Bat Diversity Research Articles

Diversity of cave-dwelling bats in Leang Londrong, Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park: An initial field note

Leang Londrong is one the caves in Maros-Pangkep Karst Formation utilized for nature tourism and has become a habitat for bats. Little is known on the bats inhabited the cave. Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate the diversity, abundance, morphometric of cave-dwelling bats in Leang Londrong, Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park as well as their distribution of roosting sites and micro-climate conditions between May-June 2021. The bats were trapped and collected by using two-layered mist nets erected in front of cave entrance. With captured-marked-recaptured (CMR) method, bat diversity, abundance, and morphometric, were examined. Direct measurements on roosting sites were employed to determine micro-climate conditions. There were 3 species of Microchiropteran bats found in the site namely Rhinolophus arcuatus, Hipposideros diadema and Myotis sp. Total number of all bats trapped in the net during the observation days was 10 individuals. The largest bat species found living in the cave was Hipposideros diadema (average body length of 101.1 mm; tail of 51.46 mm; ear 24.5 mm; forearm length of 96.12 mm; tibia length of 34.6 mm; hind foot of 14.32 mm; and 63.75 g of weight). Meanwhile, Myotis sp. was known to be the smallest. For micro-climate conditions, the five roosting sites inside the cave had the average temperature of 26.58°C (range: 26.2-27.3) with the humidity in average around 92.88% (range 89.6-93.8%), while the average light intensity was found to be 0 lx in each roost with the noise level recorded in average of 65.08 dB.

Four Years Continuous Monitoring Reveals Different Effects of Urban Constructed Wetlands on Bats

Proactive artificial wetland constructions have been implemented to mitigate the loss of wetlands and their ecosystem services. As wetlands are habitats for bats, short-term (one or two years) studies find that constructed wetlands can immediately increase local bat activity and diversity. However, it is not clear how constructed wetlands affect bats through time while the wetlands are aging. We collected four years of continuous bat acoustic monitoring data at two constructed wetlands in an urban park in Greensboro, NC, USA. We examined bat activity and community composition patterns at these wetlands and compared them with reference sites in the city. With four years of data, we found that the effects of constructed wetlands were both habitat- and species-specific. The wetland in forests significantly increased bat activity, while the wetland in the open grass altered bat community composition. Specifically, in terms of species, we found that over time, constructed wetlands no longer attracted more big brown, silver-haired, or evening bats than control sites while the wetlands aged, highlighting the need to study broadly how each bat species uses natural and artificial wetlands. We emphasize the importance of long-term monitoring and the periodical evaluation of wildlife conservation actions.

Mixed-species groups in bats: non-random roost associations and roost selection in neotropical understory bats

BackgroundMixed-species groups in animals have been shown to confer antipredator, foraging and other benefits to their members that may provide selective advantages. In most cases, however, it is unclear whether functional benefits are a principal driver of heterospecific groups, or whether groups simply result from simultaneous exploitation of common resources. Mixed-species groups that form independently of environmental conditions may, however, evidence direct benefits of species associations. Bats are among the most gregarious mammals, with sometimes thousands of individuals of various species roosting communally. Despite numerous potential functional benefits of such mixed-species roosting groups, interspecific attraction has never been shown. To explore alternative explanations for mixed-species roosting, we studied roost selection in a speciose neotropical understory bat community in lowland rainforest in Costa Rica. Long term roost data were recorded over 10 years in a total of 133 roosts comprising both natural roosts and structurally uniform artificial roosts. We modelled bat roost occupancy and abundance in each roost type and in forest and pasture habitats to quantify the effects of roost- and environmental variability.ResultsWe found that bat species presence in natural roosts is predictable from habitat and structural roost parameters, but that the presence and abundance of other bat species further modifies roost choice. One third of the 12 study species were found to actively associate with selected other bat species in roosts (e.g. Glossophaga commissarisi with Carollia sowelli). Other species did not engage in communal roosting, which in some cases indicates a role for negative interspecific interactions, such as roost competition.ConclusionsMixed-species roosting may provide thermoregulatory benefits, reduce intraspecific competition and promote interspecific information transfer, and hence some heterospecific associations may be selected for in bats. Overall, our study contributes to an improved understanding of the array of factors that shape diverse tropical bat communities and drive the dynamics of heterospecific grouping in mammals more generally.

