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Most studies of habitat use by small mammals rely on data from trapping grids. Such studies pertain to habitat use by individuals, which may not reflect population-level requirements. To meet the challenge of landscape change, it is important to understand habitat use by populations across large geographic areas. We surveyed small mammals in 48 forest remnants across a 300 km2 study area, to investigate the influence of vegetation heterogeneity on regional distributions. Information-theoretic techniques were used to evaluate models of vegetation associations. Richness of native mammals was influenced by vegetation condition: disturbed sites supported fewer species. Models for individual species showed the agile antechinus, Antechinus agilis, to prefer structurally diverse forest vegetation, the long-nosed potoroo, Potorous tridactylus, to favour mesic shrub communities, the bush rat, Rattus fuscipes, to prefer complex low cover regardless of composition, the swamp rat, Rattus lutreolus, to favour reduced canopy cover, and the house mouse, Mus domesticus, to prefer disturbed vegetation. To satisfy the needs of all native species, a mosaic of natural vegetation is required. Degradation and simplification of forest vegetation have detrimental consequences. These results highlight the need to consider habitat quality, together with more traditional biogeographic variables, when investigating factors influencing patch occupancy by native fauna in modified landscapes.

The squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) occurs in forests and woodlands in eastern Australia. In Victoria it is now largely restricted to small, fragmented areas and is considered endangered. In this study, the time-budget, feeding behaviour and related habitat use of the squirrel glider were investigated in a linear remnant of roadside vegetation near Euroa, Victoria. Timed observations of three males and three females, fitted with radio-collars, were made in each of four seasons. Gliders were observed for a total of 53.2 h, during which they devoted 72% of time to foraging activities. Grooming accounted for 16% of observation time. Exudates associated with homopterous insects were the primary food items consumed throughout the year. Arthropods, nectar and pollen, and Acacia gum formed the remainder of the diet. The proportion of time devoted to harvesting these food items showed marked seasonal variation. The primary dependence on homopterous insect exudates in this study area contrasts with other investigations at sites of greater floristic diversity where nectar and pollen were the most important dietary resources. This highlights the need to obtain ecological information from the range of habitats occupied by a species. Large trees are a vital habitat component of remnant linear vegetation in this study area, providing gliders with critical foraging resources. Retention of such trees is essential for the longevity of glider populations.

Context Landscape management and restoration in rural environments is frequently driven by community groups, who often use 'flagship' species to generate broader engagement. In south-eastern Australia, installation of nest boxes for hollow-dependent fauna is undertaken by many groups. Monitoring the outcomes of such projects offers opportunities for citizen science. Aims The aim of the present study was to report on a community-led project to install and monitor nest boxes to enhance the conservation of a threatened species, the brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa), and to investigate the extent of nest box use, factors influencing use, changes in use through time, and the effectiveness of nest boxes as a monitoring tool. Methods A community group installed 450 nest boxes across 150 sites to monitor and provide habitat for the brush-tailed phascogale. Of these, 102 sites were stratified in relation to: (1) geographic sub-region; (2) forest patch size; and (3) topographic position. Nest boxes were inspected five times over 8 years. We modelled factors influencing nest box use at the tree, site, and landscape level. We compared nest box data with data from camera traps at 50 sites to assess their value as a monitoring tool. Key results In any given survey, up to 6% of nest boxes had individuals present and up to 22% had evidence of use by the brush-tailed phascogale. There was greater use of nest boxes when installed on 'stringybark' type trees than 'box' and 'gum-barked' species. Nest box use was greater for sites on forest slopes than in gullies, and use varied between years. Surveys using remote cameras were more effective at detecting phascogales than monitoring nest boxes. Conclusions Nest box monitoring can provide insights into the distribution and habitat requirements of hollow-dependent species, and engage the community in citizen science. Elements that enhance community-led monitoring include scientific input to project design, collecting data in a consistent manner, allocating sufficient time for data curation, engaging people invested in project outcomes, maintaining good relationships with stakeholders, and sharing data for analysis. Implications Collaboration between scientists and community groups can be of benefit to both parties. However, to maximise scientific and conservation outcomes there must be effective engagement and adequate resourcing for project coordination.

Abstract. A novel approach to modelling the surface wind field of landfalling tropical cyclones (TCs) is presented. The modelling system simulates the evolution of the low-level wind fields of landfalling TCs, accounting for terrain effects. A two-step process models the gradient-level wind field using a parametric wind field model fitted to TC track data and then brings the winds down to the surface using a numerical boundary layer model. The physical wind response to variable surface drag and terrain height produces substantial local modifications to the smooth wind field provided by the parametric wind profile model. For a set of US historical landfalling TCs the accuracy of the simulated footprints compares favourably with contemporary modelling approaches. The model is applicable from single-event simulation to the generation of global catalogues. One application demonstrated here is the creation of a dataset of 714 global historical TC overland wind footprints. A preliminary analysis of this dataset shows regional variability in the inland wind speed decay rates and evidence of a strong influence of regional orography. This dataset can be used to advance our understanding of overland wind risk in regions of complex terrain and support wind risk assessments in regions of sparse historical data.