Patch use by the greater glider (Petauroides volans) in a fragmented forest ecosystem. I. Home range size and movements

Abstract

This paper examines home-range attributes of 40 greater gliders (Petauroides volans) in five patches of remnant eucalypt forest surrounded by stands of radiata pine (Pinus radiata) near Tumut in south-eastern Australia. Fixed-kernel smoothing methods were used to estimate home-range size for P. volans. For males, home-range size varied from 1.38–4.10 ha (mean = 2.6 ± 0.8 ha, n = 12) and was significantly larger (P < 0.05) than for females (1.26–2.97 ha, mean = 2.0 ± 0.6 ha, n = 11). Home-range size increased significantly with increasing patch size and reduced patch population density. Thus, small patches had more animals per unit area with smaller home ranges and greater home-range overlap. Our findings illustrate flexibility in the use of space by P. volans. Such results have not previously been reported for P. volans or any other species of arboreal marsupial. Considerable home-range overlap (at 95th percentile isopleth level) was observed between male and female P. volans. Pairs of females also exhibited home-range overlap. Males tended to maintain home ranges exclusive of other males, although some shared common areas. Contrary to the large variations observed in home-range area, core areas (50th isopleth) remained relatively constant, regardless of patch size, population density or sex. This may indicate that core areas are an essential requirement for individuals and resources they contain cannot be shared with congeners.

Foliage Chemistry Influences Tree Choice and Landscape Use of a Gliding Marsupial Folivore

“…We collected leaves from all tree species in which P. volans was observed (see Cunningham et al 2004 for a complete list). The vast majority of observations occurred in E. radiata (41% of eucalypt tree use) and E. viminalis-E. dalrympleana (35%) Pope et al 2004). Due to the relatively small number of observations in other species, we focused our analysis solely on these three tree species.…”

“…Effort was taken to ensure that every P. volans in the selected remnants was included in the study (see Pope et al 2004 for details). Tracking occurred over five consecutive nights each month from September 1997 to October 1998.…”

Regional habitat selection of large gliding possums at forest stand and landscape scales in southern Queensland, Australia

“…This is a consequence of the solitary disposition of the greater glider and its relatively small home range (Henry, 1984;Kehl and Borsboom, 1984;Comport et al, 1996;Kavanagh and Wheeler, 2004;Pope et al, 2004). Higher population densities indicate superior habitat quality where greater gliders are more likely to be polygynous, as opposed to a monogamous mating system, which tend to occur in poorer habitats (Norton, 1988).…”

“…The glider feeds predominantly on eucalypt foliage, a low nutrient and highly toxic diet which influences the sedentary and solitary socio-ecological traits of the species (Kavanagh and Lambert, 1990;Foley et al, 2004). www.elsevier.com/locate/foreco Forest Ecology and Management 235 (2006) [270][271][272][273][274][275][276][277][278][279][280][281][282] Home ranges are typically small, ranging from 1 to 3 ha, and tend to vary in response to habitat (Comport et al, 1996;Pope et al, 2004;Kavanagh and Wheeler, 2004). The greater glider has been identified as a potential indicator species of forest disturbance for long-term monitoring purposes (Kavanagh and Stanton, 2005).…”

Regional habitat selection of large gliding possums at forest stand and landscape scales in southern Queensland, Australia

“…Edge effects can influence habitat suitability for arboreal marsupials (van der Ree, 2002), but the response identified by this study is more likely reflecting the influence of linear remnants on glider socio-ecology. Certainly, movement patterns of squirrel gliders (Petaurus norfolcensis) and greater gliders (Petauroides volans), species with relatively small home ranges, are restricted in remnant linear habitats relative to animals in regular shaped habitats (van der Ree and Bennett, 2003;Pope et al, 2004). Long, linear corridors of habitat disadvantage territorial, central-point foragers with large home ranges reliant on widely dispersed food resources, such as the yellow-bellied glider, because travel distance and energy expenditure is maximised relative to regular shaped patches of habitat (Recher et al, 1987;Ims, 1995).…”