Bat Species Diversity Research Articles

DNA barcoding of Jamaican bats: implications to Neotropical biodiversity

We report on the first comprehensive DNA barcoding survey of bats from Jamaica and compare the genetic variation to similar species on South America and Central America. Bats comprise the majority of mammalian diversity in typical lowland forest in the Neotropics, but the Caribbean is one noticeable geographic gap in the International Barcode of Life reference database. Of the 20 known species reported from Jamaica, half were DNA barcoded and were genetically distinct with interspecific variation ranging from 17 to 33%. By contrast, intraspecific variation ranged from 0 to 0.5% indicating that the barcode gap was sufficient in differentiating bat species diversity in Jamaica. The low levels of intraspecific divergence indicate that the populations within each species are relatively homogeneous across the island. There were, however, several cases of high sequence divergence for widely distributed species that occur on both the Caribbean islands and the continental mainland, which warrant further taxonomic study.

Murciélagos asociados con un área de restauración ecológica en el Alto Sinú, departamento de Córdoba, Colombia

Richness and abundance of bats in an area of ecological restoration, Estacion de Biodiversidad (Biodi- versity Station) URRA (EB-URRA), located in Tierralta municipality, Cordoba department, Colombia was determined. Sampling of 10 nights (between 2012-2013), using four mist nets (three 6x3 m and a 12x3 m) open between 1800 and 2400 hours. 176 individuals of 14 bats species divided in four families, Phyllos- tomidae, Molossidae, Vespertilionidae and Emballonuridae were registered. The most abundant trophic group was frugivores (82.9%), followed by omnivores (11.4%), insectivores (3.9%) and nectarivores (1.8%). These results suggest that the recovery of degraded areas through ecological restoration processes allow colonization and maintenance of species diversity of bats.

Patterns in the use of rainforest vertical space by Neotropical aerial insectivorous bats: all the action is up in the canopy

In tropical rainforests environmental conditions vary dramatically from the ground to the canopy, resulting in a marked stratification in the way vertical space is used by organisms, but research work is often limited to the understorey layer. Aerial insectivorous bats are a highly diverse group that plays key roles in the ecology of rainforests, but their use of vertical space remains elusive.Using automatic ultrasound recording stations placed in the canopy, subcanopy and understorey we tested if bat activity and species diversity are vertically stratified, both in the forest interior and near the edges of water bodies. These patterns were tested separately for individual species, and for two functional groups – open space and edge space bats.Insectivorous bat activity increased by roughly seven fold, and species diversity doubled, from the understorey to the canopy. Both edge space and open space bats were more active in the upper strata, but this tendency was much more accentuated in the latter. Myotis riparius was the only species with greater activity near the understorey. These patterns were altered at the edges of water bodies, where vertical stratification was much less marked.The observed patterns are parsimoniously explained by constraints imposed by vegetation clutter that change across strata, which affect bat species differently. Only bats better adapted to closed spaces are usually capable of foraging within the understorey, whereas the majority of species can exploit the free spaces immediately below the canopy; open space bats seem to concentrate their activity above the canopy. This importance of the inter strata open spaces for bat foraging highlights the need to preserve pristine stratified rainforests, as even selective logging usually disrupts vertical stratification. Moreover, the concentration of insectivorous bats at the upper strata of rainforests underlines the need to include canopy level sampling in ecological studies.

Diversidad y composición de murciélagos frugívoros en bosques secundarios de Tabasco, México

We captured bats using mist nets in 4 secondary forests that represent a perturbation gradient in Southeast Mexico, in order to compare frugivore bat species richness, diversity and composition. We captured 691 frugivorous bats from 15 species; Artibeus jamaicensis (A. jamaicensis) and Sturnira lilium (S. lilium) were the most abundant. There were no significant differences in frugivorous bat richness and diversity in secondary forests, although species composition was notably different, S. lilium, A. jamaicensis, Glossophaga soricina, Artibeus lituratus and Carollia sowelli contributed the most to differences. Secondary forests are important for frugivorous bats conservation and in general for wildlife, since they are the last refuges in the Tabasco coastal plain, a region dominated by grasslands and urban areas.

Checklist of the helminth parasites of South American bats.

