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Caves are among the most important roosts of hundreds of bat species worldwide. However, caves can be formed in different lithologies. Cave structure and characteristics, which are shaped by lithology, can, in turn, influence roost preferences for different bat species. Therefore, cave lithology and characteristics can help us to better understand why some bat species may be rare in some caves and common in others. Brazil is a continental country, rich in bat species (181 spp.), lithologies and caves (>23 000). However, only a small fraction of the known caves has been sampled for bats so far, with no emphasis on the role lithology may have. Based on a literature review and using data on bat occurrence, in this study, we investigated the influence of lithology on bat species richness and rarity in Brazilian caves. We evaluated 117 studies, including data from 552 caves, and updated the number of bat species occurring in Brazilian caves to 81. Species richness differed between lithologies: carbonate caves had higher species richness, whereas iron caves had lower species richness. Richness was positively related to carbonate caves and with cave size: the bigger the cave, the more species‐rich it tends to be. Overall, caves in the Cerrado had the highest species richness, followed by Atlantic Forest, Caatinga caves and Amazonian caves. Thirteen species can be considered as primarily cave‐dwelling species, recorded in 10%–20% of the caves. Rarity was common among primarily cave‐dwelling species. Nearly 22% of the sampled caves harboured endangered species, reaching 53% of the species‐richest caves. Our analysis provides a comprehensive baseline for bat fauna in different types of caves in Brazil. Even so, we strongly recommend the establishment of long‐term monitoring of population trends for bats in Brazilian caves, which is necessary information but almost non‐existing for the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bats are highly mobile animals, moving rapidly over long distances. Detecting such movements is challenging, especially in cave areas, a commonly-used roost by bats. Brazil has a large number of caves and bat species, but details on bat mobility among caves is still poorly documented there. Such monitoring provides insights on the structuring and conservation of cave-dwelling communities, with possible legal implications for the environmental licensing in Brazil. Based on marking (2,490 bats captured; 2,142 marked) and recapture (35 events; 14 extra-site), here we present data on the mobility of mormoopid bats between two bat caves 15 km apart in northeastern Brazil. Sexual segregation between caves may explain mobility: one cave is likely a maternity roost; the other is a satellite cave used for copulae. Nomadic behavior due to seasonal distribution of resources in the semi-arid Northeastern Brazil cannot be ruled out. Based on the distance between the two caves, bats could potentially forage over an area of ~170,000 hectares, in a wider use of the landscape. Our data have implications for the conservation of bat species and their roosts, and contribute to a more evidence-based discussion of key concepts governing the environmental licensing of mining activities in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lonchophylla is a genus of currently 13 nectar-feeding bat species found throughout Central and South America, including Lonchophylla mordaxThomas, 1903, a species endemic to Brazil. Currently nationally categorized as 'Data Deficient', L. mordax has several knowledge gaps, including basic ones on its natural history. Here, we provide information on L. mordax's pattern of nocturnal activity, reproductive peak, sex and age ratios, its relationship with ectoparasites, as well as its distribution and taxonomy. Fieldwork was conducted in the Caatinga (seasonally dry tropical forest) in north-eastern Brazil between 2012 and 2015, during which we captured 110 L. mordax individuals. Our results showed that there was no significant difference in body mass or forearm length between males and females, with a sex ratio of 1:1. We obtained four adult individuals for every subadult captured. Lonchophylla mordax individuals were active throughout the entire sample night period but with a significant peak in activity in the first 30 min after sunset. The number of captures was strongly negatively correlated with minutes after sunset. Pregnant females were captured between July and February, and subadults were captured mainly in July and August, suggesting that the peak of births occurred at the end of the dry period and the beginning of the rainy period in the study area. Additionally, almost 70% of L. mordax individuals were parasitized by streblid flies, with no significant difference in parasite load observed across seasons, sexes, and ages. However, the individuals' body condition index was negatively correlated with the parasite load. Natural history research, such as that described here, helps to fill knowledge gaps on L. mordax, including providing data for the decision-making in conservation plans. Moreover, we add information for a species-rich genus with closely related, but poorly-studied, species globally listed as threatened or near-threatened. Lonchophylla es un género de 13 especies de murciélagos que se alimentan de néctar y se encuentran en toda América Central y del Sur, incluyendo Lonchophylla mordaxThomas, 1903, una especie endémica de Brasil. Actualmente categorizada a nivel nacional como 'Datos Insuficientes', L. mordax presenta varios vacíos de conocimiento, incluyendo información básica sobre su historia natural. Aquí, proporcionamos información sobre el patrón de actividad nocturna de L. mordax, su pico reproductivo, relaciones de género y edad, su relación con los ectoparásitos, así como su distribución y taxonomía. El trabajo de campo se llevó a cabo