Bat phylogenetic responses to regenerating Amazonian forests

AbstractThroughout the tropics, regenerating secondary forests occupy vast areas previously cleared for agriculture and cattle ranching. However, despite the importance of regenerating forests in mitigating the pervasive negative consequences of forest loss and fragmentation on forest‐associated biodiversity, longitudinal studies on species' phylogenetic responses to matrix regeneration are rare.We surveyed bats in continuous primary forest, primary forest fragments and in the regenerating secondary forest matrix of a whole‐ecosystem Amazonian fragmentation experiment, ~15 and ~30 years after forest clearance, to investigate how changes in matrix quality through forest recovery affect phylogeneticα‐ andβ‐diversity.We found that temporal changes in phylogeneticα‐richness were more marked in the secondary forest matrix than in forest fragments and continuous forest, evidencing a significant increase in total evolutionary history over time. However, when the effects of species richness were accounted for, the phylogenetic structure of each assemblage was reduced close to zero, evincing a random pattern of lineages in all habitat types. Temporal differences in phylogeneticβ‐diversity were driven mainly byβreplacementin secondary forest and continuous forest ~30 years after forest clearance. Both habitats also clustered together in terms ofβrichness, indicating similar levels of evolutionary heritage. Consequently, regenerating secondary forest showed a reduction in the extinction probability of lineages over time.Synthesis and applications. Approximately 30 years of secondary forest regeneration were sufficient for phylogenetic richness to recover to levels similar to those observed in continuous forest. Promoting forest succession on degraded land through a combination of natural and active restoration, while ensuring the long‐term protection of secondary forests regardless of their age, is of key importance for conserving tropical bat diversity and their associated ecosystem services. Such restoration measures would stimulate the recolonization of fragments and matrix habitats by evolutionarily distinct bat species, safeguarding phylogenetically diverse assemblages and ecological functions. Our study suggests that forest restoration in tropical degraded areas should be encouraged and secondary forests be protected by law, especially in countryside ecosystems with high primary forest cover, and in the surroundings of protected areas.

Interacting elevational and latitudinal gradients determine bat diversity and distribution across the Neotropics.

New World bats are heavily affected by the biophysical setting shaped by elevation and latitude. This study seeks to understand the patterns of bat species diversity across elevational, latitudinal and vegetation height gradients throughout the Neotropics. Systematically gathered putative and empirical data on bat species distribution across the entire Neotropics were examined using descriptive statistics, spatial interpolation of bat taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity, generalized linear models, generalized linear mixed models and phylogenetic generalized least squares. We uncoupled the effects of elevation, latitude and vegetation height to predict Neotropical bat diversity, showing that dietary level, home range and habitat breadth were the most important ecological traits determining coarse-scale bat distributions. Latitude was largely responsible for sorting the regional species pool, whereas elevation appears to apply an additional local filter to this regional pool wherever tropical mountains are present, thereby shaping the structure of montane assemblages. Bats provide multiple ecosystem services and our results can help pinpoint priority areas for bat research and conservation across all Neotropics, elucidate the thresholds of species distributions, and highlight bat diversity hotspots at multiple scales.

Bat activity response to fire regime depends on species, vegetation conditions, and behavior

Disturbances such as fire play an important role in shaping forests and the wildlife they support. As such, forest managers employ prescribed fire to restore ecosystem function, promote forest biodiversity, and maintain wildlife habitat. To better understand how bats respond to variation in fire regime, we used acoustic recorders to quantify bat activity in forests maintained by frequent fire in southern Florida, USA and modelled this variation as a function of both fire regime and vegetation characteristics. Next, to better understand the mechanisms underlying these responses, we quantified variation in bat foraging efficiency and activity during the important early evening period. We found that even in regions historically maintained by frequent fire, bat activity was more closely associated with vegetation conditions, such as canopy cover and woody understory volume, than fire regime. When vegetation and fire frequency were considered together, the bat activity response was nuanced. Activity across the bat community was greater in forests that had burned more frequently in the previous two decades, but bats appeared more likely to encounter prey in forests that burned less frequently. Species-specific responses added additional complexity, potentially related to size and wing morphology, with larger bats responding more strongly to fire, whereas activity of smaller bats was primarily related to vegetation characteristics. Similarly, activity during the early-evening shifted as a function of fire frequency, but in different directions for different species. Our results suggest that investigations of occurrence or overall bat activity may provide an incomplete understanding of the complex responses to fire regimes that become more apparent when activity is partitioned into more refined metrics. These nuances have implications for management of fire-maintained forests. Though frequent burning may best promote the ecosystem services associated with insectivorous bat activity, a more heterogenous approach to fire management that considers bat species diversity, bat behavior, and vegetation conditions may provide additional benefits to bats.

