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McCluskey EM, Kuzma FC, Enander HD, Cole‐Wick A, Coury M, Cuthrell DL, Johnson C, Kelso M, Lee YM, Methner D, Rowe L, Swinehart A, Moore J. Assessing habitat connectivity of rare species to inform urban conservation planning. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11105. [PMID: 38444724 PMCID: PMC10912553 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is commonly associated with biodiversity loss and habitat fragmentation. However, urban environments often have greenspaces that can support wildlife populations, including rare species. The challenge for conservation planners working in these systems is identifying priority habitats and corridors for protection before they are lost. In a rapidly changing urban environment, this requires prompt decisions informed by accurate spatial information. Here, we combine several approaches to map habitat and assess connectivity for a diverse set of rare species in seven urban study areas across southern Michigan, USA. We incorporated multiple connectivity tools for a comprehensive appraisal of species-habitat patterns across these urban landscapes. We observed distinct differences in connectivity by taxonomic group and site. The three turtle species (Blanding's, Eastern Box, and Spotted) consistently had more habitat predicted to be suitable per site than other evaluated species. This is promising for this at-risk taxonomic group and allows conservation efforts to focus on mitigating threats such as road mortality. Grassland and prairie-associated species (American Bumble Bee, Black and Gold Bumble Bee, and Henslow's Sparrow) had the least amount of habitat on a site-by-site basis. Kalamazoo and the northern Detroit sites had the highest levels of multi-species connectivity across the entire study area based on the least cost paths. These connectivity results have direct applications in urban planning. Kalamazoo, one of the focal urban regions, has implemented a Natural Features Protection (NFP) plan to bolster natural area protections within the city. We compared our connectivity results to the NFP area and show where this plan will have an immediate positive impact and additional areas for potential consideration in future expansions of the protection network. Our results show that conservation opportunities exist within each of the assessed urban areas for maintaining rare species, a key benefit of this multi-species and multi-site approach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Faith C. Kuzma
- Biology DepartmentGrand Valley State UniversityAllendaleMichiganUSA
| | - Helen D. Enander
- Michigan Natural Features InventoryMichigan State University ExtensionLansingMichiganUSA
| | - Ashley Cole‐Wick
- Michigan Natural Features InventoryMichigan State University ExtensionLansingMichiganUSA
| | - Michela Coury
- Biology DepartmentGrand Valley State UniversityAllendaleMichiganUSA
| | - David L. Cuthrell
- Michigan Natural Features InventoryMichigan State University ExtensionLansingMichiganUSA
| | - Caley Johnson
- Biology DepartmentGrand Valley State UniversityAllendaleMichiganUSA
| | - Marianne Kelso
- Biology DepartmentGrand Valley State UniversityAllendaleMichiganUSA
| | - Yu Man Lee
- Michigan Natural Features InventoryMichigan State University ExtensionLansingMichiganUSA
| | - Diana Methner
- Biology DepartmentGrand Valley State UniversityAllendaleMichiganUSA
| | - Logan Rowe
- Michigan Natural Features InventoryMichigan State University ExtensionLansingMichiganUSA
| | - Alyssa Swinehart
- Biology DepartmentGrand Valley State UniversityAllendaleMichiganUSA
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Yantén AV, Cruz-Roa A, Sánchez FA. Traffic noise affects foraging behavior and echolocation in the Lesser Bulldog Bat, Noctilio albiventris (Chiroptera: Noctilionidae). Behav Processes 2022; 203:104775. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Rojas VG, Loeb SC, O'Keefe JM. Applying mobile acoustic surveys to model bat habitat use across sinuous routes. WILDLIFE SOC B 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa G. Rojas
- Center for Bat Research, Outreach, and Conservation Indiana State University 600 Chestnut Street Terre Haute IN 47809 USA
| | - Susan C. Loeb
- United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Southern Research Station, 233 Lehotsky Hall, Clemson University Clemson SC 29634 USA
| | - Joy M. O'Keefe
- Center for Bat Research, Outreach, and Conservation Indiana State University 600 Chestnut Street Terre Haute IN 47809 USA
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Jerem P, Mathews F. Passing rail traffic reduces bat activity. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20671. [PMID: 34667234 PMCID: PMC8526610 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00101-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Rail transport is expanding, with a global increase in infrastructure of up to one-third predicted by 2050. Greater reliance on rail is expected to benefit the environment at a planetary level, by mitigating transport-related carbon emissions. However, smaller-scale, more direct consequences for wildlife are unclear, as unlike roads, railway impacts on animal ecology are rarely studied. As a group, bats frequently interact with transport networks due to their broad distribution and landscape-scale movements. Additionally, their nocturnality, and use of echolocation mean bats are likely to be affected by light and noise emitted by trains. To investigate whether passing trains affect bat activity levels, we monitored the two most abundant UK species using ultrasonic detectors at 12 wooded rail-side sites in southern England. Activity fell by ≥ 30-50% each time a train passed, for at least two minutes. Consequently, activity was reduced for no less than one-fifth of the time at sites with median rail traffic, and two-thirds or more of the time at the busiest site. Such activity changes imply repeated evasive action and/or exclusion from otherwise favourable environments, with potential for corresponding opportunity or energetic costs. Hence, disturbance by passing trains may disadvantage bats in most rail-side habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Jerem
- Faculty of Science, Animal Ecology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Evolution, Behaviour and Environment, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, UK
| | - Fiona Mathews
- Department of Evolution, Behaviour and Environment, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, UK.