en el bioma Caatinga (bosque tropical estacionalmente seco) en el noreste de Brasil entre 2012 y 2015, durante el cual capturamos 110 individuos de L. mordax. Nuestros resultados mostraron que no había una diferencia significativa en la masa corporal o la longitud del antebrazo entre machos y hembras, con una proporción de sexos de 1:1. Se obtuvo cuatro individuos adultos por cada subadulto capturado. Los individuos de L. mordax estuvieron activos durante todo el período de muestreo nocturno, pero con un pico significativo de actividad en los primeros 30 min después de la puesta del sol. El número de capturas se correlacionó negativamente de manera significativa con los minutos después del atardecer. Las hembras preñadas fueron capturadas entre julio y febrero, y los subadultos fueron capturados principalmente en julio y agosto, lo que sugiere que el pico de nacimientos ocurrió al final del período seco y al comienzo del período lluvioso en el área de estudio. Además, casi el 70% de los individuos de L. mordax estaban parasitados por moscas Streblidae, sin diferencia significativa en la carga parasitaria observada entre estaciones, sexos y edades. Sin embargo, el índice de condición corporal de los individuos se correlacionó negativamente con la carga parasitaria. La investigación de la historia natural, como la descrita aquí, ayuda a llenar los vacíos de conocimiento sobre L. mordax, lo que incluye proporcionar datos para la toma de decisiones en los planes de conservación. Además, agregamos información para un género rico en especies con especies estrechamente relacionadas, pero poco estudiadas, globalmente listadas como amenazadas o casi amenazadas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Bat fatalities at wind facilities have been reported worldwide, and environmental impact assessments depend on searches for carcasses around wind turbines to quantify impacts. Some of the carcasses may go undetected by search teams or be removed by scavengers during search intervals, so these biases must be evaluated and taken into account in fatality estimation. We investigated the influence of different factors on searcher efficiency and scavenger removal in a dry forest area in northeastern Brazil, one of the regions with the highest density of wind turbines in the Neotropics. We conducted searcher efficiency and scavenger removal trials around 34 wind turbines from January 2017 to January 2018. Searcher efficiency was influenced by cover type, season, and carcass size, ranging between 12% for small bats in shrub vegetation during the rainy season and 96% for large bats in absent or sparse vegetation during the dry season. Carcass type and season affected scavenger removal; carcass persistence time was shorter for chicks (1.2 days) than for bats and mice (2.1 days), and the probability of a carcass persisting for a whole day was higher in the rainy season, while the probability of carcass persistence for 7, 14, and 28 days was higher in the dry season. The scavenger community was composed of canids, birds of prey, and insects, with systematic removal of carcasses by the crab‐eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) throughout the year and by dung beetles in the rainy season. Based on our findings, impact assessments of wind facilities on bats should conduct searcher efficiency trials in all seasons and cover types around wind turbines, using bat carcasses or models of different sizes. Scavenger removal trials should cover all seasons as well, and use mouse carcasses (but not chick carcasses) as surrogates for bats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind energy is an important electricity source. Even though it is cleaner than other energy sources in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, gathering energy from the wind has impact on organisms that fly, including bats. Understanding whether and how bat activity patterns are affected by environmental variables may be useful when trying to mitigate these impacts, for example bat mortality from collisions with wind turbines. Northeastern Brazil concentrates one of the world's largest wind potentials and has thousands of wind turbines in operation. In spite of this scenario, there is a lack of basic information, such as the presence of bat species and their activity patterns in those wind farms. We used passive acoustic monitoring to assess species richness and species composition and obtain data on activity patterns of insectivorous bats in four wind farm complexes in northeastern Brazil. We also investigated the possible correlation between environmental variables (wind speed and direction, air temperature and humidity, and percentage of moon illumination) and bat activity. The acoustic monitoring carried out for 30 nights produced approximately 120,000 bat passes of 29 sonotypes and four families. Environmental variables may influence bat activity, but in a site-specific way, i.e., although the environmental conditions of wind-energy complexes were similar, there was not an activity pattern common to all. Considering such specificities, we strongly recommend long-term specific on-site monitoring in each wind complex, avoiding generalizations for the environmental licensing of wind energy in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species distribution modelling (SDM) gained importance on biodiversity distribution and conservation studies worldwide, including prioritizing areas for public policies and international treaties. Useful for large-scale approaches and species distribution estimates, it is a plus considering that a minor fraction of the planet is adequately sampled. However, minimizing errors is challenging, but essential, considering the uses and consequences of such models. In situ validation of the SDM outputs should be a key-step—in some cases, urgent. Bioacoustics can be used to validate and refine those outputs, especially if