Phoebe V. Macak’s scientific contributions

Large wildfires have the potential to create heterogeneous landscapes in forest ecosystems. Range-restricted species in fire-prone regions have evolved to persist in the face of periodic disturbance due to wildfire. However , the factors that enable them to do so are often poorly understood. Whether post-fire population recovery is driven by survival of individuals within the burnt area (in situ recovery) or by recolonisation from unburnt habitat outside the fire perimeter (ex situ recovery), and over what timeframe this occurs, is valuable knowledge for conservation management. Understanding post-fire population dynamics is important when considering whether management interventions are required to prevent local extinctions. We examined the influence of fire-derived landscape context on site occupancy by the critically endangered Leadbeater's possum Gymnobelideus leadbeateri in southeastern Australia, 6-11 years after a large wildfire in 2009. Our aim was to assess whether site occupancy was influenced by fire extent in the local landscape, distance from unburnt habitat outside the fire perimeter, and/or pre-fire disturbance history. We used arboreal camera trapping to survey Leadbeater's pos-sums within the burnt area, using 732 cameras at 245 sites. We used occupancy modelling to estimate the effects on site occupancy of (1) unburnt habitat surrounding sites (500 m radius), (2) distance from unburnt habitat at the fire perimeter, and (3) whether the site had been disturbed by either fire or timber harvesting in the decades prior to the 2009 fire. Leadbeater's possums were detected at 78 of the 245 sites (32 %). Site occupancy was positively influenced by the presence of unburnt habitat within 500 m, and was higher at sites that had experienced disturbance between the 2009 fire and the previous major wildfire in 1939. Proximity to unburnt habitat outside the fire perimeter did not influence occupancy. Our results suggest that population recovery was driven primarily by in situ survival and recovery, rather than via recolonisation from source populations outside the burnt area. Our findings indicate that Leadbeater's possum populations are more likely to recover from fires that are more heterogeneous in their severity, leaving relatively more unburnt patches within their perimeter. Post-fire management interventions such as translocation to facilitate population recovery are likely unnecessary for this species, provided surviving individuals have spatial continuity of habitat to enable recolonisation. Management strategies aimed at the retention of unburnt patches within the footprint of future fires will likely promote the post-fire recovery of arboreal mammal species in fire-prone forests, particularly under a changing climate with increased frequency and intensity of wildfires.

Within its core highland range, Leadbeater’s possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri) occurs predominantly in tall montane ash forest dominated by Eucalyptus regnans, E. delegatensis and E. nitens. To improve predictive modelling of suitable habitat, we surveyed ash/non-ash ecotones and also explored the species’ recently extended eastern distribution. We detected Leadbeater’s possums at 19 sites, including six in non-ash forest dominated by E. dalrympleana, E. viminalis or E. kybeanensis. This extends its known distribution by 5.5 km and appears to delineate the north-eastern limit of its range. Our results add to previous findings indicating Leadbeater’s possums have slightly broader range limits and habitat flexibility than previously thought.

Context Many threatened species persist in modified landscapes. Species in these landscapes often inhabit vegetation strips adjacent to linear structures such as roads, railways and artificial waterways. These vegetation strips may act as refugia or provide resources, but the associated structures (e.g. roads) may also act as barriers to movement. The southern brown bandicoot (eastern subspecies) is listed as Endangered in Australia and is known to inhabit modified landscapes. Aim We aim to determine the extent of occupancy of southern brown bandicoots and the relative importance of different habitat types. Our data are intended to provide a baseline for future monitoring of changes to bandicoot populations, and to further our understanding of the relative importance of different habitat types for management and conservation. Methods We conducted a remote-camera survey of southern brown bandicoots, at 98 locations across a 60 000 ha region south-east of Melbourne. Bandicoots in this area inhabit patches of remnant habitat in reserves and remnant, modified or non-native vegetation strips along roadsides and artificial waterways created in the 19th century to drain swampland. These habitat fragments sit within a matrix of agricultural, residential and commercial land. Key results Our results suggest that bandicoot occupancy is higher along artificial waterways (0.76) than along roadsides (0.35) or within reserves (0.39). Implications Habitat along waterways is often different from remnants, with a mix of weedy and native vegetation. The implication of this is a potential conflict between habitat and vegetation management for bandicoots, weed control and maintenance of drains and associated levees.

The Index of Estuary Condition (IEC) was developed by the Victorian Government to improve estuary management by providing a means of assessing and scoring estuary condition. Several components of estuarine condition have previously been identified, along with metrics and indicators to quantify them. One component is the vegetation that fringes the estuary on its inland margin. This report details the application of the fringing vegetation condition metric to estuaries along the Victorian coast. Aims: This project aimed to assess the condition of the fringing vegetation around most of Victoria’s estuaries (n=98). The estuaries included in the project were selected by DELWP’s Water and Catchments Division