Follow me: foraging distances of Leptonycteris yerbabuenae (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Sonora determined by fluorescent powder

Medellín, Rodrigo A.; Rivero, Marina; Ibarra, Ana M.; Torre, J. Antonio de la; Gonzalez-Terrazas, Tania P.; Torres-Knoop, Leonora; Tschapka, Marco

doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyy016

Cited by 41 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Bats (Chiroptera) are the second most specious mammalian order after rodents. They show nightly commuting flight distances of up to 100 km (Medellin et al, ) and have a very long life expectancy compared to other similar‐sized mammals (Seim et al, ). Some species roost in large—often multispecies—assemblages of thousands or even millions of individuals (Kunz & Lumsden, ; Luis et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parasitization of bats by bat flies (Streblidae) in fragmented habitats

et al. 2020

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Parasites represent a large fraction of the world's biodiversity. They control host population sizes and contribute to ecosystem functioning. However, surveys on species diversity rarely include parasitic species. Bats often present traits favoring parasite diversity, such as large home ranges, long life spans, and large colonies. The most conspicuous bat parasites are the highly host-specific, blood-sucking bat flies (Diptera:Streblidae, Nycteribiidae). Recent studies have found a direct effect of habitat alteration on the abundance of bat species. We expected, therefore, that changes in the host community in response to anthropogenic habitat modification will also result in changes in the associated parasite community. We captured bats in three different habitats in Central Panama between 2013 and 2015. We recorded information on prevalence and intensity of bat fly parasitization of the seven most commonly captured bat species. Prevalence and intensity were both significantly influenced by roost type, abundance, and host sex and age. We found that habitat variables and matrix type significantly influenced the prevalence and intensity of parasitization, while the direction of the responses was host species-and parasite species-specific. In general, roosting conditions and behavior of host bats appear to be fundamental in explaining changes in prevalence and intensity of parasitization between different habitat types, as bat flies are bound to the roost during their reproductive cycle. Habitat alterations affect next to the host community composition also the availability of possible roost structures as well as microclimatic conditions, which all three reflect in parasitization.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material. K E Y

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parasitization of bats by bat flies (Streblidae) in fragmented habitats

et al. 2020

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“…Other studies show the opposite effect in non-flying mammals, bats, birds, and trees (Galindo-González & Sosa 2003;Cleary et al 2016;Socolar et al 2019;Pardo et al 2019) . The lack of a significant effect of distance to conserved habitats on bat abundance in disturbed habitats may be related to the variation in habitat disturbance type in our study and the ability of phyllostomids to fly large distances either to migrate or forage (Arnone et al 2016;Esbérard et al 2017;Medellin et al 2018) . In order to determine the effect of these two variables on bat abundance in disturbed habitats, studies that evaluate the effects of habitat disturbance on bat abundance comparing disturbance type and phyllsotomid vagility are necessary.…”

Section: Distance To Conserved Forestsmentioning

confidence: 68%

Trophic guild and forest type explain phyllostomid bat abundance variation from human habitat disturbance

Carballo-Morales¹,

Saldaña‐Vázquez

Villalobos³

2020

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The loss of tropical forest cover caused by land-use change is causing a reduction in functional groups, such as trophic guilds. Phyllostomid bats (family Phyllostomidae) are essential in the Neotropics since they occupy up to six trophic guilds, and are pollinators, seed dispersers, and regulators of vertebrate and invertebrate populations. In this study, a series of meta-analyses were performed in order to analyse their response to habitat disturbance. Data were obtained through a comprehensive literature review whereby we measured the abundance of phyllostomid bats in disturbed habitats and conserved forests. We found that the abundance of phytophagous bats depends on the type of habitat disturbance and the type of forest where it occurs. On the other hand, animal-feeding bats reduce their abundance in any disturbed habitat regardless of disturbance type and forest type. No phylogenetic signal was found in the response of bats to habitat disturbance, nor was the response found to be dependent on the type of crop, the age of the secondary forest, or the distance to a conserved forest. These results demonstrate that feeding and the type of forest where the disturbance occurs are important aspects to understand the reduction of animal populations in the face of habitat destruction processes. This has implications on the conservation of species and their function in ecosystems.HighlightsNo phylogenetic signal was found in the abundance of bats in disturbed habitats.The abundance of bats in disturbed habitats depends on the trophic guild.Forest altitude influences the abundance of bats in disturbed habitats.Animal-feeding bats reduced their abundance in disturbed habitats regardless of disturbance type and forest type.

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“…Growers of S. queretaroensis rely mainly on vegetative propagation with few plants grown from seed, resulting in plantations containing large numbers of clonal individuals and high genetic differentiation between plantations (Pimienta‐Barrios, ; Ruán‐Tejeda, Santerre, Huerta‐Martínez, Iñiguez‐Dávalos, & Castro‐Félix, ). Hence, outcrossing from pollen arriving from outside the plantation is extremely important, and Leptonycteris yerbabuenae bats have been found to travel up to 100 km per night to forage in arid landscapes, visiting flowers from multiple plants (Medellin et al, ). Bat pollinators are therefore less likely to deposit unsuitable pollen on stigmas than other pollen vectors, like insects or birds which disperse pollen locally (Aizen & Harder, ; Fleming et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pollination by bats enhances both quality and yield of a major cash crop in Mexico

Tremlett

Moore

Chapman

et al. 2019

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Bats pollinate many plants of high socio‐economic value, including the majority of columnar cacti (Cactaceae) in Mexico, which have been used by humans for food and materials for thousands of years. However, the importance of bats as pollinators has been overlooked, with a consequent lack of knowledge of the reliance of crops on bats for harvest yield and quality. We used exclusion experiments to determine the effect of different pollinator taxa on the yield and quality of pitayas (fruit of Stenocereus queretaroensis (F.A.C. Weber) Buxbaum), a major crop in central Mexico. We studied the three most economically important cultivars and wild individuals in the principal region for pitaya production. For each pollinator taxon we recorded fruit set and measured three key parameters of fruit quality: weight, sucrose concentration and seed set. We placed camera traps to determine pollinator identity and the effect of visitation rate on fruit quality. We found the primary pollinators of pitayas to be nectarivorous bats in the genus Leptonycteris. When bats were excluded from flowers and flowers were pollinated by other taxa (i.e. diurnal birds and insects), pitaya yield decreased by 35%, though pollination dependence varied between cultivars. Fruit quality decreased significantly in the absence of bat pollination across all cultivars, with fruits 46% lighter and 13% less sweet when pollinated by other taxa; reducing economic value, as size determines market price. Additionally, seed set (an indicator of effective pollination) was significantly lower in the absence of bat pollinators. Visitation rate had no effect on fruit quality. Synthesis and applications. Our study shows that bats provide a vital ecosystem service by pollinating a crop of major socio‐economic importance, and that consideration of both crop quality and yield are essential to fully understanding the benefits of bat pollination. A reduction of this service would result in a decrease in both the size and quality of the harvest, causing substantial loss of income for rural communities. Bats world‐wide face many threats, and management efforts targeted to the enhancement of wild bat pollinator populations would preserve the sustainability of both bat‐pollinated crops and wild plants.

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Follow me: foraging distances of Leptonycteris yerbabuenae (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Sonora determined by fluorescent powder

Cited by 41 publications

References 20 publications

Parasitization of bats by bat flies (Streblidae) in fragmented habitats

Parasitization of bats by bat flies (Streblidae) in fragmented habitats

Trophic guild and forest type explain phyllostomid bat abundance variation from human habitat disturbance

Pollination by bats enhances both quality and yield of a major cash crop in Mexico

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