the focal species' vocalizations are conspicuous and species-specific. This is the case of echolocating bats. Here, we used extensive acoustic monitoring (>120 validation points over an area of >758,000 km2, and producing >300,000 sound files) to validate MaxEnt outputs for six neotropical bat species in a poorly-sampled region of Brazil. Based on in situ validation, we evaluated four threshold-dependent theoretical evaluation metrics' ability in predicting models' performance. We also assessed the performance of three widely used thresholds to convert continuous SDMs into presence/absence maps. We demonstrated that MaxEnt produces very different outputs, requiring a careful choice on thresholds and modeling parameters. Although all theoretical evaluation metrics studied were positively correlated with accuracy, we empirically demonstrated that metrics based on specificity-sensitivity and sensitivity-precision are better for testing models, considering that most SDMs are based on unbalanced data. Without independent field validation, we found that using an arbitrary threshold for modelling can be a precarious approach with many possible outcomes, even after getting good evaluation scores. Bioacoustics proved to be important for validating SDMs for the six bat species analyzed, allowing a better refinement of SDMs in large and under-sampled regions, with relatively low sampling effort. Regardless of the species assessing method used, our research highlighted the vital necessity of in situ validation for SDMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bat ectoparasitic flies are hematophagous insects highly specialized to parasitize only bats. Knowledge about how biotic and abiotic factors can influence ecological relationships between parasites and hosts is in general incipient. Large information gaps are even worst in biodiversity-rich, but poorly sampled areas like Brazil's Caatinga, the largest tropical dry forest in South America. We used bats and their highly specialized ectoparasitic flies as a study model to clarify some aspects of this host-parasite system in this semiarid environment. We conducted fieldwork at 55 sites in the Caatinga, between April 2017 and March 2020 and collected 1300 flies (19 species) on 333 bats (15 species). Bat ectoparasitic flies were highly host-specific, had an aggregated distribution, frequently formed infracommunities with only one species, and had a male-biased sex ratio. Except for the prevalence of the streblid fly Strebla guajiro on Carollia perspicillata, which was significantly higher in the rainy season, bat flies showed no preference — expressed by frequency and intensity of infestation — for host sex, and their interspecific relationships were not mediated by rainfall. Other variables that could potentially be interfering in this host-parasite relationship deserve further attention, especially in environments such as the Caatinga where there is great seasonal variation. Furthermore, the existence of species-specific responses must be taken into account. [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]

Bat caves are very special roosts that harbour thousands of bats of one or more species. Such sites may hold an incredible "dark fungal diversity" which is still underestimated. We explored the culturable fungal richness in the air, on bats, and in the guano in a bat cave in Brazil's Caatinga dry forest. Fungal abundance was 683 colony-forming units (CFU) in the guano, 673 CFU in the air, and 105 CFU on the bats. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analysis of ITS, LSU, and TUB2 sequences, fungal isolates of 59 taxa belonging to 37 genera in the phyla Ascomycota (28 genera, including Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, and Talaromyces), Basidiomycota (eight genera, including Rhodotorula and Schizophyllum), and Mucoromycota (only Rhizopus) were identified. The fungal richness in the air was 23 taxa (especially Aspergillus taxa), mainly found at 15 m and 45 m from the cave entrance; on the bodies of bats it was 36 taxa (mainly Aspergillus taxa), especially on their wing membranes (21 taxa, nine of which were exclusively found in this microhabitat); and in guano 10 fungal taxa (especially Aspergillus and Penicillium) were found. The fungal richness associated with guano (fresh and non-fresh) was similar from bats with different eating habits (insectivorous, frugivorous, and haematophagous). Sampling effort was not sufficient to reveal the total fungal taxa richness estimated. Eight (21.6%) of the 37 genera and 17 (53.1%) of the 32 identified fungal species are reported for the first time in caves. Our results highlight bat caves in Brazil as hotspots of fungal diversity, emphasizing the need to protect such special roosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argasid ticks are a diverse group of acarines that parasitize numerous vertebrate hosts. Along with birds, bats serve as hosts for several argasid ticks, which are commonly found in bat caves. Argasid ticks have regained attention from tick taxonomists in recent decades, with a number of new species described in various zoogeographical regions. Nonetheless, studies on their ecology are still scarce. We conducted a 1-year longitudinal study to assess the presence of argasid ticks in a bat cave in the drylands of north-eastern Brazil and evaluate their possible response to abiotic factors. From July 2014 to June 2015, 490 ticks were collected (272 nymphs, 169 males and 49 females) in a cave chamber hosting a large colony of Pteronotus spp. bats, being relatively more frequent from July to December 2014. Adults were identified as Antricola guglielmonei, whereas nymphs were assigned to the genus Antricola. Almost all ticks (98%) were collected on the cave walls. Only 2% were on the ceiling and, surprisingly, no specimens were found on the floor and/or guano. Adults were usually clustered in the