Tropical bat ectoparasitism in continuous versus fragmented forests: A gap analysis and preliminary meta-analysis.

Abstract

Tropical regions are experiencing rapid rates of forest fragmentation, which can have several effects on wildlife, including altered parasite dynamics. Bats are a useful host group to consider the effects of fragmentation, because they are abundant in the tropics, serve important ecological roles, and harbor many parasites. Nevertheless, research on the effects of fragmentation on bat ectoparasites is still limited. To help guide ongoing and future research efforts, this study had two objectives: (1) conduct a gap analysis to characterize the state of currently available research on fragmentation effects on bat ectoparasites and (2) conduct a preliminary meta-analysis to identify current trends. We systematically highlighted several research gaps: Studies comparing the effects of fragmented versus continuous forests on ectoparasites are limited and have primarily been conducted in the Neotropics, with a focus on bats in the superfamily Noctilionidea (especially frugivorous phyllostomids). Our preliminary meta-analysis suggested that ectoparasite prevalence (but not the mean or variance in intensity) was higher in fragments than in continuous forests. Moreover, prevalence increased with increasing roost duration, and mean intensity was higher for bats with higher wing aspect ratios. Intensity variance was affected by an interaction between forest type and wing aspect ratio, such that variance increased for bats with high-wing aspect ratios in continuous forests but decreased in fragments. These results suggest that fragmentation can shape aspects of bat ectoparasitism and could have implications for the ecology, health, and conservation of bats in fragmented landscapes. However, existing research gaps could bias our current understanding of habitat change and bat health, and future research should thus investigate these effects in the Paleotropics and with other bat families.