Foraging strategies, craniodental traits, and interaction in the bite force of Neotropical frugivorous bats (Phyllostomidae: Stenodermatinae).

Bats in the family Phyllostomidae exhibit great diversity in skull size and morphology that reflects the degree of resource division and ecological overlap in the group. In particular, the subfamily Stenodermatinae has high morphological diversification associated with cranial and mandibular traits that are associated with the ability to consume the full range of available fruits (soft and hard).We analyzed craniodental traits and their relationship to the bite force in 343 specimens distributed in seven species of stenodermatine bats with two foraging strategies: nomadic and sedentary frugivory. We evaluated 19 traits related to feeding and bite force in live animals by correcting bite force with body size.We used a generalized linear model (GLM) and post hoc tests to determine possible relationships and differences between cranial traits, species, and sex. We also used Blomberg's K to measure the phylogenetic signal and phylogenetic generalized least‐squares (PGLS) to ensure the phylogenetic independence of the traits.We found that smaller nomadic species, A. anderseni and A. phaeotis , have a similar bite force to the large species A. planirostris and A. lituratus; furthermore, P. helleri registered a bite force similar to that of the sedentary bat, S. giannae. Our study determined that all the features of the mandible and most of the traits of the skull have a low phylogenetic signal. Through the PGLS, we found that the diet and several cranial features (mandibular toothrow length, dentary length, braincase breadth, mastoid breadth, greatest length of skull, condylo‐incisive length, and condylo‐canine length) determined bite force performance among Stenodermatiane.Our results reinforce that skull size is a determining factor in the bite force, but also emphasize the importance of its relationships with morphology, ecology, and phylogeny of the species, which gives us a better understanding of the evolutionary adaptions of this highly diverse Neotropical bat group.

The Impact Of Light Pollution On Bats Varies According To Foraging Guild And Habitat Context

Abstract We Review How Different Bat Guilds Respond To Artificial Light At Night (Alan) And Assess How The Impacts Can Vary According To Ecological Context. All Studied European Species Respond Negatively To Alan Close To Roosts And Drinking Sites, And The Impacts Occur Across A Wide Range Of Light Colors And Intensities. Most Bat Species Are Sensitive To Alan When Commuting And Foraging. Although Narrow-Space-Foraging Bat Species Consistently Avoid Alan When Foraging, Open And Edge-Space-Foraging Species May Exploit Insects Lured By Alan. Therefore, Alan Acts As An Environmental Filter On Bat Assemblages. Considering The Detrimental Effect Of Alan On Insects, We Conclude That Alan Probably Has Negative Impacts On All Bat Species, Even On Those Foraging At Streetlights. The Sprawl Of Alan May Be A Key Factor Driving The Decline Of Bat Diversity Globally, And The Current Trajectory Of Increasing Alan Is Therefore Of Considerable Concern For Bat Conservation.

