Bat cave vulnerability index (BCVI): A holistic rapid assessment tool to identify priorities for effective cave conservation in the tropics

Tanalgo, Krizler Cejuela; Tabora, John Aries G.; Hughes, Alice C.

doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.11.064

Cited by 48 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…We provide new data on some additional roosting resources that are available to many bat species in the region, and our study will serve as a baseline for further research on the cave-dwelling bats in the Brunca region and in the country (Appendix A, Table A1). With our results, we have identified caves with a large number of species that potentially may require strong initiatives to protect, such as the Corredores and Laguna Perdida caves [46]. We have also identified colonies of a few species that are extremely rare and were only found in one or two caves, including Corredores and Emus (N. mexicanus in both, C. auritus in the former, and Peropteryx macrotis in the latter), Miramar (L. aurita), and Campanario (P. personatus), which points to the need for establishing strict visitation controls for all visitors (including speleologists) to secure the persistence of these colonies, as some of these species may be considered of high extinction risk [48].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

“…Others, which are highly vulnerable or already affected by anthropogenic activities, were excluded from the list due to low species diversity. We propose that if limited resources are available, we should focus our conservation efforts on the roosts of category 1A and 1B, but the other categories need further monitoring, as new visits can detect new bat species or new threats that could be prevented before extensive damage is caused to the colonies [46].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We evaluated the conservation priority of each cave using the Bat Cave Vulnerability Index (BCVI), based on the bat species diversity and presence of human-induced threats in the caves [46]. The index is a novel approach for conservation prioritization of bat caves and it was developed with a focus on tropical regions.…”

Section: Assessing Conservation Prioritymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diversity and Conservation of Cave-Dwelling Bats in the Brunca Region of Costa Rica

Deleva

Chaverri

2018

Diversity

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The Brunca region in Costa Rica contains the largest number of caves in the country, yet the diversity and distribution of bat species within those caves is currently unknown. Without this information, it is not possible to assess changes in populations and assemblages that may indicate severe damages to these critical roosting habitats, and to take evidence-based conservation actions. We present the first study to describe the diversity of cave-dwelling bat species in the Brunca region of Costa Rica in a large number of caves. We collected data of bat species diversity by direct observation and capturing bats inside roosts. Bats were observed in 38 of the 44 surveyed caves, representing 20 species from 4 families, with colony sizes ranging from a few individuals to >7500. In addition, we collected information about the human activities carried out in and around the roosts to assess potential threats that these sites face. Data indicate that caves suffer mostly from unregulated tourist visitation and that one of the most visited caves is also the one with the most species-rich bat assemblages. Our study determined the most important and vulnerable bat roosts in the region and shows the need for urgent conservation actions to protect them.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diversity and Conservation of Cave-Dwelling Bats in the Brunca Region of Costa Rica

Deleva

Chaverri

2018

Diversity

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“…Bats are the second most speciose mammalian order, but populations are declining in 80% of species [14]. Half of all bat species rely on caves as roosts, where they are commonly subject to multiple disturbances, notably resource extraction (e.g., guano, limestone), cave tourism and vandalism, bat hunting, and loss of foraging habitats surrounding caves [15][16][17][18]. Cave-roosting bat species are ecologically and morphologically diverse.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assemblage and Species Threshold Responses to Environmental and Disturbance Gradients Shape Bat Diversity in Disturbed Cave Landscapes

et al. 2018

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Ecological thresholds represent a critical tipping point along an environmental gradient that, once breached, can have irreversible consequences for species persistence and assemblage structure. Thresholds can also be used to identify species with the greatest sensitivity to environmental changes. Bats are keystone species yet are under pressure from human disturbances, specifically landscape and cave disturbances (i.e., reduced forest cover, urbanization, hunting, tourism). We compared bat assemblages across environmental and disturbance gradients measured at 56 caves in the Philippines to identify species-specific thresholds and assess congruence among species responses. All species exhibited significant responses to one or more gradients, with 84% responding to more than one gradient. Yet mixed responses of sensitivity to some gradients but tolerance to others hindered identification of assemblage thresholds to all gradients except landscape disturbance. However, we identified credible indicator species that exhibit distinct thresholds to specific gradients and tested for differences in ecological and morphological traits between species groups with shared responses (i.e., negative or positive). Few traits were useful for discriminating the direction of a species response, with some exceptions. Species that responded positively to increased landscape disturbance and hunting had greater body mass, whereas species that responded negatively to mining emitted higher peak call frequencies.

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“…non-threatened (least concern) and threatened (Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically-endangered). We also included 'Data deficient' species in the analysis as they are possibly equally or more threatened species (Bland et al, 2015;Tanalgo et al, 2018).…”

Section: 2species-research Effort Allocation (Srea)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Bats of the Philippine Islands –a review of research directions and relevance to national-level priorities and targets

Tanalgo

Hughes

2018

Preprint

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7Effective science-based conservation priorities and policies are crucially important to 8 effectively maintain biodiversity into the future. For many threatened species and systems 9 insufficient information exists to generate priorities, or the mechanisms needed to effectively 10 conserve species into the future, and this is especially important in megadiversity countries like 11 the Philippines, threatened by rapid rates of development and with few overarching strategies 12 to maintain their biodiversity. Here, using a bibliographic approach to indicate research 13 strengths and priorities, we summarised scientific information on Philippine bats from 2000-14 2017. We examine relationships between thematic areas and effort allocated for each species 15 bat guild, and conservation status. We found that an average of 7.9 studies was published 16annually with the majority focused on diversity and community surveys. However, research 17 effort is not even between taxonomic groups, thematic areas or species, with disproportionate 18 effort focusing on 'taxonomy and systematics' and 'ecology'. Species effort allocation between 19 threatened and less threatened species does not show a significant difference, though this may 20 be because generalist species are found in many studies, whereas rarer species have single 21 species studies devoted to them. A growing collaborative effort in bat conservation initiatives 22 in the Philippines has focused on the protection of many endemic and threatened species (e.g., 23flying foxes) and their habitats. The implementation of conservation relevant policies, outreach 24 programs, capacity building, and mainstreaming of evidence-based conservation are 25 encouraged to strengthen bat conservation in the Philippines. 26 27

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Bat cave vulnerability index (BCVI): A holistic rapid assessment tool to identify priorities for effective cave conservation in the tropics

Cited by 48 publications

References 51 publications

Diversity and Conservation of Cave-Dwelling Bats in the Brunca Region of Costa Rica

Diversity and Conservation of Cave-Dwelling Bats in the Brunca Region of Costa Rica

Assemblage and Species Threshold Responses to Environmental and Disturbance Gradients Shape Bat Diversity in Disturbed Cave Landscapes

Bats of the Philippine Islands –a review of research directions and relevance to national-level priorities and targets

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