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An astonishing number of bat fatalities (2,371 belonging to 15 species) were recovered in a provincial surveillance program at wind farms in Cádiz, at the southern tip of Spain, in 2005–2016. We carefully analysed a subset of this sample intending to estimate the true fatality rate in the year 2011, the year for which we had the richest data set (582 fatalities at 38 wind farms). To estimate the true fatality rate, we conducted search-efficiency and scavenger-removal trials in nine wind farms involving 122 turbines and 289 observed fatalities and calculated the searchable surface. An annual fatality rate of 41.1 dead bats per turbine (26.4 per MW) was estimated in the study area using a self-developed estimator due to the singularities of the surveillance program. Our estimator results are lower than those obtained using the Generalized Mortality Estimator (GenEst) developed by U.S. Geological Survey. Estimates of 37,689 or 33,370 fatalities were made according to the province's number of turbines or MW in 2011. Some areas have registered the highest fatality rates ever recorded for bats in wind turbines anywhere globally, even more so because we have been conservative. There is an urgent need for efficient preventive and mitigation measures at wind farms in risky landscapes and with a high rate of bat fatalities, but trials are also needed to know how well the post-operational monitoring is done and how far it is from reality. Clearly, current official post-construction surveillance programs are inefficient for searching bats and therefore mask a high fatality rate, mainly of sedentary bats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraguay lies in an area of transition between the tropics and subtropics, and encompasses the interface of six South American ecoregions. Because of its central location within the climatic and biotic schema of the South American continent, Paraguay is ideal for exploring a variety of biogeographic and ecological questions. Several studies have evaluated the taxonomic, biogeographic and migratory status of the 59 species of bats currently recognized in Paraguay, and other studies have evaluated aspects of population genetics and community ecology of frugivorous bats in eastern Paraguayan forests. However, no study has evaluated the environmental factors influencing bat community structure within the mosaic of savanna ecoregions which extend over a majority of the Paraguayan territory. Based on conservative selection criteria, six bat communities from the Cerrado, Humid Chaco and Dry Chaco were evaluated in this study. Climatic data included a suite of temperature and precipitation parameters for each site. Latitude and longitude were also included as factors potentially predicting bat community parameters. Gini-Simpson diversity indices were calculated for each site, separately for species diversity, taxonomic diversity and trophic diversity. Environmental variables were evaluated for their associations with each of the three diversity indices. Significant differences were found among the six sites based on each of the three diversity indices. In general, precipitation variables are more influential than temperature variables in determining bat community diversity levels in Paraguayan savanna ecosystems. Species diversity can best be predicted with a linear combination of mean annual precipitation and mean precipitation of the driest month. Taxonomic diversity is best predicted using mean annual precipitation alone. In contrast, best prediction of trophic diversity is with mean precipitation of driest month. Species and taxonomic diversity patterns were generally concordant for the Cerrado and Humid Chaco communities, whereas trophic diversity was inconsistent among the Humid Chaco communities. An analysis of variance combining the three diversity indices, showed three non-significantly different groups of communities: (1) the two Dry Chaco communities; (2) a Dry Chaco and a Humid Chaco community; and (3) the Cerrado and three Humid Chaco localities. These results should be considered in bat conservation management strategies, which should incorporate benchmarks not only of species diversity, but also of taxonomic and trophic diversity. Paraguay se encuentra en un área de transición entre los trópicos y subtrópicos, abarcando una interfaz de seis ecorregiones sudamericanas. Por su ubicación central a nivel climático y biótico del continente sudamericano, es ideal para presentar diferentes preguntas biogeográficas y ecológicas. Varios estudios han evaluado el estado taxonómico, biogeográfico y migratorio de las 59 especies de murciélagos actualmente registradas, otros han evaluado aspectos de genética poblacional y ecología de comunidades de murciélagos frugívoros en los bosques del este de Paraguay, pero ninguno ha evaluado los factores ambientales que influyen en la estructura de la comunidad dentro del mosaico de ecorregiones de sabana que se extienden sobre gran parte del territorio. Se evaluaron seis comunidades de murciélagos, considerando criterios conservadores de selección. Los datos climáticos incluyeron parámetros de temperatura y precipitación para cada sitio. La latitud y la longitud se incluyen como potenciales factores para predecir parámetros de la comunidad. Se calcularon por separado, índices de diversidad de Gini-Simpson para cada sitio, para diversidad de especies, diversidad taxonómica y diversidad trófica. Así también, variables ambientales fueron evaluadas y asociadas con cada índice de diversidad. Se registraron diferencias significativas entre los seis sitios con respecto a los tres índices de diversidad. Las variables de precipitación influyen más que las de temperatura para determinar los niveles de diversidad de la comunidad en ecosistemas de sabana. La diversidad de especies fue determinada utilizando la combinación lineal de precipitación media anual y precipitación media del mes más seco. La diversidad taxonómica se predice mejor utilizando únicamente la precipitación media anual. La predicción de la diversidad trófica es más compleja, ya que combina la precipitación media anual, error estándar de precipitación media anual, precipitación media del mes más seco y rango de temperatura diurna media. Los patrones de diversidad taxonómica y de especies fueron semejantes para comunidades del Cerrado y Chaco Húmedo, mientras que la diversidad trófica fue inconsistente entre comunidades del Chaco Húmedo. El análisis de la varianza de los tres índices de