Bats (Mammalia, Chiroptera) from Yuscarán in Eastern Honduras: Conservation and acoustic characterization for the insectivorous species

In Honduras, most bat inventories have been carried out with mist nets as the main sampling method, skewing knowledge towards the Phyllostomidae family, therefore the diversity and distribution of insectivorous bats is underrepresented. In order to have a more complete knowledge of the diversity of bats in the municipality of Yuscarán and mainly in the Yuscarán Biological Reserve, an inventory was carried out using the techniques of mist-netting and acoustic monitoring. The samplings were carried out between 910 and 1,827 m.a.s.l., covering agroecosystems, broadleaf forest, pine forest and urban environment. A total of 32 species of bats were registered, which represents 28% of the species diversity present in Honduras. Species belonging to five families were recorded: Emballonuridae (6.25%), Mormoopidae (15.22%), Phyllostomidae (56.25%), Molossidae (9.37%) and Vespertilionidae (12.5%). With the mist nets, a sampling effort of 7,128 m²/h was reached, which allowed the capture of 20 species and 186 individuals. Through the acoustic method, with 84 h/r, 13 species of insectivorous bats were recorded. The values of the acoustic parameters analysed from the search phase of each insectivorous species are provided, which can serve as a reference for the identification of species from Hondurans. To advance our understanding of the distribution patterns, composition, and vocal signatures of insectivore bats, we suggest the complementary use of mist nets and acoustic recorders in the inventories.

Diversity and activity rate of a bat communities in a voluntary nature reserve in the Agneby-Tiassa region (South-East, Côte d’Ivoire)

In order to provide basic data on the specific diversity of bats in a private forest of fifty hectares, located in the Agnéby-Tiassa region (South-eastern Côte d'Ivoire), a study was carried out there from August 26 to October 15, 2018. This was conducted in three types of habitats represented by a forest, a wetland and an edge zone. Sixty-three individuals were captured using mist nets during 38 days, from 18h00 to midnight. Twelve species of bats belonging to nine genera and five families have been inventoried. This community is dominated by Epomops buettikoferi, Scotonycteris zenkeri, Nanonycteris veldkampi, Macronycteris gigas, Hipposideros caffer and Mops thersites. The activity study has shown that Microchiroptera are most active from 18h30 to 20h while bats' activity is most intense from 21h30 to 23h00. The forest, the wetland and the edge zone are respectively the most diversified in species of bats. Epomops buettikoferi, Nanonycteris veldkampi and Hipposideros caffer activities are positively correlated with forest and edge zone while Macronycteris gigas, Mops thersites, Scotophilus nux and Eidolon helvum have a greater affinity for the wetland.

A hybrid correlative‐mechanistic approach for modeling winter distributions of North American bat species

AbstractAimThe fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans and resultant white‐nose syndrome (WNS) continues to advance across North America, infecting new bat hibernacula. Western North America hosts the highest bat diversity in the United States and Canada, yet little is known about hibernacula and hibernation behaviour in this region. An improved understanding of the distribution of suitable hibernacula is critical for land managers to anticipate conservation needs of WNS‐susceptible species in currently uninfected regions.LocationUnited States, Canada.TaxonBats.MethodsWe estimated suitability of potential winter hibernaculum sites across five bat species' ranges. We estimated winter survival capacity from a mechanistic survivorship model based on bat bioenergetics and climate conditions. We then used boosted regression trees to relate these estimates, along with key landscape attributes, to bat occurrence data in a hybrid correlative‐mechanistic approach.ResultsWinter survival capacity, topography, land cover and access to subterranean features were important predictors of winter hibernaculum selection, but the shape and relative importance of these relationships varied amongst species. This suggests that the occurrence of bat hibernacula can, in part, be predicted from readily mapped above‐ground features, not just below‐ground characteristics for which spatial data are lacking. Furthermore, our mechanistic estimate of winter survivorship was, on average, the third strongest predictor of winter occurrence probability across focal species.Main conclusionsWinter distributions of North American bat species were driven by their physiological capacity to survive winter conditions and duration in a given location, as well as selection for topographic and other landscape features but in species‐specific ways. The influence of winter survivorship on several species' distributions, the underlying influence of climate conditions on winter survivorship and the anticipated influence of WNS on bats' hibernation physiology and survivorship together suggest that North American bat distributions may undergo future shifts as these species are exposed not only to WNS but also to climate change.

Taking flight: An ecological, evolutionary and genomic perspective on bat telomeres.