Although the Chiroptera represents a significant proportion (c.20%) of the mammalian fauna and South America has the highest diversity of bat species, only about a third of the known species in this region have had helminth parasites reported from them. This work represents the first comprehensive checklist of the helminth parasites (nematodes, acanthocephalans, trematodes and cestodes) of South American bats. The data were extracted from more than 120 references and are presented as a key to each group of parasites down to the generic level, with an indication of how the bats become infected, accompanied by a list of the species recorded for each genus. This is followed, in tabular form, by parasite-host and host-parasite checklists. The parasite-host list also includes their geographical distribution in South America (at the country level) and site data, plus the references in which the parasite records occur. The host-parasite list is arranged according to the classification of the hosts. In all, c.370 host-parasite associations are recorded, involving 114 nominal species of helminths from 92 named chiropteran taxa.

Positive effects of surrounding rainforest on composition, diversity and late-successional seed dispersal by bats

The configuration of a heterogeneous landscape has an important effect on species composition and landscape processes. The importance of the size, shape and habitat suitability of forest patches has been widely studied, but there is increasing evidence that the spatial context, e.g. adjacency or contact between two landscape elements, can have positive effects on ecological interactions, such as the movement of frugivorous bat species and seed dispersal. We compared the composition, diversity and richness of seed species transported by bats in rainforests and in secondary forests that were either partially or largely surrounded by rainforest, in relation to the fruit species’ life form and successional stage. To capture frugivorous bats we used mist nets with a plastic sheet placed below to allow dropped fruit and seeds from bat feces to be retrieved. Similar species composition and the highest diversity of transported seeds were found in rainforest and secondary forest largely surrounded by rainforest, while the highest number of seed species was recorded in rainforest and secondary forest partially surrounded by rainforest. More bats were captured transporting late-successional stage seeds in secondary forest largely surrounded by rainforest. This study demonstrates the importance of rainforest surrounding secondary forests to bat species’ movement and its positive effect on diversity and late-successional seed dispersal by bats. Maintaining large areas of rainforest around secondary forests is a useful management strategy for supporting high bat species diversity and abundance, and positively affects the transportation and potential dispersal of seed species of different successional stages.

The response of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) to an incidental fire on a gallery forest at a Neotropical savanna

Fire is a common and natural event in Cerrado that can influence the composition of trees and mammals and change the entire conditions of the environment. This study was developed in a gallery forest of Distrito Federal - Brazil. Bat samplings were conducted for a total of six nights after a fire that happened on the gallery forest. Three samplings were conducted: one day, three months and seven months after fire. A total of nine mist nets (12 m x 3 m) were opened from 7pm to 1am. Captured bats were measured and identified to species. Shannon index measured the species diversity of bats in the gallery forest over time. A rarefaction curve was made to assess the estimated bat richness in each of the samplings and a chi-square test was used to check whether there have been changes on bat abundances over time. A total of 46 bats from 8 different species and one family were captured. The most abundant species was Sturnira lilium. Species diversity and abundance increased over time and there was a gradual accumulation of species and specimens indicating that the succession and recovery of the forest occurs due to a temporal addition of specimens and species in the assemblage and not as punctual occurrences. Probably, this recovery pattern reflects a gradual increase in the availability of resources and recovery of the forest canopy, progressively offering more shelter and food for the bat assemblage.

Species and Acoustic Diversity of Bats in a Palaeotropical Wet Evergreen forest in Southern India

The Western Ghats of India is among the top 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world. About 43% of the reported 117 bat species in India are found in this region, but few quantitative studies of bat echolocation calls and diversity have been carried out here thus far. A quantitative study of bat diversity was therefore conducted using standard techniques, including mist-netting, acoustical and roost surveys in the wet evergreen forests of Kudremukh National Park in the Western Ghats of Karnataka. A total of 106 bats were caught over 108 sampling nights, representing 17 species, 3 belonging to Megachiroptera and 14 to Microchiroptera. Acoustical and roost surveys added three more species, two from Microchiroptera and one from Megachiroptera. Of these 20 species, 4 belonged to the family Pteropodidae, 10 to Vespertilionidae, 3 to Rhinolophidae, 2 to Megadermatidae and 1 to Hipposideridae. We recorded the echolocation calls of 13 of the 16 microchiropteran species, of which the calls of 4 species (Pipistrellus coromandra, Pipistrellus affinis, Pipistrellus ceylonicus and Harpiocephalus harpia) have been recorded for the first time. Discriminant function analyses of the calls of 11 species provided 91.7% correct classification of individuals to their respective species, indicating that the echolocation calls could be used successfully for non-invasive acoustic surveys and monitoring of bat species in the future.

