Influence of successional stage of Eucalyptus regnans (mountain ash) on habitat use by reptiles in the Central Highlands, Victoria

Abstract

Abstract Eleven sites, representing different successional stages of Eucalyptus regnans‐dominated forest in the Central Highlands of Victoria, were selected to identify potentially important habitat variables for heliothermic reptiles, three species (Eulamprus tympanum, Niveoscincus coventryi, Pseudemoia spenceri) of which were common at these sites. Analyses reveal that many forest attributes are strongly correlated with stand age and that some are significant habitat variables for some of these species. ‘One‐at‐a‐time’ modelling of habitat variables reveals that counts of E. tympanum are most strongly correlated with the proportion of grass as substrate (−ve), moss cover of logs (−ve) and litter depth (+ ve); N. coventryi counts are most significantly related to litter depth (−ve), numbers of logs (−ve), log diameter (−ve), the proportion of bare ground as substrate (−ve) and length of sunny patches (+ ve); P. spenceri counts are most significantly related to the number of sunny patches (−ve) and moss cover of logs (−ve). The total reptile count is most significantly correlated with stag diameter (−ve) and log diameter (−ve). Predictive equations for each of the common species are also presented, using measured habitat variables, and these, along with ‘one‐at‐a‐time’ models, indicate that a number of factors determine reptile occurrence or abundance and that no single predictor variable is apparent.