Over 20% of all living mammals are bats (order Chiroptera). Bats possess extraordinary adaptations including powered flight, laryngeal echolocation and a unique immune system that enables them to tolerate a diversity of viral infections without presenting clinical disease symptoms. They occupy multiple trophic niches and environments globally. Significant physiological and ecological diversity occurs across the order. Bats also exhibit extreme longevity given their body size with many species showing few signs of ageing. The molecular basis of this extended longevity has recently attracted attention. Telomere maintenance potentially underpins bats' extended healthspan, although functional studies are still required to validate the causative mechanisms. In this review, we detail the current knowledge on bat telomeres, telomerase expression, and how these relate to ecology, longevity and life-history strategies. Patterns of telomere shortening and telomerase expression vary across species, and comparative genomic analyses suggest that alternative telomere maintenance mechanisms evolved in the longest-lived bats. We discuss the unique challenges faced when working with populations of wild bats and highlight ways to advance the field including expanding long-term monitoring across species that display contrasting life-histories and occupy different environmental niches. We further review how new high quality, chromosome-level genome assemblies can enable us to uncover the molecular mechanisms governing telomere dynamics and how phylogenomic analyses can reveal the adaptive significance of telomere maintenance and variation in bats.

Mammalian Diversity and Matses Ethnomammalogy in Amazonian Peru Part 4: Bats

In this report, the fourth of our monographic series on mammalian diversity and Matses ethnomammalogy in the Yavarí-Ucayali interfluvial region of northeastern Peru, we document the occurrence of 98 species of bats, including 11 emballonurids, 2 noctilionids, 66 phyllostomids, 1 furipterid, 4 thyropterids, 7 vespertilionids, and 7 molossids. New species based on specimens collected in this region (Peropteryx pallidoptera, Micronycteris matses, Hsunycteris dashe, Sturnira giannae, and Thyroptera wynneae) have already been described elsewhere, but noteworthy distributional and taxonomic results newly reported here include the first specimen of Diclidurus isabella from Peru and the diagnosis of Glossophaga bakeri as a species distinct from G. commissarisi. Lists of examined voucher specimens, identification criteria, essential taxonomic references, and summaries of natural history observations are provided for all species. Original natural history information reported herein includes numerous observations of roosting behavior obtained by indigenous Matses collaborators. We assess the Yavarí-Ucayali bat inventory for completeness and conclude that more species remain to be discovered in the region, where as many as 116 species might be expected. Most of the “missing” species (those expected based on geographic criteria but not actually observed) are aerial insectivores, a guild that is notoriously difficult to sample by mistnetting. Of the 98 species in the observed regional fauna, only 71 are known to occur sympatrically at Jenaro Herrera, by far the best-sampled locality between the Yavarí and Ucayali rivers. Faunal comparisons with extralimital inventories (e.g., from Brazil, Ecuador, and French Guiana) suggest that frugivorous bats are substantially more speciose in western Amazonia than in eastern Amazonia, a result that is consistent with previous suggestions of an east-to-west gradient in the trophic structure of Amazonian mammal faunas. As previously reported, the Matses have only a single name for “bat,” but they recognize the existence of many unnamed local species, which they distinguish on the basis of morphology and behavior. However, by contrast with the well-documented accuracy of Matses observations about primates and other game species, recorded Matses monologs about bat natural history contain numerous factual errors and ambiguities. Linguistic underdifferentiation of bat diversity and inaccurate natural history knowledge are both explained by cultural inattention to small, inedible, and inoffensive nocturnal fauna.

Patterns and drivers determining phyllostomid bat diversity in land-bridge islands off the south-east coast of Brazil

AbstractFew studies that apply the theory of island biogeography have considered the functional and phylogenetic dimensions of diversity. However, the joint use of the three diversity dimensions, i.e. taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic, can help us to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying ecological and evolutionary processes. Here, we compare phyllostomid bat assemblages between five land-bridge islands off the south-east coast of Brazil and compare these islands with three sites on the mainland. For this, we have estimated the three dimensions of α- and β-diversity, nestedness and community indexes based on mean trait values for the islands and the mainland. The mainland showed higher species richness and taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity. In addition, only species richness and phylogenetic diversity were positively related to island area. Taxonomically and functionally, the poorest assemblages (minor islands) were subgroups of the richer assemblages (mainland and larger islands). Taken together, our results show that bat assemblages of smaller islands tend to be more sensitive to changes in species richness than those of larger islands, with the larger islands working as a ‘source’ of species for small islands. These results demonstrate the high conservation value of the larger islands, which has direct consequences for local population dynamics of phyllostomid bats.

