No lunar phobia in insectivorous bats in Kenya

Musila, Simon; Bogdanowicz, Wiesław; Syingi, Robert; Zuhura, Aziza; Chylarecki, Przemysław; Rydell, Jens

doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2019.03.002

Cited by 16 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 47 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This study investigated the diversity and abundance of invertebrates, which are preyed by insectivorous bats in ASF and the adjacent farmland. Insectivorous bats studies, previously conducted both in the interior of ASF and farmland (Table 1), had shown that the farmland had higher activity of insectivorous bats and individual bat captures than in the interior of ASF [9][10][11] . Therefore, we predicted that invertebrate would be more abundant in the farmland than in the interior of ASF.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Invertebrate sampling stations were established in the open areas of selected farms. The 12 invertebrate sampling stations each, in the farmland and in the interior of ASF, were established in the general areas, that had been previously been used to sample insectivorous bat species [9][10][11] . In addition, a number of bat roosts actively used by bats to roost, during invertebrate survey occurred in the sampling areas in the farmland [18] .…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Diversity of invertebrates in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and adjacent farmland, Gede-Kilifi County, Kenya

Musila

Arellano²,

Syingi

et al. 2022

j. of zool. res.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The primary food of insectivorous bats is invertebrates. This study investigated invertebrate abundance in ASF and adjacent farmland, in order to understand its availability to foraging insectivorous bats found in both study sites. Invertebrate were sampled with solar powered lights, which attracted air-borne invertebrates to a suspended white cloth sheet, for four hours each night in 12 different stations each in ASF and farmland. In total 6,557 individuals of invertebrates were captured: 52% in the farmland and 48% in ASF. The order Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps and sawflies) was the most abundant (38.1%), followed by Coleoptera (beetles (28.1%). The Shannon-Weiner index of diversity was higher in ASF (1.72 ± 0.1) than in the farmland (1.41 ± 0.1). The mean number of invertebrates captured each night in the farmland was (260.5 ± 52.9, N=12), and in ASF (200.3 ± 36.4, N=12), but there was no significant difference between the medians of captured invertebrates in both study sites (Mann-Whitney U-Test, U=61: P>0.544). In conclusion, the farmland and forest had similar invertebrate abundance. This study, highlight the importance of agricultural landscapes, which have been ignored in many biodiversity surveys, in providing invertebrate prey items to insectivorous bats especially in the study area.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity of invertebrates in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and adjacent farmland, Gede-Kilifi County, Kenya

Musila

Arellano²,

Syingi

et al. 2022

j. of zool. res.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Although there are many studies that evaluated the effect of moonlight on aerial insectivorous bat activity, these studies are concentrated in temperate regions (Perks and Goodenough, 2020; Saldaña‐Vázquez and Munguía‐Rosas, 2013). While previous research has shown that some aerial insectivorous bat species respond to moonlight in undisturbed tropical rainforest (Appel et al., 2017, 2019), such effects have rarely been evaluated in the context of human‐modified landscapes (Jung and Kalko, 2011; Lima and O’Keefe, 2013; Kolkert et al., 2020 but see Musila et al., 2019). Assessing the effect of moonlight on the activity patterns of aerial insectivorous bats in human‐modified landscapes is important to understand possible changes in ecosystem services provided by this bat ensemble (Pianka, 1973; Presley et al., 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat disturbance trumps moonlight effects on the activity of tropical insectivorous bats

Appel

López‐Baucells

Rocha

et al. 2021

Animal Conservation

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Changes in moonlight intensity can affect predation risk and induce changes in habitat use and activity of nocturnal species. However, the effect of moonlight on animal activity is rarely evaluated in human‐modified landscapes and can be of vital importance to understand possible changes in ecosystem services provided by light‐sensitive taxa, such as insectivorous bats. Fragmentation changes forest structure and affects light penetration across the landscape. In this case, the effects of fragmentation on bat activity can be modulated by cyclical variations of moonlight intensity. We acoustically quantified the activity of nine aerial insectivorous bat species in relation to moonlight at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, Central Amazonia. We aimed to understand species‐level variation in activity across habitats (continuous forest, fragments and secondary forest) at different temporal scales: lunar cycle, dark vs. bright nights and within nights. Amazonian aerial insectivorous bats responded more to habitat type than to moonlight, with two and six species showing reduced activity in fragments and secondary forest, respectively, compared to continuous forest. The lower activity in secondary forest suggests that despite c. 30 years of secondary forest regeneration, it is still less attractive as foraging habitat. An interactive effect of habitat type and moonlight on bat activity was most evident when contrasting dark and bright nights. Our results indicate that fragments have reduced bat activity on extremely bright nights, probably due to higher predation risk in small fragments. Species that emit constant‐frequency calls (Pteronotus spp.) were the ones that most modulated their responses to habitat disturbance and moonlight. Otherwise, moonlight had little effect on hourly activity levels, irrespective of habitat type. Moonlight is capable of modulating the responses of some bat species in disturbed habitats, particularly in fragments.

show abstract

“…In contrast, modern acoustic techniques involving ultrasound detectors allow eavesdropping on the ultrasonic signals generated by bats for navigation and prey detection, permitting assessment of species presence and behaviour. Acoustic methods are now used routinely in bat surveys and research throughout much of the world, sometimes in combination with other methods (O'Farrell & Gannon 1999, MacSwiney et al 2008, Apoznanski et al 2018, Musila et al 2019a.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, some species are easier to detect and recognize than others, which can lead to biased samples (Meyer et al 2011, Barataud 2015. Despite its great potential, acoustic sampling has been rarely used in bat surveys and monitoring studies in tropical Africa (but see Musila et al 2019a). This is partly because acoustic identification of species requires reference call libraries that provide detailed descriptions of the echolocation calls of local species (Parsons & Szewczak 2009, Russ 2012.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Echolocation calls of high-duty-cycle bats (Hipposideridae and Rhinonycteridae) from Kenya

2019

Barb

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We describe the echolocation calls of six species of Hipposideridae: Doryrhina camerunensis, Hipposideros beatus, H. caffer, H. ruber, Macronycteris gigas, and M. vittata and two species of Rhinonycteridae: Cloeotis percivali and Triaenops afer. The recordings were made in Kenya during 2013-2018, using Pettersson D500X and D1000X real time, full spectrum bat detectors. All species used highintensity constant-frequency echolocation of high duty-cycle. Most of them separate clearly in the constant-frequency component of the echolocation calls and can be recognized based on that feature alone. This study provides the first description of the echolocation calls of D. camerunensis, whereas those of H. beatus, H. ruber, and C. percivali from Kenya are also described for the first time. Additionally, call frequencies for some of these species differ from those of other parts of their range, demonstrating the need for collection and publication of more local call libraries from tropical regions.

show abstract

No lunar phobia in insectivorous bats in Kenya

Cited by 16 publications

References 47 publications

Diversity of invertebrates in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and adjacent farmland, Gede-Kilifi County, Kenya

Diversity of invertebrates in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and adjacent farmland, Gede-Kilifi County, Kenya

Habitat disturbance trumps moonlight effects on the activity of tropical insectivorous bats

Echolocation calls of high-duty-cycle bats (Hipposideridae and Rhinonycteridae) from Kenya

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About