Abstract
Nest boxes are often used to provide supplementary roosts for cavity-dependent wildlife, but little is known about if they influence faunal community composition. Long-term monitoring of bat boxes in south-eastern Australia indicated that their use was dominated by one generalist species (Chalinolobus gouldii), causing concern that installing bat boxes could cause a shift toward less diverse bat communities. To test this, we conducted a large-scale before-after control-impact experiment at 18 sites, over five years. Sites were either: (1) those with existing bat boxes, (2) those where boxes were added during the study, or (3) controls without boxes. We used echolocation call data from 9035 bat detector nights to compare community composition, diversity, and species’ relative activity between the sites. Chalinolobus gouldii continued to dominate the use of existing boxes, but we found little difference in community composition between sites based on the presence, absence, or addition of boxes. Our study is the first to explore the influence installing artificial hollows has on localized faunal assemblages over spatio-temporal scales relevant to management. We conclude that there is cause for optimism that bat boxes might not have perverse outcomes on local community composition in the short- to medium-term, as we had feared.
Highlights
Nest boxes are often used to provide supplementary roosts for cavity-dependent wildlife, but little is known about if they influence faunal community composition
This is a concern for bat box programs in urbanised areas, where boxes are frequently deployed by land managers and community groups targeting the whole bat community, not just individual species[14,15,16]
Nest boxes are a common means of providing supplementary microhabitats for cavity-dependent wildlife; little is known about their influence on faunal community composition[9,44]
Summary
Nest boxes are often used to provide supplementary roosts for cavity-dependent wildlife, but little is known about if they influence faunal community composition. The installation of nest boxes has led to positive conservation outcomes for some species, such as the common hoopoe (Upupa epops)[4], Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae)[5], and Leadbeater’s possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri)[6] In these species-specific programs, boxes are designed in a targeted manner to attract the species of interest, whilst attempting to exclude non-target taxa[7]. Bats are often a relatively diverse and abundant component of the native mammalian fauna in urbanised landscapes[17,18], but these communities are typically dominated by disturbance-adapted, generalist species[19,20] These species are more likely to roost in artificial structures than those with more specialised roosting requirements[19]. Name of park/reserve, suburb Gresswell Nature Conservation Reserve, Macleod La Trobe University Wildlife Sanctuary, Bundoora Organ Pipes National Park, Keilor North Wilson Reserve, Ivanhoe Shepperds Bush Park, Wantirna South Woodlands Historic Park, Greenvale Westerfolds Park, Templestowe Yellow Gum Park, Plenty Bolin Bolin Billabong, Bulleen Brimbank Park, Keilor East Currawong Bush Park, Doncaster East Grange Heathland Reserve, Clayton South Plenty Gorge Park, South Morang Tullamarine Airport Greybox Woodland, Melbourne Airport The 100 Acres Reserve, Park Orchards Valley Reserve, Mount Waverley Yarra Bend Park, Fairfield Yan Yean Reservoir, Yan Yean
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call