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Diversity and Abundance of Roadkilled Bats in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13070335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Faunal mortality from roadkill has a negative impact on global biodiversity, and bats are among the roadkilled animals. In South America, the Atlantic Forest covers southeastern Brazil, a region which sustains a large bat diversity. In this biome, the Sooretama reserves are crossed by the federal highway BR-101, one of the busiest in Brazil. We analyzed bats roadkilled along the 25 km stretch of highway that crosses the Sooretama reserves. Data were collected between the years 2010 and 2015. In total, 773 individuals distributed among 47 bat species were roadkilled during this period. The insectivorous feeding guild was the most affected, accounting for 25 species and 74% of the recorded roadkill, and those flying in the open area were the most frequently roadkilled (41.9%). Bat mortality rates did not differ between months of the year. However, the relation between rainy days and roadkill was negative. Monitoring by foot was more efficient than by car for detection of bat carcasses. Radars with a speed limit below 60 km/h reduced the rates of roadkill. The diversity of deceased bats found in this study represents 40% of the known species in the Atlantic Forest, and is the largest among current studies of species killed on highways globally. The present study raises concerns about the high diversity and abundance of roadkilled insectivorous bats and the conservation of these animals in the Neotropical region.
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Attwell JR, Ioannou CC, Reid CR, Herbert-Read JE. Fish Avoid Visually Noisy Environments Where Prey Targeting Is Reduced. Am Nat 2021; 198:421-432. [PMID: 34403312 DOI: 10.1086/715434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe environment contains different forms of ecological noise that can reduce the ability of animals to detect information. Here, we ask whether animals adapt their behavior to either exploit or avoid areas of their environment with increased dynamic visual noise. Three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) were immersed in environments with a simulated form of naturally occurring visual noise-moving light bands that form on underwater substrates caused by the refraction of light through surface waves. We tested whether this form of visual noise affected fish's habitat selection, movements, and prey-targeting behavior. Fish avoided areas of the environment with increased visual noise and achieved this by increasing their activity as a function of the locally perceived noise level. Fish were less likely to respond to virtual prey in environments with increased visual noise, highlighting a potential impact that visual noise has on their perceptual abilities. Fish did not increase or decrease their refuge use in environments with increased visual noise, providing no evidence that visual noise increased either exploratory or risk-aversive behavior. Our results indicate that animals can use simple behavioral strategies to avoid visually noisy environments, thereby mitigating the impacts that these environments appear to have on their perceptual abilities.