An Extensive Review of Methods of Identification of Bat Species through Acoustics

Bat is an important keystone member in the ecosystem, which is the only flying mammal. It plays a vital role in maintaining eco-balance through propagation of vital flora. Bat has a major role in pest management in the forest. Bats give major indication for biodiversity conservation through propagation and pest management. Bats are also the key informers of climate change and its impact on their habitat. Bat species and their activity are useful to assess habitat quality and they serve as biological indicators of the ecosystem conditions and degradation. Diversity of bat species is studied using various techniques including speech recognition, voice recognition, artificial neural networks etc. and to detect the presence of bats acoustically. In this paper, the various computer techniques used to study bats are surveyed.

Bat species diversity and conservation in Libo World Natural Heritage Site of South China Karst

During field surveys between October, 2010 and October, 2011, we investigated bat species diversity in 69 caves in 6 townships in the Libo World Natural Heritage Site located in the South China Karst region. We also investigated bat specimens from the zoological museum of the School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, and reviewed pertinent literature as well. We uncovered 7 families encompassing 24 bat species in the area, including 2 new records of species for Guizhou Province, i.e., Myotis blythii and Hipposideros pomona, and 11 species first documented in Libo. Unfortunately, many caves have been exploited for tourism, thereby posing a great threat to the survival of cave-dwelling bats. We propose some special strategies that could be taken to protect the bats roosting in these caves.

Root cellars are important winter roosts for brown long-eared bats (Plecotus auritus) and northern bats (Eptesicus nilssonii) in Latvia

Small human-used root cellars are the most widespread bat hibernacula in Latvia, but their importance was hitherto underestimated. We compared bat species diversity and numbers of individuals in root cellars with that in other types of bat hibernacula in Latvia over 35 years. Both species diversity and number of bats hibernating in root cellars were significantly lower than that in other roost types. However, two species, Plecotus auritus and Eptesicus nilssonii , extensively used root cellars as hibernacula. The maximum population size of bat species hibernating in root cellars in Latvia was estimated to be from 27,600 to 42,450 individuals for P. auritus and from 7940 to 12,210 for E. nilssonii . We conclude that root cellars are crucial hibernation sites for P. auritus and E. nilssonii in Latvia.

Diversity and Distribution of Bats in the Northwest Territories

The occurrence of bats at the northern limit of their ranges in the Northwest Territories (NT), Canada, is not well documented. We provide information on the diversity and distribution of bat species in the NT by synthesizing available records. Before 2006, only 3 species of bats were known to occur in the NT: Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus), Northern Myotis (M. septentrionalis), and Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus). Focused bat surveys as well as observations of bats reported by residents have added Long-eared Myotis (M. evotis), Long-legged Myotis (M. volans), Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus), and Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans), for a total of 7 confirmed species, plus an additional species that is unconfirmed but suspected to occur (Eastern Red Bat, Lasiurus borealis). Range extensions for Little Brown Myotis, Hoary Bat, and Silver-haired Bat are reported. Both Little Brown Myotis and Northern Myotis are reproducing in the NT and are likely abundant in southern NT. Little Brown Myotis has been confirmed to overwinter in the NT and the northern limit of bat hibernation may be further north than previously supposed. Bats are widespread in the southern Central Plains region and gaps in occurrences likely reflect gaps in search effort. Nahanni National Park Reserve has high bat diversity and other parts of southwestern NT are suspected to have similarly high diversity, but have not yet been surveyed. There is evidence that the Eastern Shield region supports bats at relatively low densities. The northern distribution limit of bats in the NT is not known but is expected to occur in the Mackenzie Valley north of 62°N.

Bat Activity and Use of Hibernacula in Wood Buffalo National Park, Alberta

Relatively little is known about bats or bat hibernacula in northern Canada. We were interested in documenting species diversity and seasonal activity of bats in Wood Buffalo National Park, including use of a cave hibernaculum by Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus), Northern Myotis (Myotis septentrionalis), and Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus fuscus). We used acoustic monitoring and mist netting over 3 y to assess species diversity and seasonal activity. We also recorded cave temperature during hibernation. During the summers of 2010 to 2012, we captured 470 bats including M. lucifugus, M. septentrionalis, and E. fuscus. We identified 2 migratory species via echolocation recordings in 2011: Lasiurus cinereus (Hoary Bat) was recorded in the area from mid-May to early October, and Lasiurus borealis (Eastern Red Bat) from mid-June to early August. Resident bat activity at the hibernaculum was greatest from mid-June to early September. Our findings provide a first approximation of species diversity and describe seasonal activity patterns of bats in Wood Buffalo National Park.

