The spatial ecology of the whiskered bat (Myotis mystacinus) at the western extreme of its range provides evidence of regional adaptation

Buckley, Daniel J.; Lundy, Mathieu G.; Boston, Emma S. M.; Scott, David D.; Gager, Yann; Prodöhl, Paulo A.; Marnell, Ferdia; Montgomery, W. Ian; Teeling, Emma C.

doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2012.06.007

Cited by 14 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Based on previous long‐term capture work at our study sites we are confident that unidentified Myotis passes mostly corresponded to M. mystacinus with few or no M. brandtii , M. alcathoe and M. bechsteinii (Russo et al ., ). These Myotis species are strongly linked to forests, often feeding on moths or gleaning prey from substrates (Taake, ; Siemers & Swift, ; Lučan et al ., ; Danko, Krištín & Krištofík, ; Buckley et al ., ), so their adverse response to light fits with the pattern described for the other moth‐eating and/or gleaning species ( Plecotus and Barbastella ). Foraging Myotis bats were not affected by lighting, reinforcing the hypothesis that bats are especially sensitive when drinking.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Adverse effects of artificial illumination on bat drinking activity

Russo

Cistrone²,

Libralato

et al. 2017

Animal Conservation

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General rightsThis document is made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the reference above. Full terms of use are available: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/pure/about/ebr-terms Running title: Effects of artificial illumination on drinking bats AbstractArtificial illumination at night (ALAN) alters many aspects of animal behaviour. Commuting and foraging bats have been found to be affected by ALAN, but no study has yet addressed the impact of lighting on drinking activity, despite its critical importance for bats. We experimentally illuminated cattle troughs used by drinking bats at four forest sites in Italy, and compared drinking activity and foraging activity under lit and dark conditions. We predicted that 1) the number of bat 2 species and drinking events will be lower under illumination and 2) forest bat species will be more affected than edge specialists. We recorded 2549 drinking events from 12 species or species groups, most of which decreased drinking activity under illumination. The effects of ALAN on drinking were stronger than on foraging. Forest species never drank when the light was on. Edge-foraging species reduced drinking activity while also increasing foraging under lit conditions. We highlight a previously overlooked negative effect of ALAN on bats, whose implications may be locally catastrophic. Given the importance of water sites for both bat foraging and drinking, their illumination should be forbidden, appropriately mitigated or, if necessary, compensated for with the creation of alternative drinking sites.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Adverse effects of artificial illumination on bat drinking activity

Russo

Cistrone²,

Libralato

et al. 2017

Animal Conservation

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“…In the dense forest bats forage only occasionally, probably taking advantage of the periodic abundance of emerging insects. Our results are similar to those obtained by Buckley [17] in Ireland, thus confirming the key role of trees for this species. As morphologically similar species M. brandtii and M. alcathoe select forest areas [8,15,30], different habitat preferences may be a mechanism to limit competition between those species, as in case of the soprano pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) and common pipistrelle (P. pipistrellus) [40].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…The average home range of whiskered bats in the Western Carpathians was half as large as recorded in Ireland (MCP with all locations 110 ha and 228 ha, respectively) [17]. These differences may be due to the spatial distribution of environmental patches constituting the preferred feeding grounds for bats.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…While in some regions they mainly forage in the open areas and riparian woodlands [10], in others they are generally associated with different types of forests [15]. A radio telemetry study carried out in Ireland, on the edge of the species range, showed that whiskered bats foraged primarily in vegetation on the banks of streams and in small-sized mixed forests [17], which, however, should be treated as groves scattered over farmland, but not a compact forest complex. Our study also demonstrated that bats tended to avoid open areas (pastures, lawns and recreation areas).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…obstacle dense) habitats [13,14]. Some studies have suggested its relationship with open areas and vegetation along watercourses [15], while others have pointed to forests [16,17]. Whiskered bats have been found hibernating in caves with a wide range of microclimate conditions [18], while their breeding colonies were set up mainly in buildings [17,19,20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Home range size, habitat selection and roost use by the whiskered bat (Myotis mystacinus) in human-dominated montane landscapes

et al. 2020

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Our understanding of animal adaptations to human pressure is limited by the focus on rare taxa, despite that common species are more significant in shaping structure, function and service provision of ecosystems. Thus better understanding of their ecology and behavioural adjustments is central for drafting conservation actions. In this study, we used radiotelemetry on 21 individuals (10 females, 11 males) to provide data on spatial ecology, habitat selection and use of roosts of one of the commonest species, the whiskered bat (Myotis mystacinus), inhabiting the Carpathian Mountains (southern Poland). We tested, whether this species prefers natural over human-modified landscapes to seek prey and roosts. Mean home range size of the whiskered bat in the Carpathian Mountains was 26.3 ha (SE ± 3.2, Local Convex Hull) and 110 ha (SE ± 22.1, Minimum Convex Polygon with all locations), and included between one and three patches, among which bats moved along linear environmental features, such as scrubby banks of streams or lines of trees. During foraging whiskered bats selected small woodlands within agricultural landscapes, avoided large mountain forests and open areas, and used built-up areas proportionally to their availability. Whiskered bats occupied roosts located mainly in buildings (>97%), at an average altitude of 547.9 m above sea level (SE ± 8.3). Roosts were used for 5.4 days, on average. Our study shows that whiskered bats adapted well to the mosaic of semi-natural and anthropogenic habitats. It highlights the importance of buildings serving as roosts and small woodlands used as foraging areas in human-dominated montane landscapes.

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Sexual segregation occurs in bats within fragmented remnant woodlands in an agricultural landscape

Fialas

Gilmour

Vickress

et al. 2022

Ecology and Evolution

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Species‐specific responses to landscape configuration and landscape composition have been studied extensively. However, little work has been done to compare intraspecific differences in habitat preferences. Bats have potential as good bioindicator taxa in woodland habitats. Therefore, studying sex differences in responses to woodland and the wider landscape can allow us to gain insight into the relative importance of these habitats for both bats and other taxa. In this study, we aimed to test the predictions that (i) habitat type and connectivity will influence the probability of recording female bats in woodlands and (ii) sex differences in response to habitat type and connectivity will be species‐specific. Bat capture data was collected in 206 woodlands over 3 years in England. The probability of detecting females relative to males was modeled in response to a range of woodland characteristics and landscape metrics for six bat species. We recorded sex differences in responses to landscape features in three species. We found a higher probability of capturing female Myotis nattereri in woodlands that were surrounded by a higher proportion of improved grasslands, whereas female Myotis mystacinus were less likely to be recorded in woodlands surrounded by semi‐natural vegetation. Female Plecotus auritus were more likely to be recorded in isolated woodlands with less connectivity to other woodlands and where agriculture dominated the surrounding landscape. Our findings indicate that sexual segregation occurs across several UK bat species in response to landscape connectivity and composition. Sexual segregation in response to landscape characteristics in bats should therefore be an important consideration in the management of fragmented agricultural landscapes.

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The spatial ecology of the whiskered bat (Myotis mystacinus) at the western extreme of its range provides evidence of regional adaptation

Cited by 14 publications

References 44 publications

Adverse effects of artificial illumination on bat drinking activity

Adverse effects of artificial illumination on bat drinking activity

Home range size, habitat selection and roost use by the whiskered bat (Myotis mystacinus) in human-dominated montane landscapes

Sexual segregation occurs in bats within fragmented remnant woodlands in an agricultural landscape

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