Combined impacts of climate and land use change and the future restructuring of Neotropical bat biodiversity

Forecasting the effects of global change on biodiversity is necessary to anticipate the threats operating at different scales in space and time. Climate change may create unsuitable environmental conditions, forcing species to move to persist. However, land-use changes create barriers that limit the access of some species to future available habitats. Here, we project the impacts of climate and land-use change on 228 Neotropical bat species by forecasting changes in environmental suitability, while accounting for the effect of habitat type specialization and simulating dispersal across suitable patches. We also identify the most vulnerable ecoregions and those that may offer future stable refugia. We further investigate potential functional changes by analysing the response of different trophic guilds. We found that the range contraction of habitat specialists, especially frugivores, was more frequent and stronger under all simulated scenarios. Projected changes differ markedly across ecoregions. While the Amazon region is likely to undergo high turnover rates in bat composition, the Andean grassland, Cerrado and Chaco might experience the greatest losses. The expansion of habitat generalists, which forage in open areas and commonly establish large colonies in manmade structures, coupled with the range contraction of habitat specialists is projected to homogenize bat communities across the Neotropics. Overall, dispersal will likely be the key for the future of Neotropical bat diversity. Therefore, safeguarding the refugia highlighted here, by expanding and connecting the existing network of protected areas, for example, may allow species to move in response to global change.

Bat species of a karstic region in the Brazilian savanna and extension of the Hsunycteris thomasi (Phyllostomidae: Lonchophyllinae) distribution

Abstract We do not have a complete knowledge of the bat species presence in West Central Brazil domain and still do not understand how bats respond to the ecosystems rapid vanishing. We quantified bat diversity in the Parque Estadual de Terra Ronca (PETER), a Cerrado protected area. Additionally, we report an extension of the Hsunycteris thomasi distribution known only in the Amazon and the western portion of Brazil. Over 1.440 m2 h of mist netting and five nights of automatic recording, we recorded five families and 38 species, while the Jackknife first-order estimator predicted the occurrence of 25 species. Besides the register of species for the area, the novelty is the increase in the potential distribution area of H. thomasi in Norwest’s and north of the Midwest of Brazil. We also report the presence of at least one Lonchophylla dekeyseri population, an endemic to Cerrado. The lack of bat captures within the cotton plantation suggests the impoverishment of the bat assemblages due to the extensive loss of native habitats.

Bat Diversity in Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve, Northeastern Vietnam: A Review with New Records from Mangrove Ecosystem

The Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve is internationally renowned for its spectacular karst landscape. It covers a large area with hundreds of limestone islands and various ecosystems including caves, tropical forests, and mangroves. However, previous surveys were only conducted in terrestrial ecosystems on Cat Ba Island. Therefore, bats inhabiting mangroves and the remaining islands did not receive attention from scientists up to 2014. To initially fill in the gaps, we conducted ten bat surveys between 2015 and 2020 with an emphasis on mangroves and previously unsurveyed islands. Bats were captured using mist nets and harp traps. Twenty-three species belonging to 13 genera of six families were recorded during the surveys. Of these, four species (Macroglossus minimus, Myotis hasselti, Phoniscus jagorii, Tylonycteris fulvida) are new to the reserve. Remarkably, 15 species belonging to seven genera of five families were captured in mangrove, which is the highest species diversity for bats reported from any mangrove area in mainland Southeast Asia. Based on results from the surveys and literature review, we here provide the most updated bat diversity of the reserve with confirmed records of 32 bat species belonging to 16 genera of six families. Historical records of each species in the literature were reviewed. Two species, Scotophilus heathi and Scotophilus kuhlii, are unconfirmed because of unclear evidence in previous publications. Results of this study indicated that the mangrove ecosystem is important for bats but still poorly studied in Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve and Vietnam as a whole. In addition, morphological measurements, echolocation data, distributional records, and conservation status of each species are also given in this paper for potential research and conservation campaigns in the future.

Taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic bat diversity decrease from more to less complex natural habitats in the Amazon.

The high levels of biodiversity in the Amazon are maintained mostly due to its composition as a natural mosaic of different habitats, including both unflooded and flooded forests, campinaranas, and savannahs. Here, we compared multiple dimensions of α- and β- bat biodiversity between four natural Amazonian habitats (savannah, campinarana, forest patches, and continuous forest). In addition, we explored the extent to which bat communities in the different habitats are nested within one another, and compared the community-level functional uniqueness and community-weighted mean traits between habitats. Our results show that taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic α-diversity of bats is higher in continuous forest than in any of the other habitat types. The continuous forest also harbours more unique species, and indeed, the bat community assemblages in the less-complex habitats, including forest patches, campinarana and savannahs, are taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic sub-sets of the assemblage found in the continuous forest. By examining β-diversity partitions and species composition, we are able to shed light on the mechanisms behind the variation in diversity between the four habitat types, which reflect a process of environmental sorting along a habitat gradient going from a more complex to a less complex habitat. We conclude that nesting patterns along the mosaic of habitats are determined by differences in complexity between habitats and that taxonomic and functional uniqueness contribute to overall regional bat diversity and functionality. Ongoing human-induced disturbances of these habitats could provoke an unprecedented loss of bat diversity and functionality with negative consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Bat guilds respond differently to habitat loss and fragmentation at different scales in macadamia orchards in South Africa

Bats have been shown to provide successful pest suppression in different land-use systems globally. Recent research demonstrates high economic values of pest suppression by bats also in macadamia orchards, which is enhanced by natural habitat patches at orchard edges. We investigated the impact of the conversion of natural to agricultural (macadamia-dominated) habitats. Using ~65,000 recorded bat call sequences; we studied bat communities in three land use types: a nature reserve, macadamia orchards with and without adjacent natural habitat patches. All study sites are situated on the southern slopes of the Soutpansberg, northern South Africa. Species richness varied significantly between the nature reserve and the macadamia orchards, but did not between orchards with and without neighbouring natural habitat. Within the orchards, activity of edge space foraging (dependent on e.g. forest edges) bats was greater at natural edges, whereas open space aerial foraging species (hunting above canopy) were more active at human-modified edges. Although seven narrow space foraging (i.e. dense vegetation dependent) bat species were identified at both orchard and reserve, this foraging guild occurred more frequently in the nature reserve (2.9–4.1% of all call sequences) than in the orchards (0.5–2.9% of all call sequences). Narrow space foraging bats were thus largely excluded from simplified agricultural landscapes, in particular where natural edge habitats are missing, compared to our natural control. The current trend in conversion of natural habitat in favour of macadamia monocultures, especially if remnant natural patches at orchard boundaries are removed, will have widespread detrimental effects on bat diversity. The resulting reduced biological pest suppression by bats and increased reliance on chemical control may further exacerbate biodiversity declines.

Diversity and Abundance of Roadkilled Bats in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Faunal mortality from roadkill has a negative impact on global biodiversity, and bats are among the roadkilled animals. In South America, the Atlantic Forest covers southeastern Brazil, a region which sustains a large bat diversity. In this biome, the Sooretama reserves are crossed by the federal highway BR-101, one of the busiest in Brazil. We analyzed bats roadkilled along the 25 km stretch of highway that crosses the Sooretama reserves. Data were collected between the years 2010 and 2015. In total, 773 individuals distributed among 47 bat species were roadkilled during this period. The insectivorous feeding guild was the most affected, accounting for 25 species and 74% of the recorded roadkill, and those flying in the open area were the most frequently roadkilled (41.9%). Bat mortality rates did not differ between months of the year. However, the relation between rainy days and roadkill was negative. Monitoring by foot was more efficient than by car for detection of bat carcasses. Radars with a speed limit below 60 km/h reduced the rates of roadkill. The diversity of deceased bats found in this study represents 40% of the known species in the Atlantic Forest, and is the largest among current studies of species killed on highways globally. The present study raises concerns about the high diversity and abundance of roadkilled insectivorous bats and the conservation of these animals in the Neotropical region.