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Ramalho DF, Silveira M, Aguiar LMS. Hit the road bat! High bat activity on the road verges in Brazilian savanna. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Roads have direct and indirect impacts on animals present in the surrounding habitats. Bats have extensive foraging ranges which may include roads, and are therefore particularly affected by them. This study aimed to analyze the effects of roads on bat activity and diversity in the Brazilian savanna. Nine transects were established in protected areas in central Brazil with sampling points at 0, 500, 1,000, and 1,500 m away from roads. At each point, we recorded bat echolocation for 12 h and evaluated the influence of road type and distance from the road on bat activity, diversity, and foraging effort. Season, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and distance to water also were included in the models. We found that species richness in the dry season and activity of open space insectivores were significantly higher on road verges than on areas farther from roads, while foraging effort and activity of edge space insectivores were only influenced by season. The activity of edge space insectivores also increased significantly with increasing distance to water during the rainy season. We suggest that bat individuals do not forage near roads, but rather use them as flyways or cross them to forage in sites outside the protected areas, which can increase the risk of collision with vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F Ramalho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biologia e Conservação de Morcegos, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Maurício Silveira
- Laboratório de Biologia e Conservação de Morcegos, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Ludmilla M S Aguiar
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biologia e Conservação de Morcegos, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
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Abstract
Traffic disturbances (i.e. pollution, light, noise, and vibrations) often extend into the area surrounding a road creating a ‘road-effect zone’. Habitat within the road-effect zone is degraded or, in severe cases, completely unsuitable for wildlife, resulting in indirect habitat loss. This can have a disproportionate impact on wildlife in highly modified landscapes, where remaining habitat is scarce or occurs predominantly along roadside reserves. In this study, we investigated the road-effect zone for insectivorous bats in highly cleared agricultural landscapes by quantifying the change in call activity with proximity to three major freeways. The activity of seven out of 10 species of bat significantly decreased with proximity to the freeway. We defined the road-effect zone to be the proximity at which call activity declined by at least 20% relative to the maximum detected activity. The overall road-effect zone for bats in this region was 307 m, varying between 123 and 890 m for individual species. Given that this road-effect zone exceeds the typical width of the roadside verges (<50 m), it is possible that much of the vegetation adjacent to freeways in this and similar landscapes provides low-quality habitat for bats. Without accounting for the road-effect zone, the amount of habitat lost or degraded due to roads is underestimated, potentially resulting in the loss of wildlife, ecosystem services and key ecosystem processes (e.g. predator-prey or plant-pollinator interactions) from the landscape. We suggest all future environmental impact assessments include quantifying the road-effect zone for sensitive wildlife, in order to best plan and mitigate the impact of roads on the environment. Mitigating the effects of new and existing roads on wildlife is essential to ensure enough high-quality habitat persists to maintain wildlife populations.
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Bednarz PA. Do Decibels Matter? A Review of Effects of Traffic Noise on Terrestrial Small Mammals and Bats. POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.3161/15052249pje2020.68.4.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Antonina Bednarz
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego str. 6, 61–614 Poznań, Poland, e-mail:
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Ramalho DF, Aguiar LMS. Bats on the Road — A Review of the Impacts of Roads and Highways on Bats. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2020.22.2.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. Ramalho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro s/n, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Ludmilla M. S. Aguiar
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro s/n, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil
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11
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Bhardwaj M, Soanes K, Lahoz-Monfort JJ, Lumsden LF, van der Ree R. Artificial lighting reduces the effectiveness of wildlife-crossing structures for insectivorous bats. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 262:110313. [PMID: 32250796 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In an attempt to improve cost-effectiveness, it has become increasingly popular to adapt wildlife crossing structures to enable people to also use them for safe passage across roads. However, the required needs of humans and wildlife may conflict, resulting in a structure that does not actually provide the perceived improvement in cost-effectiveness, but instead a reduction in conservation benefits. For example, lighting within crossing structures for human safety at night may reduce use of the structure by nocturnal wildlife, thus contributing to barrier and mortality effects of roads rather than mitigating them. In this study, we experimentally evaluated the impact of artificial light at night on the rate of use of wildlife crossing structures, specifically underpasses, by ten insectivorous bat species groups in south-eastern Australia. We monitored bat activity before, during and after artificially lighting the underpasses. We found that bats tended to avoided lit underpasses, and only one species consistently showed attraction to the light. Artificial light at night in underpasses hypothetically increases the vulnerability of bats to road-mortality or to the barrier effect of roads. The most likely outcomes of lighting underpasses were 1. an increase in crossing rate above the freeway and a decrease under the underpasses, or 2. a reduction in crossing rate both above freeways and under the underpasses, when structures were lit. Our results corroborate those of studies on terrestrial mammals, and thus we recommend that underpasses intended to facilitate the movement of wildlife across roads should not be lit.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Bhardwaj