crevices and little mobile, whereas nymphs were dispersed and more active, moving over the walls or ceiling of the cave. Although present in most of the studied period, there was a significantly negative correlation between tick abundance and relatively humidity, and A. guglielmonei was more frequent during the dry season. Moreover, there was no evident correlation between the abundance of ticks and bats. Further long-term studies will be able to verify whether this pattern is repeated over time, and even whether other variables can influence the population dynamics of A. guglielmonei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cave temperature is a limiting factor for several bat species. • Environmental stability, humidity, and cave structure influence species occurrence. • Larger – but more stable – microhabitat-rich caves harbor more species. • Landscape context did not affect species richness and composition. • Vegetation cover around caves is important for some species. Bats frequently use caves as roosts due to higher environmental stability and protection. However, species-specific ecological and physiological requirements and conditions of roosts and their surroundings can influence species presence. Little is known on cave choice by bats in the Neotropics, a species- and cave-rich region. Understanding how bats, cave characteristics and the surrounding landscape are related with each other helps the management and conservation of bats and caves. Based on sampling 19 caves using both diurnal observations and captures, we tested (1) whether bat richness was positively related to cave temperature, humidity, size, stability, and heterogeneity of microhabitats, and the preservation and heterogeneity of the surrounding landscape in central Brazil; (2) whether cave and landscape characteristics influenced on species composition; (3) how species responded to cave and landscape variables; and (4) whether these relationships changed between seasons. Temperature was a limiting factor, whereas environmental stability, humidity, and structural attributes of caves favored the occurrence of more species. Larger caves, rich in microhabitats – but more stable than the external environment – supported more species, especially in the dry season. Landscape context did not influence species richness and composition in the caves, but the percentage of vegetation around caves was important for certain species. Our results highlight the influence of environmental variables in the process of cave selection by Neotropical bat species. Moreover, we emphasize the importance of cave protection for bats and provide useful information for decision-making in processes of environmental licensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The effective conservation and management of any given species frequently requires basic knowledge on its distribution, which is problematic for highly mobile, species‐ and ecologically‐rich groups, like bats. Moreover, to produce detailed distributions for continental‐sized, bat species‐rich countries, like Brazil, is difficult, especially considering that ~60% of the country has not a single formal bat record. Using Species Distribution Modelling (SDM), we assessed the potential distribution of >100 species of Brazilian bats. Location: Brazil. Methods: We (a) updated data on the distribution of 135 bat species, (b) generated SDMs for each species, (c) constructed species richness maps for Brazil, (d) determined areas of endemism and (e) identified areas harbouring threatened species. Results: Amazonia harbours the highest bat species richness (76% of the species), followed by the Atlantic Forest (66%), Cerrado (65%) and the Caatinga (53%). Richness in 5 × 5 km grid cells varied between 23 and 117 species and 70% of Brazil's territory is predicted to have 50–90 species, and 25% >90 species. Coastal Atlantic forest, mainly in its north‐eastern region, and along its contact zone with the Caatinga biome had the highest potential richness. However, there is a severe regional sampling bias: 48% of the records available were from the Atlantic Forest and 21% were from along the Amazon River. Main conclusions: Pantanal and Pampa are clearly under sampled, with <50% of their expected richness already assessed. Endemic and endangered bat species are in the Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Caatinga, the most threatened biomes in Brazil. In addition to the seven nationally threatened bat species in Brazil, the situation for other species is worrisome: In a business‐as‐usual scenario, local extinctions in large portions of the country may happen before basic information gaps are filled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The big crested mastiff bat, Promops centralis , occurs in Central and South America, but knowledge of its ecology is limited due to its open space hunting strategy, making captures extremely challenging. Notwithstanding, members of the species produce echolocation calls that are easy to identify. After recording calls of P. centralis 1,500 km away from its known range in Brazil, we hypothesized that the distribution range of this species was probably greatly underestimated. To improve the accuracy of P. centralis ' real distribution, we employed acoustic surveys throughout parts of Brazil, conducted after a bibliographic review to gather additional records, and used MaxEnt to model the species' potential distribution. We have found that P. centralis has a much wider distribution in South America than previously thought, adding more than 3.8 million km2 to its former known area. We also describe an unusual vocalization pattern of P. centralis , with individuals emitting at least three very distinct but highly variable calls. This study shows that bioacoustic surveys and species distribution models can complement traditional methodologies in studying species that are difficult to