The bats of northeastern Brazil: a panorama

Due to the lack of studies with a regional focus on the richness and distribution of the fauna of chiropterans in northeastern Brazil, this paper presents a collection of these data gathered in an extensive literature review. The data analyzed include technical reports of environment consulting agencies, abstracts presented in scientific meetings, monographs, dissertations, theses, papers, scientific notes, short communications, book chapters and books on bats of South America, Brazil and the biomes Amazon, Caatinga, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. The numbers of municipalities surveyed per biome and the localities, municipalities and species richness for each state and biome in northeastern Brazil were determined. This information indicated the regions lacking more consistent Chiroptera sampling efforts, namely large areas in the Amazon, Caatinga and Cerrado. However, bat surveys in Atlantic Forest environments in most northeastern Brazilian states were considered representative. Although bat populations in some states have been poorly surveyed, the results of this review afford to conclude that a large part of the diversity of bat species known in Brazil has been reported for the northeastern region of the country. This review enlarges the knowledge on bat species richness and distribution in northeastern Brazil, and indicates areas suffering from wide survey gaps.

Bats Diversity in Kolej Universiti Sains dan Teknologi Malaysia (KUSTEM)

The study of bats diversity was conducted in Kolej Universiti Sains dan Teknologi Malaysia (KUSTEM) from July until December 2004. The objective is to examine the diversity of bat species in KUSTEM area for conservation purpose. Ten mist nets were used as the capturing device. Species identification was based on the forearm measurement, weight, sex, maturity status and their reproduction. Bats were released after identification. A total of 99 individual bats were captured, comprising of two families and four species. Three species were frugivorous bats, Cynopterus brachyotis, Cynopterus horsfieldii and Eonycteris major from the family Pteropodidae. One insectivorous species, Kerivoulla papillosa was captured from the family Vespertillionidae. Cynopterus brachyotis is the highest captured individual and species, representing 70.97% of total capture. Shannon-Weiner index is 0.8569 and Simpson index is 0.4504. The bat diversity in KUSTEM is influenced by the capture device and duration of study.

Tropical secondary forest management influences frugivorous bat composition, abundance and fruit consumption in Chiapas, Mexico.

Most studies on frugivorous bat assemblages in secondary forests have concentrated on differences among successional stages, and have disregarded the effect of forest management. Secondary forest management practices alter the vegetation structure and fruit availability, important factors associated with differences in frugivorous bat assemblage structure, and fruit consumption and can therefore modify forest succession. Our objective was to elucidate factors (forest structural variables and fruit availability) determining bat diversity, abundance, composition and species-specific abundance of bats in (i) secondary forests managed by Lacandon farmers dominated by Ochroma pyramidale, in (ii) secondary forests without management, and in (iii) mature rain forests in Chiapas, Southern Mexico. Frugivorous bat species diversity (Shannon H’) was similar between forest types. However, bat abundance was highest in rain forest and O. pyramidale forests. Bat species composition was different among forest types with more Carollia sowelli and Sturnira lilium captures in O. pyramidale forests. Overall, bat fruit consumption was dominated by early-successional shrubs, highest late-successional fruit consumption was found in rain forests and more bats consumed early-successional shrub fruits in O. pyramidale forests. Ochroma pyramidale forests presented a higher canopy openness, tree height, lower tree density and diversity of fruit than secondary forests. Tree density and canopy openness were negatively correlated with bat species diversity and bat abundance, but bat abundance increased with fruit abundance and tree height. Hence, secondary forest management alters forests’ structural characteristics and resource availability, and shapes the frugivorous bat community structure, and thereby the fruit consumption by bats.

Bat Species Diversity in the Boreal Forest of Northeastern Ontario, Canada

In southern Ontario, Canada, the range and distribution of bats is well known, but their activity in the northeastern part of the province (north of 47°N, east of 85°W) is poorly documented. Using acoustic sampling, we documented the occurrence of six species of bats in the boreal forest of northeastern Ontario: Eptesicus fuscus (Big Brown Bat), Lasiurus borealis (Eastern Red Bat), L. cinereus (Hoary Bat), Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown Bat), M. septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Bat), and Lasionycteris noctivagans (Silver-haired Bat). Hoary Bats were recorded more frequently than all other species. Little Brown Bats were second-most frequently recorded, and the remaining four species were encountered (mean number passes/hour) significantly less often. Our records are the most northerly for Big Brown Bats in this part of Ontario. Although the other species were expected in this area, this is the first study to identify and confirm the bats present in the boreal forest of northeastern Ontario. This new information will contribute to efforts to conserve biodiversity in the province and may inform future studies or monitoring programs associated with the spread of white-nose syndrome in Ontario.