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
| | - K Soanes
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia; School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - J J Lahoz-Monfort
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - L F Lumsden
- Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, 123 Brown Street, Heidelberg, Victoria, 3084, Australia
| | - R van der Ree
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia; Ecology and Infrastructure International, PO Box 6031, Wantirna, Victoria, 3152, Australia; WSP Australia Pty Ltd, 28 Freshwater Place, Southbank, Victoria, Australia
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von Hirschheydt G, Kindvall O, de Jong J. Testing bat abundance and diversity predictions by PREBAT, a connectivity-based habitat suitability model for insectivorous bats. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-020-1368-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
AbstractWhere large landscape modifications are planned, e.g. for infrastructure or exploitation, ecological impact assessments are required because of their potential effects on environment and species. Methods that make such assessments more standardized, efficient, and reliable are highly desirable. This paper proposes a new connectivity-based habitat model for bats (PREBAT), which could be used as a tool for impact assessments. Using data that was specifically collected for this purpose, the performance of PREBAT is critically analyzed and discussed. For this study, 50 sites within an area of 850 km2 in eastern Sweden were inventoried for four nights each using automatic ultrasound recorders to get an empiric measure of bat occurrence that could be compared with PREBAT predictions. The correlation between the predicted values from PREBAT and the observed bat activity (number of recordings) or species richness was tested using generalized linear mixed models. Predicted values of PREBAT are significantly correlated to the number of species that regularly (more than one night) occur at a given site, but not to the total number of species. PREBAT performed also much better at predicting the activity of forest-living species than overall bat activity, which makes PREBAT particularly suitable for predicting conflicts for those species. This study proposes a new habitat model for bats that takes spatial connectivity between habitat patches into account. PREBAT is shown to perform satisfyingly and has the potential to become a useful tool in assessing the ecological impact of large-scale landscape modifications.
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Borkin KM, Smith DHV, Shaw WB, McQueen JC. More Traffic, Less Bat Activity: The Relationship between Overnight Traffic Volumes and Chalinolobus tuberculatus Activity along New Zealand Highways. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2019.21.2.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kerry M. Borkin
- Wildland Consultants Ltd, PO Box 7137, Te Ngae, Rotorua 3042, New Zealand
| | - Des H. V. Smith
- Wildland Consultants Ltd, PO Box 7137, Te Ngae, Rotorua 3042, New Zealand
| | - William B. Shaw
- Wildland Consultants Ltd, PO Box 7137, Te Ngae, Rotorua 3042, New Zealand
| | - Joanna C. McQueen
- Wildland Consultants Ltd, PO Box 7137, Te Ngae, Rotorua 3042, New Zealand
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Medinas D, Ribeiro V, Marques JT, Silva B, Barbosa AM, Rebelo H, Mira A. Road effects on bat activity depend on surrounding habitat type. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 660:340-347. [PMID: 30640102 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Revised: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The effects of roads on bats are still a poorly documented issue. Most of the available research focuses on large and high-traffic highways, while low-medium-traffic roads are often assumed to have negligible impacts. However, small roads are ubiquitous in landscapes around the world. We examined the effects of these roads, as well as habitat types, on the activity of three bat guilds (short-, mid- and long-range echolocators) and the most common bat species Pipistrellus kuhlii. We performed three bat acoustic surveys between May and October 2015, with these surveys being performed along twenty transects that were each 1000 m long and perpendicular to three roads with different traffic volumes. The surveys were performed in dense Mediterranean woodland ("montado") and open agricultural field habitats, which were the two dominant land uses. At each transect, bat activity was simultaneously registered at 0, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 m from the road with the use of an ultrasound recorder. According to the generalized linear mixed effects models, the overall activity of bats and of the short- and mid-range echolocators increased with increased distance from the roads and was dependent on the surrounding habitats. In contrast, the long-range echolocators and P. kuhlii were more tolerant to road. Our results also show that the activity was higher in woodland areas, however road verges seem to be a significant habitat in an open agricultural landscape. The major negative effects extended to approximately 300 m from the roads in woodlands and penetrate further into the open field (>500 m). The management of roadside vegetation, combined with the bat habitat improvement in areas that are further from the roads, may mitigate the negative effects. To make road-dominated landscapes safer for bats, the transport agencies need to balance the trade-offs between habitat management and road kill risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Medinas
- Conservation Biology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Évora, Pólo da Mitra, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal; CIBIO/InBIO-UE, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Évora, Rua Dr. Joaquim Henrique da Fonseca, 2nd, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal.
