Diversity of Bats in Contrasting Habitats of Hulu Terengganu Dipterocarp Forest and Setiu Wetland BRIS Forest with a Note on Preliminary Study of Vertical Stratification of Pteropodid Bats.

Azuan Azuan Roslan,Grace Grace Pounsin,Nur Syahirah Nur Syahirah Wahab,M T M T Abdullah,Muhamad Aidil Muhamad Aidil Zahidin,Elizabeth Elizabeth Pesiu,Nur Aida Nur Aida Md Tamrin

doi:10.21315/tlsr2018.29.1.4

Azuan Azuan Roslan, Grace Grace Pounsin + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.21315/tlsr2018.29.1.4

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Abstract

A study of the bat diversity was conducted in Hulu Terengganu dipterocarp forest and Setiu Wetland Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales (BRIS) forest in Terengganu, to study the species diversity, composition and stratification of fruit bats from the understorey to the forest canopy. Mist nets were set up at the understorey, sub-canopy and canopy layer while harp traps were set up at the understorey layer. We recorded 170 individuals from six families’ compromised 21 species from Hulu Terengganu dipterocarp forests and four species from Setiu Wetland BRIS forests throughout the sampling period. Megaerops ecaudatus and Cynopterus brachyotis were the most dominant species in Hulu Terengganu dipterocarp forest and Setiu Wetland BRIS forests. Our study also recorded two species with new distributional records for the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, namely, Rhinolophus chiewkweeae and Chaerephon johorensis in Hulu Terengganu dipterocarp forests. Potential factors that might influence the results were in terms of the canopy covers, the structural complexity of canopy, food availability and spatial characteristics. This study was able to increase the knowledge on the species diversity and composition of bats in Hulu Terengganu dipterocarp forest and Setiu Wetland BRIS forest, thus, further aid in the effort of bat conservation in both areas.

Highlights

Bats performed many significant ecological services and often regarded as a keystone species
A study of the bat diversity was conducted in Hulu Terengganu dipterocarp forest and Setiu Wetland Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales (BRIS) forest in Terengganu, to study the species diversity, composition and stratification of fruit bats from the understorey to the forest canopy
We studied the vertical stratification of Pteropodid bats to increase the bat’s species checklist that forages in a higher level

Summary

Introduction

Bats performed many significant ecological services and often regarded as a keystone species. The study of bats in Peninsular Malaysian east-coast despite being studied very well in Pahang, in other states namely Kelantan and Terengganu is still understudied. We studied the vertical stratification of Pteropodid bats to increase the bat’s species checklist that forages in a higher level. The vertical stratification study of bats in Malaysia has been conducted by Francis (1994), Zubaid (1994), Abdullah and Hall (1997), and Hodgkison et al (2004). The study on bats ecology in Malaysia has been concentrated at ground level due to easy deployments of mist nets and harp traps. The study on vertical stratification on bats is still understudied in Malaysia with only five known published information

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