Seasonal variation in prey abundance influences habitat use by greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in a temperate deciduous forest

Abstract

The hypothesis that patterns of habitat selection of greater horseshoe bats ( Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Schreber, 1774)) vary across seasons in a temperate deciduous forest was investigated. Variables associated with potentially important ecological factors for greater horseshoe bats (physical structure of shrub stratum, crown canopy, insect availability, lunar phase, and weather) were collected for different seasons, and 75 sampling sites were established in the Luotong Mountain Nature Reserve in northeast China. Insect abundance was highest in late summer and lowest in late autumn. Poisson generalized linear models showed that the activity of greater horseshoe bats was positively related to the height and density of shrub stratum in late summer, whereas the activity of greater horseshoe bats was associated with insect abundance in early and late autumn. During periods of intermediate prey abundance (early summer), the height and density of shrub stratum, as well as insect abundance, influenced the activity of greater horseshoe bats. Shrub stratum may provide shelter against predation for foraging greater horseshoe bats. These results support our prediction that there was a trade-off between importance of food and cover among seasons for foraging bats. These findings are useful for the conservation and management of greater horseshoe bats.