diversidad juntos, mostró que tres grupos de comunidades no presentaron diferencias significativas: las dos comunidades del Chaco Seco; una del Chaco Seco y una del Chaco Húmedo; la del Cerrado y tres localidades del Chaco Húmedo. Estos resultados deben ser considerados para estrategias de manejo de conservación, incorporando puntos de referencia no solo de diversidad de especies, sino también de diversidad taxonómica y diversidad trófica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) has experienced extensive declines in regional abundance — near 30% as of 2013 — due to disease, habitat loss, and anthropogenic conflict. There is urgency to determine whether the species should be protected in the United States; however, critical species-specific information required to make this decision is lacking. Here, we address those critical knowledge gaps by (i) estimating genetic diversity, and (ii) assessing population structure. We utilized sequence data from a 562 base pair region of the mitochondrial genome and eight autosomal microsatellite loci from 14 sampling locations across the core of P. subflavus' range and found substantial diversity in both data types. Further, we found contrasting patterns of population structure between the data types. Weak evidence for population structure was detected using the mitochondrial data, with the most probable population break dividing eastern and western sampling sites, and evidence for isolation-by-distance across the sampled region. Conversely, we detected no evidence for structure or isolation-by-distance using microsatellite data, revealing a panmictic population. The findings reported here represent a baseline understanding of genetic diversity and structure for P. subflavus; additional analyses using samples collected post white-nose syndrome emergence are required to understand losses in genetic diversity due to recent population declines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatio-temporal patterns of species richness, Hill numbers, captures per species, feeding guilds, sex ratio, and biomass were studied in a Neotropical bat assemblage during 17 continuous months in four bands (low: 50–150, mid-low: 375–500, mid-high: 975–1,050, and high: 1,950–2,050 m a.s.l.) in an elevational gradient in Costa Rica. We found an effect of elevation on species richness. As expected, species richness was high in the low elevations; unexpectedly, however, we noted that species richness was highest in the mid-high band, a diversity pattern that has not been previously recorded in bats. We also found an effect of precipitation periods on species richness; in particular, at mid-high elevations, when precipitation was intermediate and highest, we observed a larger number of species. When analyzing data separately by feeding ensemble, we found an effect of elevation on species richness for three ensembles: animalivorous bats were more diverse at the mid-low band, nectarivorous bats were more diverse in the mid-high and high bands, and frugivorous bats were more diverse in the mid-low and low bands. Species richness of frugivorous bats was also affected by precipitation; when rainfall was intermediate and highest, we noted a higher species richness of this ensemble. There was no effect of elevation on species richness for the insectivorous, omnivorous or hematophagous ensemble, nor on the species capture, sex ratio or biomass. Our results not only provide further evidence of the importance of lowland forests as reservoirs of high species diversity, but also highlight the importance of tropical premontane rainforests for the conservation of bat communities given their high species richness, particularly for the nectarivorous and frugivorous ensembles. This is particularly relevant not only because this ecosystem has been heavily affected by land use changes in the Neotropical region, but also because the predicted future decrease of precipitation at this elevation could potentially affect overall species richness and particularly for certain feeding ensembles. Thus, conservation efforts in this life zone are of critical importance for maintaining functional and ecological diversity of bat communities in elevational gradients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the result of bat winter censuses in three old mines in southern Sweden from 1980 until present (2017). The Taberg and Kleva mines, each with about 1.5 km of accessible passages, have winter populations of 517 and 132 bats, respectively (maximum counts) belonging to six species, the highest numbers known in underground sites in Sweden. Ädelfors is less extensive and has fewer individuals (maximum 22). The two former sites were protected and gated in the 1980′s while the third site still has no formal protection and is subject to disturbance. Generally Daubenton's bat Myotis daubentonii and the brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus are common species and the numbers are stable. The whiskered and Brandt's bats M. mystacinus/brandtii and Natterer's bat M. nattereri have increased significantly, while the northern bat Eptesicus nilssonii, which is relatively rare in mines generally, has shown a slight but significant decline. At the species level the population trends conform well to those of the respective species in continental Europe and the British Isles. This suggests that there is a common factor behind the population changes across Europe. Although our data are very limited, the results question some previous explanations for the observed trends, but are in line with theoretical predictions based on global warming scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactation is one of the most energetically demanding periods in the life cycle of a small mammal. Classified as income breeders, hibernating small colonial insectivorous bats are hypothesised to compensate for the energetic demand of lactation by increasing daily food intake, which increases body mass. The Natal long-fingered bat Miniopterus natalensis is a colonial hibernating species in southern Africa for which energy compensation was hitherto unknown. We tested predictions of the energy compensation hypothesis using a wild population of M. natalensis during the parturition and maternity period of November–December in 2015–2017. The study was conducted at the Meletse Bat Research and Conservation Training Centre near Gatkop Cave, in Limpopo Province, South Africa. We weighed and categorised 2,707 M. natalensis females captured during evenings and mornings into one of four groups including not pregnant with a sclerotized nipple (NP-SC), not pregnant with a non-sclerotized nipple (NP-NSC), lactating with a sclerotized nipple (L-SC), and pregnant with a sclerotized nipple (P-SC). NP-NSC and NP-SC females were classified as non-reproductive, whilst L-SC and P-SC females were classified as active breeders. Results showed that females in the L-SC category were 6% heavier than females in non-reproductive categories (NP-NSC and NP-SC). Pregnant females were 25% heavier than non-reproductive females due, at least in part, to foetus mass, whilst the mean body mass did not differ between females in non-reproductive categories. Whilst the body mass of females in the NP-NSC, NP-SC and L-SC categories did not differ during evening captures, L-SC females showed the biggest mass increase between evening and morning captures. Proportions of females captured from reproductive categories differed among years, with a higher overall proportion of active breeders (70%) in 2017 than either 2016 (33%) or 2015 (31%). This may be related to inter-annual variation in climate and warrants further investigation. Our results suggest female M. natalensis were heavier, on average, during lactation and support the energy compensation hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caves are among the most used and important roosts for hundreds of bat species worldwide. However, caves remain some of the least known and most threatened environments globally. Documenting the richness of bat species in caves is important not only to draw attention to the uniqueness and relevance of these roosts, but it also contributes to the identification of priority sites for the conservation of bats and the cave fauna dependent upon them. Here, we assessed and described an exceptionally high bat richness in a group of caves in southeastern Tocantins, central Brazil. Inventories carried out in 19 caves resulted in seven families and 31 bat species, of which three were new regional records. Twelve caves were used by threatened and endangered bat species, eight had high diversity indices, and seven caves had high species richness, including one cave that may hold a world record with 26 bat species found inside. The variation in beta diversity is mainly due to species turnover, which indicates that protecting the largest possible number of caves would be ideal for the most efficient conservation of local bat assemblages. The sampled region stands out for its high potential for the conservation of endangered species, and we strongly recommend the full protection of 15 caves classified as a priority for conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive areas of old forests have declined all over the temperate regions of Europe mainly due to extensive forestry. This is likely to have negative impact on bats that roost in trees, such as the western barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus. We investigated its selection of summer roosts in a commercially used landscape in southern Sweden. We captured and radio-tracked 14 bats and found 17 occupied roosts. Nine of the roosts, including two used by a maternity colony (ca. 30 females), were located between overlapping boards on the gables of barns. The remaining eight roosts, all used by single individuals, were under lose bark on thin trees (DBH = 0.2–0.35 m). All recorded roosts had entrances pointing downwards, were adjacent to deciduous trees providing protective darkness, and were in areas without artificial lighting. In the barns, the bats avoided the northern aspect, which is the lightest (sun sets in the NW and rises in the NE). Roost temperatures did not differ between tree- and barn roosts. Average ambient light intensity on emergence and return was 13.3 lux (SD = 10.1 lux). Roosts in trees and barns shared common physical characteristics, yet despite this both maternity roosts were located in barns, perhaps because such roosts had more space than available tree roosts. Our results suggest that in areas deprived of large trees and extensive old forest, barbastelle shows flexibility in roost selection, although they consistently avoid artificial lights of all kinds. An abundance of potential roosts in trees and buildings and absence of light pollution are therefore key elements in a holistic conservation program for this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of suitable roosts is an important factor affecting the viability of bat populations. In Europe and North-America, the installation of artificial roosts is a standard conservation measure to mitigate the loss of tree cavities or crevices at buildings. How quickly artificial roosts, such as bat boxes, are adopted, depends on how easily the bats can find them, and on their suitability for roosting. While there is some information about how the design of bat boxes influences their occupancy, it is unknown to what extent the use of bat boxes depends on their detectability. In this experimental field study, we studied the roost selection behavior of three forest-living bat species. We investigated whether attaching an external echo-reflector to bat boxes influenced the time until the bats discover a box or the total number of discovered boxes, which are proxies for detectability. We also assessed whether this modification improved the occupancy of newly placed boxes, as a proxy for their attractiveness. As a result of a previous study, all studied bat colonies were familiar with the echo-reflector as an indicator for the suitability of bat boxes as a day roost. For each species, we compared between boxes with and without an echo-reflector, the number of boxes discovered, the number of days elapsed until discovery, the number of subsequent visits, and the number of days that each box type was used as day roosts. Myotis bechsteinii and Myotis nattereri discovered, visited and used more unmodified boxes than boxes with echo-reflectors. Plecotus auritus did not show differences in behavior with regard to the box types. Our results show that attaching an echo-reflector to newly placed artificial roosts does not improve their discovery and subsequent occupation, even when bats are already familiar with this cue as an indicator of suitability. We discuss the implication of our findings for bat conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conversion of natural land covers to agriculture is a major cause of the global biodiversity decline. Bats are an important component of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes because they provide pest control services. Although management recommendations towards the enhancement of insectivorous bat populations in agro-ecosystems have previously been highlighted, little information is available for promoting bat conservation within viticultural landscapes. In the present study, we examined the role of the adjacent habitat on bat activity in vineyards of central Chile. We also evaluated differences in bat activity between the edges and the interiors of the vineyards in relation to the type of adjacent habitat. To accomplish this, we conducted acoustic surveys along edge and the interior of 16 vineyards bordering different adjacent habitats. Overall bat activity in vineyards was not influenced by the adjacent habitat type, but it was by the location within the vineyard; edges showed significant higher activity than the interior of the vineyards. Vineyards adjacent to native vegetation showed the highest levels of activity for Lasiurus varius, Lasiurus villosissimus and Myotis chiloensis compared to those adjacent to monoculture or urban areas. All bat species were most active at the edges of the vineyards as compared to the interior, which increase the probability of this group providing ecosystem services in vineyards. Therefore, vineyard edges, in particular those adjacent to native vegetation, should be considered as part of agricultural management in order to promote bat diversity and abundance in this crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many terrestrial vertebrate species are exhibiting geographic distribution changes including poleward range limit shifts in response to increases in regional temperature. Bats are a highly mobile taxa capable of rapid responses to changes in abiotic or biotic conditions. In North America, recent extralimital records of the non-hibernating Lasiurus seminolus (Seminole bat) have been attributed to climate change, however such attributions remain speculative and potentially subject to sampling bias in the form of increased recent sampling efforts at latitudes north of the historical range. We used historical occurrence records and simple environmental variables within a Maxent modeling framework to model the historical distribution of suitable areas for this species. We transferred the model using near current environmental conditions and measured the ability of the model to capture the apparent expansion in distribution using recent extralimital occurrence records. Our model transferred well over time concluding that the distribution expansion may be largely attributed to increasing minimum temperatures. We used the model to forecast the expansion in distribution of suitable areas at three 20-year intervals and various climate change scenarios and provide extrapolation risk maps for each scenario. Although increasing temperatures may increase potentially occupiable areas, the species is associated with forests and often roosts in pines (Pinus spp.). This suitable habitat is more limited to the northwest of the species' range, which may constrain the future species expansion despite favorable temperatures. We demonstrated this effect by mapping limiting factors through future climate change scenarios. We discovered a broad shift of effects that constrained the distribution from minimum temperature to an abundance metric of evergreen cover type as time and climate change intensity increased. Although uncertainties exist, we predict further expansion of the Seminole bat widely over the next 60 years across the eastern United States where suitable habitat and climate conditions converge. Our results appear consistent with other bat species showing similar range extensions and in turn provide further evidence that bats may serve as bioindicators of global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in human population has resulted in environmental alterations and habitat fragmentation, such as those caused by road construction. Since the late 1990s, there has been an increase in studies evaluating the effects of roads on vertebrate populations; however, few studies have considered bats in road ecology studies. In this review on road ecology studies focusing on bats, we evaluated the impacts of roads on bat mortality, commuting, and foraging. We also evaluated the use of road structures as roosts and provide suggestions for future research and mitigation methods based on available results. Road impacts on bat activity and roadkill are strongly influenced by landscape features, and areas with short trees have more impact on roadkill. Also, in open areas, bats prefer to forage near roads whereas in woodland areas activity increases with distance from the road. Most studies evaluating the effects of roads on bats have been conducted in Europe, therefore it is essential that these studies are conducted in other areas, especially in developing countries. To ensure the conservation of bat species, it is imperative that studies consider all impacts that roads have on bat populations and that mitigation measures are applied, especially when road construction meets bat commuting or foraging paths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the distribution of an endangered species of bat strongly associated with woods in NW Italy. A species distribution model (SDM) was built on data collected in 2015–2016 using a presence-only technique (maximum entropy) incorporating environmental variables (19 habitat categories, and 4 topography variables). Barbastelle bat presence (132 sites) was associated with woods (beechwoods, oak-hornbeam woods, and wood arboriculture), while there was a negative selection of built or cultivated areas and open space categories. The model was highly successful when predicting the presence/absence of the species in 43 new sites sampled in 2017–2018. SDM was utilized to calculate resistance surfaces and to assess potential suitable connections among the currently utilized areas. The currently protected areas of NW Italy showed a moderate overlap both with high environmental value areas (23.5%) or high connection areas (11.3%). This study highlights a moderate effectiveness of the protected areas network for conservation of barbastelle bat, and suggests preventing land-use change in current woodland areas and increasing connections in the lowland areas of the region. Our results from predicted species occurrence obtained through SDM can be utilized for targeting survey efforts to identify new barbastelle bat sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bats are found as fatalities at most wind energy facilities around the world, creating a challenge for wind developers to predict risk to bats in an area before building a new facility. Bat echolocation activity surveys are the standard method for assessing risk, but their effectiveness has not been demonstrated. Sites with relatively low pre-construction bat activity rates are predicted to yield relatively low post-construction fatality rates (i.e., low risk), and vice-versa. To test this hypothesis, we ran simple linear regressions on bat activity rates and fatality rates from 49 paired pre- and post-construction studies across the United States and Canada. Bat activity rates did not predict bat fatality rates at wind energy facilities by detector height, by call frequency category of bats, or by season (P > 0.10). One possible explanation for the lack of a predictive relationship is that bat activity patterns may change between the pre- and post-construction periods if bats are attracted to turbines. Indeed, we found support that bat activity rates increased across call frequency category and season at four wind facilities that had measured bat activity rates before (x̄ = 1.89 bat passes/detector-night) and after turbines were built (x̄ = 4.84 bat passes/detector-night). However, simple linear regressions of post-construction activity rates and fatality rates from 25 studies found no correlation between activity and fatality rates collected concurrently by detector height (ground, raised, nacelle) or by call frequency category (P > 0.05). We conclude that the current pre-construction survey methods of collecting bat activity rates at proposed wind energy facilities do not provide reliable information on how many bat fatalities there may be once the facility is built, and advocate exploring other methods for assessing risk to bats prior to wind development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caves are very important roosts for bats. Neotropical countries, like Brazil, harbor both high bat species richness and abundance of underground cavities. The Caatinga drylands in northeastern Brazil are a good example with potentially 100 bat species and a high number of caves. Among those caves, some harbor exceptionally large bat populations, but, even thus, they still remain poorly known and studied. Here we present a 48-months monitoring based on a non-invasive thermal detection system to estimate the abundance changes of a large colony in a bat cave in the Caatinga drylands of Brazil. That cave harbors ten bat species — two nationally endangered — and 70% of them are main cave users. We found a marked inter-month fluctuation in the total bat abundance, with no consistent pattern. Total bat abundance was neither related to precipitation nor to the reproductive seasonality. During certain moments, the bat population can reach up to 120,000 individuals, making this cave a priority site for bat conservation in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large part of the natural vegetation in the tropics has been replaced by pastures and crop fields. To evaluate the value of mango orchards in the conservation of phyllostomid bats in a fragmented, heterogeneous landscape in Veracruz, Mexico we compared species richness, total abundance, dominance, evenness and abundance per feeding guild of bats in mango polycultures, mango monocultures and in semi-deciduous seasonal forest. Using mist nets at ground level, we captured 882 phyllostomid bats belonging to 17 species. Bat species richness was similar between the mango orchards and the forest, but the number of bats was significantly higher in mango polycultures, followed by mango monocultures and the forest. The frugivore guild was the most numerous in the mango orchards. Sanguivores were notably more numerous in the forest. Our results suggest that both types of mango orchards are different from the forest, since they are characterized by differences in bat species composition and feeding guild. We conclude that mango agroecosystems, when small in size and close to the forest, are important in the conservation of bats; it is there where bats are abundant and maintain a level of species richness similar to that of the original vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind energy is an important source of bat mortality worldwide. Extensive mortality data were gathered by a provincial surveillance program carried out at wind farms in lowland Mediterranean areas of the province of Cadiz, Andalusia (South Spain) between 2005 and 2016. As many as 2,371 bat fatalities were found. We determined the patterns of fatality in this sample and tested the quality of the surveillance program used. The data generally support previous observations regarding the seasonal timing, the species affected and the sex and age of fatalities. However, contrary to studies made at higher latitudes, fatalities mostly (95%) affected sedentary species and occurred on wind farms in flat landscape used for farming and livestock rearing. The current operational surveillance programme did not focus on bats initially, and, consequently, we urge that an improvement should consider a standardized search methodology including bats, verification of species identity, precise data collection, and mandatory and regular scavenger-removal and search-efficiency trials, in order to obtain correctly adjusted fatality estimates that can be used for efficient mitigation or compensatory measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the result of bat winter censuses in three old mines in southern Sweden from 1980 until present (2017). The Taberg and Kleva mines, each with about 1.5 km of accessible passages, have winter populations of 517 and 132 bats, respectively (maximum counts) belonging to six species, the highest numbers known in underground sites in Sweden. Ädelfors is less extensive and has fewer individuals (maximum 22). The two former sites were protected and gated in the 1980′s while the third site still has no formal protection and is subject to disturbance. Generally Daubenton's bat Myotis daubentonii and the brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus are common species and the numbers are stable. The whiskered and Brandt's bats M. mystacinus/brandtii and Natterer's bat M. nattereri have increased significantly, while the northern bat Eptesicus nilssonii, which is relatively rare in mines generally, has shown a slight but significant decline. At the species level the population trends conform well to those of the respective species in continental Europe and the British Isles. This suggests that there is a common factor behind the population changes across Europe. Although our data are very limited, the results question some previous explanations for the observed trends, but are in line with theoretical predictions based on global warming scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactation is one of the most energetically demanding periods in the life cycle of a small mammal. Classified as income breeders, hibernating small colonial insectivorous bats are hypothesised to compensate for the energetic demand of lactation by increasing daily food intake, which increases body mass. The Natal long-fingered bat Miniopterus natalensis is a colonial hibernating species in southern Africa for which energy compensation was hitherto unknown. We tested predictions of the energy compensation hypothesis using a wild population of M. natalensis during the parturition and maternity period of November–December in 2015–2017. The study was conducted at the Meletse Bat Research and Conservation Training Centre near Gatkop Cave, in Limpopo Province, South Africa. We weighed and categorised 2,707 M. natalensis females captured during evenings and mornings into one of four groups including not pregnant with a sclerotized nipple (NP-SC), not pregnant with a non-sclerotized nipple (NP-NSC), lactating with a sclerotized nipple (L-SC), and pregnant with a sclerotized nipple (P-SC). NP-NSC and NP-SC females were classified as non-reproductive, whilst L-SC and P-SC females were classified as active breeders. Results showed that females in the L-SC category were 6% heavier than females in non-reproductive categories (NP-NSC and NP-SC). Pregnant females were 25% heavier than non-reproductive females due, at least in part, to foetus mass, whilst the mean body mass did not differ between females in non-reproductive categories. Whilst the body mass of females in the NP-NSC, NP-SC and L-SC categories did not differ during evening captures, L-SC females showed the biggest mass increase between evening and morning captures. Proportions of females captured from reproductive categories differed among years, with a higher overall proportion of active breeders (70%) in 2017 than either 2016 (33%) or 2015 (31%). This may be related to inter-annual variation in climate and warrants further investigation. Our results suggest female M. natalensis were heavier, on average, during lactation and support the energy compensation hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically for bats, the southwestern Brazilian Amazon has had scant biological data available, which compromised large-scale comparisons and macroecological studies that could support conservation initiatives in the area. We tested faunal similarity among 26 well-sampled bat assemblages distributed throughout the Amazon, including our database from surveys in the upper Madeira River region, a core area of the southwestern Brazilian Amazon. To document bats we conducted nocturnal mist-net sampling under standardized Rapid Assessments for Long-term Ecological Research (RAPELD) protocols in forests and farmlands, and diurnal search of roosts in rocky outcrops located along the riverbed of the Madeira River. We captured 2930 bats representing 66 species, 20 of which were previously unreported for the region. Thirty-four species recorded were exclusive to forests, and two to the rocky outcrops of the Madeira River. Frugivores outnumbered the other trophic guilds, followed by the gleaning insectivores in forests, and then aerial insectivores in the farmlands. The southwestern Brazilian Amazon fauna is more similar to others from the western Amazon and less similar to the bat fauna from the eastern Amazon and the Guianas. This geographic association is undoubtedly related to a more recent history of formation of the terrestrial ecosystems of the western Amazon lowlands. With 87 species currently known, the southwestern Brazilian Amazon is now one of the richest areas in the world for bats, which helps to understand the limits of the distributional patterns between eastern and western Amazon bat faunas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last decades, the important role of bats in ecosystems and the threats to many bat species were increasingly recognized, and bats were integrated into several conservation acts. Protected areas like national parks may play a major role in bat conservation if species requirements are included in management plans. With its high bat diversity and many unexplored off-shore islands, Sardinia has a high potential for the protection of European bats and for research on their ecology. We conducted the first survey of the bat fauna on the Sardinian off-shore island and National Park Asinara, a formerly inhabited island. We applied a multi-method approach over two years to create a proper species inventory and to obtain data on the use of man-made structures by the bats. We recorded bat calls at different sites in summer and winter, captured bats via mist-netting, and performed roost surveys of man-made structures. Ten species were identified, three of them are highly protected, namely Rhinolophus hipposideros, R. ferrumequinum and Miniopterus schreibersii. Thirty-nine day roosts and 14 night roosts of, in total, five species were found in man-made structures. Many structures provided day and night roosts for different bat species. Although forest and water bodies are limited, and intensive grazing has created several open areas on the island, a remarkably high bat diversity developed, making Asinara an important offshore retreat area for bats in Italy. Our findings indicate an essential role of the abandoned buildings, and artificial ponds, of the island for bat conservation. The results of this study provide a basis for future bat conservation measures on Asinara Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bats display marked seasonality throughout the temperate zone and use different habitats during different parts of the year. Unfortunately, detailed information regarding seasonal distribution and movements is often lacking, thereby hampering the development of adequate conservation measures. In this study we used radio telemetry to track females of the endangered Bechstein's bat ( Myotis bechsteinii) from autumn swarming sites to their summer maternity colony ranges. We were able to tag 22 individuals, 18 of which were subsequently recovered at nine roost sites up to 20.6 km away. Females from multiple colonies visited the same swarming site on a single night. Concurrently, we recovered females from a single maternity colony at different swarming sites on the same night. The catchment area of the investigated swarming sites measured 27.1 km2, and was skewed to the northwest. Tagged bats were recovered in forest fragments ranging in size from 5.42 to 128.98 ha. Notably, all but one of the recovered roosts were found in forests that have been continuously wooded since at least 1775. Surveys during the summer at these sites confirmed the presence of maternity colonies at six out of seven locations that could be investigated. Our study contributes to our understanding of swarming behavior and seasonal movement patterns, and exemplifies how these can be used to complete the year-round habitat use of bat species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing use of non-woven materials, such as breathable roofing membranes (BRMs) within buildings that either currently contain a bat roost or may do in the future, has led to concerns over bat safety by those involved in bat conservation in the UK. Whilst some information is currently available on the selection of roosts in roofs by bats, along with technical specifications of individual membranes, there is no research that has investigated the interactions between the two. Prior to determining the methods needed to test interactions between bats and BRMs, a series of preliminary investigations were conducted; including research and physical measurements on selected anatomical features of bats commonly found roosting in buildings in the UK. Data on body size and shape were gathered from a combination of experimental measurements of bat specimens (deceased) and information collated from literature. Data on bat claw morphology were collected by applying a method used to measure raptor talons, measurements obtained included; width, length and the curvature (hook ratio) of their claws. The results of this research provide additional information about bat body and claw morphometrics. It was found that bat species/group had a significant effect upon the length, width and curvature of the claws (to varying degrees). Pipistrelle species have the shortest and third narrowest claws, whereas serotines have the longest and widest claws on average. The curvature of the claws does not vary greatly between species; however, more variation was seen in the lower portion of the claws. The results from this research also demonstrate that the current standard industry tests do not represent the fine scale at which a bats claws interact with their roosting surfaces. Consequently, this information can be used to aid the development of industry tests for determining the suitability of BRMs for use in bat roosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater systems have been profoundly changed by the construction of dams, and the influence of dams on bat activity is poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed the effects of small dams along mountain streams on local bat communities. This work was carried out in five small streams located in the NE of Portugal using bioacoustic surveys during the summer of 2011. The present study confirms that, in the northeast areas of Portugal, the majority of bat species use artificial bodies of water for either drinking or foraging, but species differed in terms of their activity levels over the reservoirs when compared with intact stream habitats. As predicted, small dams in the study area were important centers of overall bat activity relative to other sampling areas. At the same time, feeding activity was also higher in the flooded areas. We also found that Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Myotis daubentonii, Pipistrellus kuhlii, Pipistrellus pygmaeus/ Miniopterus schreibersii, Tadarida teniotis and Nyctalus leisleri/ Eptesicus serotinus benefited from the presence of dam reservoirs. Hypsugo savii activity was also mostly recorded at reservoir points. However, the highest number of endangered and rare species was recorded at an intact stream habitat. This result emphasizes the relevance of riparian habitats for bats, especially for the most endangered species. The relationship between dam availability, riparian quality and bat diversity suggested that the changes in the streams promoted by damming could affect both bat species richness and activity levels, leading to changes in the overall composition of the bat community. In conclusion, this study found that small reservoirs have a significant influence on bat activity. However, dams appear to primarily benefit the most common species, while the endangered species were associated with riparian habitats. Therefore, for conservation proposes of the local bat community, riparian areas appear to be more important than reservoirs. Thus, this study provides a better understanding of the impact of small dams on bats contributing to the future management and conservation of bat species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mount Nimba, covering 674 km2, straddles Liberia, Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in West Africa and is situated in the transition zone between the tropical forest zone to the south and moist woodlands to the north. Mount Nimba supports an exceptional biodiversity, with a number of endemic plants, invertebrates and vertebrates restricted to the massif, including the bat Hipposideros lamottei. Previous surveys suggested a high bat richness of 41 species associated with the mountain. During a series of surveys conducted in 2008-2012, we found that the bat diversity in this region far surpasses earlier figures and currently is 59 species. At least one bat species is entirely restricted to the mountain, with several other near-endemics or Upper Guinea forest endemics. Three species are listed as threatened by the IUCN, including one Critically Endangered. Furthermore, the conservation statuses of nine taxa have yet to be evaluated by the IUCN, several of which are recently described species and are likely to be threatened. This study highlights the irreplaceability of Mount Nimba for the conservation of bat diversity on the African continent, and draws attention to its protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss of tree cavities presents a threat to tree roosting echolocating bat populations. Bat boxes have been used for over a century to provide artificial cavities. The aims of this review were to provide a synthesis of bat box use