capture, such as P. centralis , potentially contributing to more effective conservation and management plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myotis lavali was described from the M. nigricans complex based on museum specimens from the Caatinga of northeastern Brazil. Current records of the species from about 10 localities suggest that M. lavali seems to occur throughout the South American dry corridor, with peripheral records in the Atlantic Forest. Based on new distribution records, we assess if M. lavali is endemic to the South American dry diagonal corridor through species distribution modeling using an ensemble approach. We obtained 35 occurrences for the species and built a consensus scenario based on 12 algorithms to model its distribution. Even using different thresholds to assign presence and absence of M. lavali , 95–99% of its predicted distribution is within the dry corridor, with few areas in the boundary of the Atlantic Forest, especially in deciduous forests. Therefore, our results support that M. lavali is indeed very likely restricted to the dry diagonal and, although it occupies forested areas, the core of its distribution lies in the Caatinga and in the Cerrado regions of Brazil. [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]

Facing a global biodiversity conservation crisis, urgent decisions are needed but prioritization is challenging. We analyzed how students, recent graduates of Biology, Law, and Engineering, and environmental managers in Brazil ranked ten conservation actions. Reduction in habitat loss and in overexploitation, and in situ protection were consensual top priorities. Freshmen students have similar priorities, which change as their courses advance. Biologists, engineers, and lawyers agree about only two priorities, but not in a consensual order. Biologists gave little importance to financial resources; managers much higher, and lower to action plans. Flagship species and ex situ protection were least priorities for all. Prioritization was influenced by educational level and experience and some priorities are counterintuitive. Our study reinforces the need to assess inter-groups differences, so conservationists could anticipate tendencies of single group decisions. Gaps in the conservation-oriented education of potential decision-makers must be filled, so their decisions could be more effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biotropica is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Biotropica is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Brazil has one of the largest protected areas (PA) systems in the world but just a small fraction is devoted to the protection of marine habitats. The effectiveness and integrity of PA are being challenged and questioned worldwide and this situation is not different in Brazil. Poorly managed PA are more vulnerable to habitat loss, poaching and other threats. Alarmingly, studies have shown that just a fraction of the current PA can be considered effectively managed. Facing such scenario, studies on the effectiveness of the management of PA – and especially marine PA (MPA)- become essential to enhance the role these areas play in biodiversity conservation, as well as provide useful tools for managers and decision-makers. Using the Rapid Assessment and Priorization of Protected Area Management (RAPPAM) methodology, we evaluated the management effectiveness of the largest MPA in Brazil, the Environmental Protected Area Costa dos Corais (APACC, IUCN category V). In a rare opportunity in the context of Brazil’s PA system, we were able to access the management effectiveness of APACC over a 15-year period, tracking progresses, identifying strengthens and weaknesses experienced. The overall management effectiveness of APACC has improved over the last 15 years. Although there were variations, five out of 14 indicators analyzed presented improvements while nine remained stable over the years. Finance was the module that contributed the most for the general improvement of APACC. Contrary to many other PA worldwide, which face budget restrictions, APACC’s financial situation is currently stable and such stability may have had a positive effect on other management modules, like Infrastructure and Outputs. Research, Monitoring and Evaluation was among modules with slower progress, which is a contradiction considering APACC is amongst the Brazilian MPA with more research. The feedback from researchers is considered poor and most of the research conducted considered not useful for management purposes. Tourism has the highest increase in criticality, being not only the biggest pressure, but also the main threat. Considering that there were improvements in other areas, increasing APACC’s limited staff should be a priority for the coming years. RAPPAM proved to be a quick and easy-to-apply methodology, making it effective for temporal analysis on the management of MPA. However, caution is necessary when analyzing some of RAPPAM results. Frequent changes in the management staff, poor records of the management process and the activities adopted, and incomplete transference of information between staff members inevitably compromises the answers and the overall accuracy. RAPPAM needs in loco validation of the answers and this could be a time consuming process for large PA. For better results, RAPPAM could and should be applied together with other evaluation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents research on bat assemblages in the Atlantic forest of Chapada do Abanador in Minas Gerais, Brazil. It discusses fauna, vegetation and weather conditions at Chapada do Abanado, bat sampling in three different habitats at the subject area and estimates of species of bat families including Desmodus rotundus, Carollia perspicillata and Anoura geoffroyi. It examines the role of mountain elevation in diversity and capture success of bat species.

Abstract: Illegal wildlife trade is a widespread activity with direct impacts on biodiversity and street markets are frequently pointed out as hotspots in the wildlife trade route. However, due to its illegal character, it is difficult to accurately estimate how many individuals and how much money are handled by traders. Precise data on the number of individuals and species involved, and the drivers behind the illegal wildlife trade are essential for fighting it. We use the example of the metropolitan area of Recife, in northeastern Brazil, a well-known route of illegal wildlife in the country, to access the extent and impact street markets may have on biodiversity. We present quantitative and qualitative information on the illegal trade of wild birds in eight street markets in the area, indicating which species are preferred and why, estimating the number of animals and the volume of money involved, and quantifying the impact that the removal of those animals may have. We observed a high and diversified species offer, biased towards adult male songbirds, with birds of 15 families and 55 species on sale. Birds are kept in poor conditions and some individuals are sold for as little as US$ 1.00. However, we projected that up to 50,000 wild birds may be sold annually in the markets surveyed, including possibly 16,800 individuals of Sporophila nigricollis (the yellow-bellied seedeater), the most frequently observed species. The activity is profitable and may deal with significant amounts of money (up to nearly US$ 630,000.00/year). The numbers involved indicate that street markets are significant wildlife sinks, with a large and frequently ignored impact that must be taken into account in the control and conservation of the biodiversity, not just in Brazil but elsewhere. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Brazil has 109 million hectares of sustainable use reserves (SURs), most of them in Amazonia. In practical terms, SURs are being created to meet several objectives, but this process can and should be improved. The absence of a clear goal and the lack of basic social and biological information for such areas can compromise the goals, frustrate the people demanding the SURs and complicate the selection of the most adequate size, shape and category to be adopted. The data collection process used in the creation and management of protected areas is often compromised by under-funded environmental agencies, a lack of qualified human resources or the unawareness of accessible, quick, simple and inexpensive geographical methodologies able to facilitate such processes. The dissemination of tools and methods oriented to improve the management of and the decision-making process for protected areas in such adverse scenarios is necessary. Here we describe the execution of a participatory geographic information system (PGIS) to gain information on how human populations are living and using natural resources in the Maués State Forest, an SUR in Brazilian Amazonia. The PGIS allowed data acquisition for 415 families, 444 houses, 597 agricultural and animal-raising areas, 138 fishing sites, 106 hunting sites and 225 extraction sites within a short period of time (

Examines the species diversity of bats in forest fragments, primary forests, and savannas in central Amazonia, Brazil. Usage of mist nets and acoustic monitoring of echolocation calls; Recording of the mean capture rate; Results of the species-accumulation curves and species-richness estimators.

