Effects of sharp edges induced by timber harvesting and diffuse edges induced by wildfire on the distribution of arboreal marsupials, were investigated by spotlight surveys in the ash forests of the Victorian Central Highlands. Edges were examined between three age-classes of forest (165+, 55-year- old fire regrowth and logging regrowth 5#x2013;20 years after loggging), with sites at 200m intervals up to 900m from the edge. The edge itself appeared to have little effect on the distribution and abundance of the arboreal marsupials recorded in this study; the distribution of species appeared related to features of the adjoining forest patches of differing age including their structure, and the distribution of food resources and hollow-bearing trees. Greater Gliders occured in all age- classes but were most common in old forest with numbers declining across edges and into 55-year-old fire regrowth. This trend was correlated with the distribution of hollow- bearing trees, particularly live hollow-bearing trees. Yellow- bellied Gliders were mainly recorded from old forest. Fewer individuals were recorded in 55-year-old fire regrowth up to 500m from the adjoining old forest edges. Leadbeater's Possum was recorded in all age-classes but was most commonly recorded in young logging regrowth adjacent to old and 55- year-old forest. Mountain Brushtail Possums were more commonly recorded in old forest and 55-year-old fire regrowth than in the young logging regrowth. The proportion of sites occupied by this species increased significantly in the 55- year-old fire regrowth as the distance from the edge with old forest increased. Common Ringtail Possums were only recorded from 55-year-old fire regrowth, where numbers were too low to identify any relationship with distance from the edge of the other age-classes. The implications of these results for silvicultural and landscape planning are discussed.
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