Leadbeater’s possum in the state of Victoria, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Todd, C. R., Lindenmayer, D. B., Stamation, K., Acevedo-Cattaneo, S., Smith, S., and Lumsden, L. F. (2016). Assessing reserve effectiveness: application to a threatened species in a dynamic fire prone forest landscape. Ecological Modelling 338, 90–100.
Assessing reserve effectiveness: application to a threatened species in a dynamic fire prone forest landscape.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |