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Simple Summary: Africa faces significant challenges in balancing economic and social development while preserving its natural resources. However, we still have much to learn about the diverse bat community on the continent, especially in drier ecosystems. In our study, which was conducted in a semi-arid region of Kenya, we aimed to provide detailed information on the factors that influence the number and activity of bats. We used acoustic sampling and other methods to assess bat activity at different heights above the ground. We surveyed 48 ground-level sites and two sites on meteorological masts 20 and 35 m above the ground. We identified over 20 bat species, including one species of concern for conservation. Our analysis showed that different variables affect bat activity. The low-flying bat species were influenced by habitat variables, whereas the high-flying species depended more on weather conditions. Our study highlights the richness of bat populations in semi-arid environments and emphasizes the need for conservation measures. Climate change, land management, and development projects threaten bat diversity and their habitats. It is crucial to implement effective management strategies to protect these species. Our findings contribute to the development of conservation efforts for bat populations in Africa and beyond. Africa faces significant challenges in reconciling economic and social development while preserving its natural resources. Little is known about the diverse bat community on the continent, particularly in drier ecosystems. A better understanding of the bat community will help improve and inform the management of these ecosystems. Our study aimed to provide detailed information on the main drivers of bat richness and activity at three different heights above the ground in a semi-arid region of Kenya. We assessed how bat activity varied with space and height using acoustic sampling and complementary methods. We sampled 48 sites at ground level and two sites on meteorological masts at 20 m and 35 m above the ground. We recorded more than 20 bat species, including one species of concern for conservation. Our models showed that the use of space varies with bat guild, creating trade-offs in the variables that affect their activity. Low-flying bat species are mostly associated with habitat variables, whereas high-flying species are more dependent on weather conditions. Our study highlights the richness of bat assemblages in semi-arid environments and emphasizes the need for management measures to protect bat diversity in the face of habitat degradation caused by climate change, land management, and development projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing urbanization, particularly in developing countries, it is important to understand how local biota will respond to such landscape changes. Bats comprise one of the most diverse groups of mammals in urban areas, and many species are threatened by habitat destruction and land use change. Yet, in Africa, the response of bats to urban areas is relatively understudied. Therefore, we collated data on urban presence, phylogenetic relationship, and ecological traits of 54 insectivorous bats in Africa from available literature to test if their response to urbanization was phylogenetically and/or ecologically driven. Ancestral state reconstruction of urban tolerance, defined by functional group and presence observed in urban areas, suggests that ancestral African bat species could adapt to urban landscapes, and significant phylogenetic signal for urban tolerance indicates that this ability is evolutionarily conserved and mediated by pre‐adaptations. Specifically, traits of high wing loading and aspect ratio, and flexible roosting strategies, enable occupancy of urban areas. Therefore, our results identify the traits that predict which bat species will likely occur in urban areas, and which vulnerable bat clades conservation efforts should focus on to reduce loss of both functional and phylogenetic diversity in Africa. We, additionally, highlight several gaps in research that should be investigated in future studies to provide better monitoring of the impact urbanization will have on African bats. [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]

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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]