City Trees, Parks, and Ponds: Green and Blue Spaces as Life Supports to Urban Bats

Abstract

AbstractPatches of vegetated habitat within urban areas (“green spaces”) and water bodies (“blue spaces”) are crucial to support urban wildlife, including bats. In this chapter, we review the literature to explore how bats use green and blue spaces, including natural, semi-natural, and manicured vegetated areas, and various water bodies. We first examine the value of urban green spaces to bats for roosting, foraging, commuting, and refuge from disturbances. We then examine the importance of blue spaces as sources of drinking water and prey. We also consider how spatial arrangements of green and blue spaces across the urban landscape influence use by bats. Finally, we review approaches of studying green and blue spaces to guide future research and suggest guidelines for better design and management of these valuable habitats to support urban bat abundance and diversity.KeywordsGreen spaceBlue spaceForagingDrinkingHabitat Urban landscape