Bat ultrasound and fog revisited

Pye, David

doi:10.1002/wea.3935

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 11 publications

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“…This finding coincides with studies in other habitats that show insectivorous bat activity increases with rising temperatures because more insects are available and the thermoregulatory costs of foraging are lower (Bender & Hartman, 2015; Brooks et al., 2017) and that bats spend more time in nightly torpor when humidity increases (Fjelldal et al., 2021). Another worthwhile consideration is that if fog attenuates ultrasonic calls, this could reduce the efficacy of bat echolocation and deter individuals from foraging in high‐intensity fog conditions or reduce the range at which acoustic detectors record identifiable species calls (Ciechanowski et al., 2007; Pye, 1971, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of microclimate and forest management on bat species faced with global change

Andreozzi,

Dawson,

Kitzes

et al. 2024

Conservation Biology

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Climate refugia, areas where climate is expected to remain relatively stable, can offer a near‐term safe haven for species sensitive to warming temperatures and drought. Understanding the influence of temperature, moisture, and disturbance on sensitive species is critical during this time of rapid climate change. Coastal habitats can serve as important refugia. Many of these areas consist of working forestlands, and there is a growing recognition that conservation efforts worldwide must consider the habitat value of working lands, in addition to protected areas, to effectively manage large landscapes that support biodiversity. The sensitivity of forest bats to climate and habitat disturbance makes them a useful indicator taxon. We tested how microclimate and forest management influence habitat use for 13 species of insectivorous bats in a large climate refugium in a global biodiversity hotspot. We examined whether bat activity during the summer dry season is greater in forests where coastal fog provides moisture and more stable temperatures across both protected mature stands and those regularly logged. Acoustic monitoring was conducted at a landscape scale with 20 study sites, and generalized linear mixed models were used to examine the influence of habitat variables. Six species were positively associated with warmer nighttime temperature, and 5 species had a negative relationship with humidity or a positive relationship with climatic moisture deficit. Our results suggest that these mammals may have greater climate adaptive capacity than expected, and, for now, that habitat use may be more related to optimal foraging conditions than to avoidance of warming temperatures and drought. We also determined that 12 of the 13 regionally present bat species were regularly detected in commercial timberland stands. Because forest bats are highly mobile, forage over long distances, and frequently change roosts, the stewardship of working forests must be addressed to protect these species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of microclimate and forest management on bat species faced with global change

Andreozzi,

Dawson,

Kitzes

et al. 2024

Conservation Biology

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Temperate bats may alter calls to partially compensate for weather-induced changes in detection distance

de Framond,

Reininger,

Goerlitz

2023

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

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Echolocation is the use of self-emitted calls to probe the surrounding environment. The atmosphere strongly absorbs sound energy, particularly high frequencies, thereby limiting the sensory range of echolocating animals. Atmospheric attenuation varies with temperature and humidity, which both vary widely in the temperate zone. Since echolocating insectivorous bats rely on ultrasound to capture insects, their foraging success might decrease with seasonal and daily variations in weather. To counteract weather-induced variations in prey detection, we hypothesised that European bats decrease call frequency and increase call energy when atmospheric attenuation increases, thereby maintaining their prey detection distance. Using acoustic localisation and automated call analysis, we measured call frequency and energy in free-flying bats of three common European insectivorous species. One species, Pipistrellus nathusii/kuhlii, increased call frequency, but simultaneously decreased call energy, while the two other species (P. pipistrellus and Myotis daubentonii) did not alter call parameters. We estimated the detection distance for prey based on the recorded call parameters and prey characteristics, using a custom-developed theoretical model. None of the three species maintained prey detection distance (it decreased by 1.7 to 3.4 m) when atmospheric attenuation increased. This study contributes to a better understanding of the sensory challenges faced by animals in fluctuating environments.

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Bat ultrasound and fog revisited

Abstract: Echolocating bats were seen to avoid a sharply defined fog bank apparently due to attenuation of ultrasound by the fog droplets. Experiments with artificial fogs confirm this effect and suggest that it is due to acoustic resonance of the fog droplets.

Cited by 2 publications

References 11 publications

Influence of microclimate and forest management on bat species faced with global change

Influence of microclimate and forest management on bat species faced with global change

Temperate bats may alter calls to partially compensate for weather-induced changes in detection distance

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