We compared the bat species composition of three localities in the Brazilian Amazon: continuous forest and fragments at Alter do Chão, Santarém, an area not previously sampled, and continuous forest in two relatively well studied areas, Manaus and Belém. The number of species captured at each locality varied between 17 and 42. Most species occurred at high abundance in continuous forest in the three localities, but only a subset was common in the fragments at Santarém. The relative abundance of bat species in Santarém is different from other localities sampled in the Amazon Basin and the presence of forest fragments may be the most important factor contributing to this difference. Multidi-mensional scaling ordination of sites based on relative abundance indicated distinct assemblages of bat species in the forest fragments in Santarém, and little differentiation of continuous-forest sites from sites in other localities. Continuous forests at Santarém and near Belém were more similar to each other than to continuous forest near Manaus, indicating the possibility of an east-west gradient in bat communities in the Amazon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Tropical dry forests (TDF) are threatened worldwide, affected by conversion to agriculture, fragmentation, fires, and climate change. Most of the remaining TDF are in South America, including Brazil's Caatinga. Understanding how the biota of TDFs responds to habitat loss and climate change is a scientific challenge, especially to diversified groups, such as bats, whose richness and ecological roles in TDF are usually underestimated. We updated and synthesized occurrence data and generated distribution models for Caatinga bats considering present and future scenarios. At least 96 species, 48 genera, and eight families were recorded, including two endemic species; five additional species may occur in the biome. The highest potential species richness occurs in the east, in the Caatinga/Atlantic Forest ecotone; the lowest in the west, in the Caatinga/Cerrado ecotone. Current and projected deforestation led to a reduction of 65% in areas with very high potential richness, and only 0.4% will remain within current protected areas. In a business as usual scenario (i.e., high and fast habitat loss + low in situ protection + high potential exposure to climate change) the bat fauna of the Caatinga will be negatively impacted. Improving the conservation of roosting and foraging sites, with the expansion and/or creation of protected areas is urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected areas (PAs) are a cornerstone of biodiversity conservation. Brazil, home to one-third of the world's tropical forests and 12% of its PAs, is a global leader in PA creation and management. Despite this leadership, evidence suggests that Brazil is scaling back elements of its PA network through a process known as PA downgrading, downsizing and degazettement (PADDD). To examine PADDD in Brazil, we created a comprehensive spatial database and documented all enacted and proposed PADDD events since 1900. We identified 67 enacted PADDD events, which affected 112,477 km 2 and eliminated 6% of Brazil's total potential terrestrial PA estate. Hydropower (39%) and rural human settlements (20%) were associated with most of these enacted PADDD events, which have increased in frequency since 2005. Another 27 active PADDD proposals currently threaten to eliminate 60,555 km 2 of protected lands. We then compared short-term deforestation rates in Brazilian Amazon forests that experienced PADDD to deforestation rates in corresponding still-protected and never-protected forests. Contrary to previous research, we did not find a significant causal effect of enacted PADDD events on short-term deforestation rates; rather, short-term deforestation rates in PADDDed forests appear correlated with broader patterns of deforestation. These findings suggest the need for national policies governing PADDD that are analogous to policies governing the initial establishment of PAs, including public consultation, technical studies, compensatory measures, and visual representation and explanation of the proposed changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nycteribiidae encompasses a specialized group of wingless blood-sucking flies that parasitize bats worldwide. Such relationships are frequently species- or genus-specific, indicating unique eco-evolutionary processes. However, despite this significance, comprehensive studies on the relationships of these flies with their hosts, particularly in the New World, have been scarce. Here, we provide a detailed description of the parasitological patterns of nycteribiid flies infesting a population of Myotis lavali bats in the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil, considering the potential influence of biotic and abiotic factors on the establishment of nycteribiids on bat hosts. From July 2014 to June 2015, we captured 165 M. lavali bats and collected 390 Basilia travassosi flies. Notably, B. travassosi displayed a high prevalence and was the exclusive fly species parasitizing M. lavali in the surveyed area. Moreover, there was a significant predominance of female flies, indicating a female-biased pattern. The distribution pattern of the flies was aggregated; most hosts exhibited minimal or no parasitism, while a minority displayed heavy infestation. Sexually active male bats exhibited greater susceptibility to parasitism compared to their inactive counterparts, possibly due to behavioral changes during the peak reproductive period. We observed a greater prevalence and abundance of flies during the rainy season, coinciding with the peak reproductive phase of the host species. No obvious correlation was observed between the parasite load and bat body mass. Our findings shed light on the intricate dynamics of nycteribiid-bat interactions and emphasize the importance of considering various factors when exploring bat-parasite associations., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Ecosystem engineers are organisms able to modify their environment by changing the distribution of materials and energy, with effects on biotic and abiotic ecosystem components. Several ecosystem engineers are known, but for most of them the mechanisms behind their