Tropical rain-forest matrix quality affects bat assemblage structure in secondary forest patches

Abstract We studied Phyllostomidae bat assemblage structure in patches of secondary forest dominated by the pioneer tree Ochroma pyramidale, largely (>85%) or partially (<35%) surrounded by a matrix of tropical rain forest, to test 3 hypotheses: the highest bat diversity and richness is observed in the matrix rain forest in comparison to secondary forest patches; the proportion of rain forest surrounding secondary forest positively affects bat diversity and richness; and canopy openness is an important structural variable negatively affecting bat abundance. Rain-forest control sites had the highest bat species diversity and richness, and contributed more to total diversity than did secondary forest. Bat diversity was similar between secondary forest patches largely enclosed by rain forest and their controls, but higher diversity, richness, and contribution to total diversity were recorded in largely enclosed patches compared to partially enclosed patches. Partially enclosed patches were dominated by 2 sma...

Influence of Landscape Structure and Human Modifications on Insect Biomass and Bat Foraging Activity in an Urban Landscape

Urban landscapes are often located in biologically diverse, productive regions. As such, urbanization may have dramatic consequences for this diversity, largely due to changes in the structure and function of urban communities. We examined the influence of landscape productivity (indexed by geology), housing density and vegetation clearing on the spatial distribution of nocturnal insect biomass and the foraging activity of insectivorous bats in the urban landscape of Sydney, Australia. Nocturnal insect biomass (g) and bat foraging activity were sampled from 113 sites representing backyard, open space, bushland and riparian landscape elements, across urban, suburban and vegetated landscapes within 60 km of Sydney's Central Business District. We found that insect biomass was at least an order of magnitude greater within suburban landscapes in bushland and backyard elements located on the most fertile shale influenced geologies (both p<0.001) compared to nutrient poor sandstone landscapes. Similarly, the feeding activity of bats was greatest in bushland, and riparian elements within suburbs on fertile geologies (p = 0.039). Regression tree analysis indicated that the same three variables explained the major proportion of the variation in insect biomass and bat foraging activity. These were ambient temperature (positive), housing density (negative) and the percent of fertile shale geologies (positive) in the landscape; however variation in insect biomass did not directly explain bat foraging activity. We suggest that prey may be unavailable to bats in highly urbanized areas if these areas are avoided by many species, suggesting that reduced feeding activity may reflect under-use of urban habitats by bats. Restoration activities to improve ecological function and maintain the activity of a diversity of bat species should focus on maintaining and restoring bushland and riparian habitat, particularly in areas with fertile geology as these were key bat foraging habitats.

High Diversity of Rabies Viruses Associated with Insectivorous Bats in Argentina: Presence of Several Independent Enzootics

BackgroundRabies is a fatal infection of the central nervous system primarily transmitted by rabid animal bites. Rabies virus (RABV) circulates through two different epidemiological cycles: terrestrial and aerial, where dogs, foxes or skunks and bats, respectively, act as the most relevant reservoirs and/or vectors. It is widely accepted that insectivorous bats are not important vectors of RABV in Argentina despite the great diversity of bat species and the extensive Argentinean territory.MethodsWe studied the positivity rate of RABV detection in different areas of the country, and the antigenic and genetic diversity of 99 rabies virus (RABV) strains obtained from 14 species of insectivorous bats collected in Argentina between 1991 and 2008.ResultsBased on the analysis of bats received for RABV analysis by the National Rabies system of surveillance, the positivity rate of RABV in insectivorous bats ranged from 3.1 to 5.4%, depending on the geographic location. The findings were distributed among an extensive area of the Argentinean territory. The 99 strains of insectivorous bat-related sequences were divided into six distinct lineages associated with Tadarida brasiliensis, Myotis spp, Eptesicus spp, Histiotus montanus, Lasiurus blosseviilli and Lasiurus cinereus. Comparison with RABV sequences obtained from insectivorous bats of the Americas revealed co-circulation of similar genetic variants in several countries. Finally, inter-species transmission, mostly related with Lasiurus species, was demonstrated in 11.8% of the samples.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the presence of several independent enzootics of rabies in insectivorous bats of Argentina. This information is relevant to identify potential areas at risk for human and animal infection.