in temperate parts of the world, to discuss the applications and effectiveness of bat boxes, to provide box deployment recommendations and to identify areas requiring further research. The 109 publications reviewed originated from four regions. The majority were from Europe (70%) followed by North America (16%), Australia (12%) and Asia (3%). Publications reported box use for research ( n = 67), conservation management ( n = 42) and public bat awareness ( n = 1). The most commonly used bat box designs could be divided into five basic types, four originating from Europe and one from North America. Woodcement as a box material was frequently used in Europe and was practically absent elsewhere with timber boxes most commonly used overall. Seventy-one species of bats have been recorded using boxes, although only 18 were identified as using boxes commonly and 31 species were reported to have formed maternity roosts. The lack of maternity and overwintering roost records in boxes is a concern. There is a need to test current box types across geographical regions and to develop designs further. Where boxes are used as a conservation tool, consideration should be given to the long-term maintenance costs of a box program. Unless known to be unsuitable to target species, boxes should be made from durable materials, be unattractive to non-target species and be 'self-cleaning'. Deploying a variety of box designs in clusters, time since box installation, non-target species box competition and target species-specific box design elements are likely influencing box uptake. The provision of boxes that comprise different microclimates and box aspects are likely best suited to meet the varying needs of a given tree roosting echolocating bat community. No conclusive evidence was found that box installation height is important for box uptake. There is concern that boxes may provide a competitive advantage for bat species commonly using boxes. Bat boxes should not be used as a justification for the removal of trees that comprise potential roost cavities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the home range size requirements for short-tailed bats or Mystacina tuberculata in the rainforests of Eglinton Valley, New Zealand. Topics discussed include the types of areas where bats' activities are concentrated, the characteristics of the bats' home ranges and the implication of the findings for conservation efforts.

The article presents a study to estimate the sample sizes necessary for a landscape-scale-mark-recapture-based monitoring program of North American migratory tree bats. The study involved power analyses using a statistical model that allows reencounters of live and dead marked individuals. It finds that increasing recovery of dead marked individuals may be more valuable than increasing capture probability of marked individuals, based on sensitivity analyses.

The article presents a study to assess the status of cave bats by surveying bats in well-known caves and forest on limestone on Bohol Island in the central Philippines. The study also assessed cave disturbance through physical signs and interviews, and observed and acoustically detected bats in 14 taxa with 19 species, including the Philippine endemic Hipposideros coronatus, known to roost in caves. It notes high species richness, signs of population decline, and high human disturbance.

The article presents a study on the effects of installing gates at cave entrances to protect hibernating bat colonies, on population trends at individual hibernacula for endangered bat species like the Indiana bat, Myotis sodalis. It finds that population growth rates declined for hibernacula with increasing growth rates prior to gate placement. It also notes that population growth rates increased for hibernacula with declining growth rates prior to gate installation.

The article presents a study of population fluctuations, roost site selection and diet of straw-coloured fruit bats, Eidolon helvum, in western Kenya. The study finds that tree density and number of tree branches were important factors in roost site selection, adding that the removal of roost trees impacts their conservation in the region. It proposes an outreach programme in schools and communities as bats were viewed negatively and persecuted by roost tree clearance and eradication attempts.

The article presents a study to test the hypothesis that habitats deemed of minor value for bat foraging like cliffs, may become important in resource-limited systems like islands. The study involved an acoustic survey of bats in Capri, Italy and compared their use of Mediterranean shrubland and limestone cliffs. It finds that four of the five bat species tested preferred coastal cliffs for foraging, even by the barbastelle bat, Barbastella barbastellus, normally regarded a forest specialist.

The article presents a study on bat activity based on distance to hedgerows in a German agricultural landscape for effective landscape planning like wind energy development, to avoid human-wildlife conflicts. Bat activity was recorded at different distances from hedges during spring and summer. It finds similar overall activity for all bat species between seasons, with the highest activity recorded near the hedges, noting variation in species-specific spatial activity patterns between seasons.

The article investigates the diet of the Indian flying fox in Pakistant from March 2008 to February 2009. Findings showed that bats fed on 20 species belonging to 11 families of plants. Four families were identified from remnants of flower petals in food boluses while others were identified from the seeds in the boluses. The most frequently identified items were Ficus glomerata and Ficus religiosa during spring and Psidium guajava and Diospyros peregrina during summer. The ecological services rendered by Pteropus giganteus include pollination and seed dispersal.

The article discusses written reports on the effects of wind turbine on bats in northwestern Europe. According to reports, the estimated number of bats killed per turbine annually was relatively low on open farmland and highest at the coast and on forested hills and ridges. Ninety eight percent of species killed belonged to a group adapted for open-air foraging. Meanwhile, 90% of mortality occurred on nights with low wind speeds from July to October. Findings showed that events increased with turbine tower height and rotor diameter. Species other than the open-air suite which are not at risk at wind turbines are still killed occasionally.