influence are poorly known. We detail the role of bats as ecosystem engineers in iron ore caves in the Carajás National Forest, Brazilian Amazonia, an area with > 1,500 caves, some holding ~150,000 bats. We analyzed the chemical composition of guano deposits in bat caves, radiocarbon-dated those deposits, and elucidated the chemical mechanisms involved and the role the bat guano has on modifying those caves. The insect-composed guano was rich in organic matter, with high concentrations of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus pentoxide and ferric oxide, plus potassium oxide, calcium and sulfur trioxide. Radiocarbon dating indicated guano deposits between 22,000 and 1,800 years old. The guano pH was mainly acid (from 2.1 to 5.6). Percolating waters in those bat caves were also acid (pH reaching 1.5), with the presence of phosphate, iron, calcium, nitrate and sulfate. Acid solutions due to guano decomposition and possible microbial activity produced various forms of corrosion on the caves´ floor and walls, resulting in their enlargement. Bat caves or caves with evidence of inactive bat colonies had, on average, lengths six times larger, areas five times larger, and volumes five times bigger than the regional average, plus more abundant, diversified and bigger speleothems when compared with other caves. In an example of bioengineering, the long-term presence of bats (> 22,000 years) and the guano deposits they produce, mediated by biological and chemical interactions over millennia, resulted in very unique ecological, evolutionary and geomorphological processes, whose working are just beginning to be better understood by science. However, the current expansion of mineral extraction activities coupled with the loosening of licensing and cave protection rules is a real conservation threat to the bat caves in Carajás. The destruction of those caves would represent an unacceptable loss of both speleological and biological heritage and we urge that, whenever they occur, bat caves and their colonies must be fully protected and left off-limits of mineral extraction., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Piló et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Bats host a large variety of viruses, including some that may infect other vertebrates and humans. Research on bat-borne viruses attracted significant attention in recent years mainly due to epizootics caused by viruses having bats as hosts. The characterization of the viral communities of bats was then prioritized, but despite increasing efforts, there are large disparities in the geographical ranges covered and the methodologies employed around the world. As a result, large gaps remain in our current understanding of bat viromes and their role in disease emergence. This is particularly true for megadiverse regions in Latin America. This review aims to summarize the current understanding about bat viruses that inhabit Brazilian biomes, one of the most bat species-rich and diverse regions of the globe. Taking into account all known bat-associated viral families studied in Brazilian biomes, we found that almost half of all bat species (86/181 species) were not investigated for viruses at all. Moreover, only a small fraction of viral lineages or families have been studied more in depth, usually employing targeted methods with limited power to characterize a broad virus diversity. Additionally, these studies relied on limited spatiotemporal sampling and small sample sizes. Therefore, our current understanding of bat viral communities in the Brazilian biomes is limited and biased at different levels, limiting zoonotic risk assessments of bat-borne viruses. Considering these limitations, we propose strategies to bridge the existing gaps in the near future. IMPORTANCE Bat-borne viruses have attracted much attention due to zoonotic outbreaks with large consequences to humans. Because of that, virus characterization in bats has been prioritized in tropical regions of the globe. However, bat-virus research in Latin America and particularly in Brazil, which are among the most bat species-rich regions of the world, are highly biased toward zoonotic viruses and known bat reservoir species. These results have direct implication for virus studies in general but also for new zoonotic virus and spillover events characterization. The limited knowledge we currently have about the virome of Brazilian bats drastically limits any broad assessment of zoonotic viruses they carry and calls for coordinated and large-scale studies to fill this crucial knowledge gap.

Brazil's Caatinga drylands is under extensive environmental deterioration, with 38% of its natural cover already lost. There is a need for a better understanding of the effects of such degradation on Caatinga's rich and singular biota. Bats form a large part of this biota, and are pointed as good bioindicators. Here, we used the micronucleus test -an easy-to-use, accessible and cost-effective in vivo approach- to detect DNA damage in cells from bats of different species and feeding habits in three protected areas in the Caatinga, comparing them with samples from an industrial sugarcane plantation. We hypothesized that environmental disturbance would reflect in DNA damage, with lower levels of damage in the less disturbed protected areas. The frequency of micronucleated cells differed significantly between sites and feeding habits (carnivores > insectivores > frugivores > nectarivores > hematophagous) but did not differ between sexes. Alarmingly, the highest levels of DNA damage were in two strictly protected areas (Seridó and Raso da Catarina Ecological Stations). Glossophaga and Anoura were the genera with more damaged cells, and had, respectively, 1.48 and 3.53 times more micronucleated cells (average of 19.33 and 22.67 cells, respectively) than individuals from the same genera from the area with least damaged cells (average of 7.80 and 5.00 cells, respectively). Our analysis is a warning call for an in-depth investigation on the effects of both genotoxic contamination and environmental stressors on bats and other species in Brazil's Caatinga, including the role that historical human-induced processes -like the intense use of agrochemicals- may have had in the region., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)