Abstract
In the Mediterranean region, aquatic and riparian habitats are considered amongst the most important for bat survival. These habitats are transient in the Maltese Islands and detailed research on how different bat species cope in these conditions has not been conducted. This paper presents results on the activity of pipistrelle bats across different habitats and seasons using acoustic methods to investigate their foraging habitats in the Maltese landscapes. Regression tree analysis was used to assess the effects of several environmental variables — including climatic conditions, vegetation characteristics, and prey abundance — on foraging activity. Echolocation recordings from pipistrelle bats were obtained during 220 hours of active monitoring between summer 2012 and spring 2013. During each sampling period, a maximum of 36 sites were visited (summer, n = 36; autumn: n = 33; spring: n = 35). Agricultural landscapes, cliffs, shrublands, urban areas, woodland patches, and valleys were all represented by th...
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