| | - Vera Ribeiro
- Conservation Biology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Évora, Pólo da Mitra, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal; CIBIO/InBIO-UE, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Évora, Rua Dr. Joaquim Henrique da Fonseca, 2nd, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal
| | - João Tiago Marques
- Conservation Biology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Évora, Pólo da Mitra, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal; CIBIO/InBIO-UE, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Évora, Rua Dr. Joaquim Henrique da Fonseca, 2nd, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal
| | - Bruno Silva
- CIBIO/InBIO-UE, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Évora, Rua Dr. Joaquim Henrique da Fonseca, 2nd, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal
| | - Ana Márcia Barbosa
- CIBIO/InBIO-UE, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Évora, Rua Dr. Joaquim Henrique da Fonseca, 2nd, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal
| | - Hugo Rebelo
- CIBIO/InBIO-UP, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; CEABN-InBIO, Centre for Applied Ecology "Prof. Baeta Neves", Institute of Agronomy, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal; School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1UG Bristol, UK.
| | - António Mira
- Conservation Biology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Évora, Pólo da Mitra, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal; CIBIO/InBIO-UE, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Évora, Rua Dr. Joaquim Henrique da Fonseca, 2nd, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal.
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15
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Carrasco‐Rueda F, Loiselle BA. Do riparian forest strips in modified forest landscapes aid in conserving bat diversity? Ecol Evol 2019; 9:4192-4209. [PMID: 31015998 PMCID: PMC6467860 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Agricultural practices lead to losses of natural resources and biodiversity. Maintaining forests alongside streams (riparian forest strips) has been used as a mechanism to minimize the impact of clearing for agriculture on biodiversity. To test the contribution of riparian forest strips to conserve biodiversity in production landscapes, we selected bats as a biodiversity model system and examined two dimensions of diversity: taxonomic and functional. We compared bat diversity and composition in forest, with and without stream habitat, and in narrow forest riparian strips surrounded by areas cleared for agriculture. We tested the hypothesis that riparian forest strips provide potential conservation value by providing habitat and serving as movement corridors for forest bat species. Riparian forest strips maintained 75% of the bat species registered in forested habitats. We found assemblage in sites with riparian forest strips were dominated by a few species with high abundance and included several species with low abundance. Bat species assemblage was more similar between sites with streams than between those sites to forests without stream habitat. These results highlight the importance of stream habitat in predicting presence of bat species. We registered similar number of guilds between forest sites and riparian forest strips sites. Relative to matrix habitats, stream and edge habitats in riparian forest strips sites were functionally more diverse, supporting our hypothesis about the potential conservation value of riparian forest strips. Results from this study suggest that maintaining riparian forest strips within cleared areas for agricultural areas helps conserve the taxonomic and functional diversity of bats. Also, it provides basic data to evaluate the efficacy of maintaining these landscape features for mitigating impacts of agricultural development on biodiversity. However, we caution that riparian forest strips alone are not sufficient for biodiversity maintenance; their value depends on maintenance of larger forest areas in their vicinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farah Carrasco‐Rueda
- School of Natural Resources and EnvironmentUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFlorida
| | - Bette A. Loiselle
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and ConservationUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFlorida
- Center for Latin American StudiesUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFlorida
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Moretto L, Fahrig L, Smith AC, Francis CM. A small-scale response of urban bat activity to tree cover. Urban Ecosyst 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-019-00846-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Claireau F, Bas Y, Puechmaille SJ, Julien J, Allegrini B, Kerbiriou C. Bat overpasses: An insufficient solution to restore habitat connectivity across roads. J Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Claireau
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO)Muséum national d'Histoire naturelleCentre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueSorbonne Université Paris France
- Zoological Institute and MuseumUniversity of Greifswald Greifswald Germany
- Naturalia EnvironnementSite Agroparc Avignon France
| | - Yves Bas
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO)Muséum national d'Histoire naturelleCentre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueSorbonne Université Paris France
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE)UMR 5175CNRS – Université de Montpellier– Université Paul‐Valéry Montpellier – EPHE Montpellier France
| | - Sébastien J. Puechmaille
- Zoological Institute and MuseumUniversity of Greifswald Greifswald Germany
- ISEMUniv MontpellierCNRSEPHEIRD Montpellier France
| | - Jean‐François Julien
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO)Muséum national d'Histoire naturelleCentre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueSorbonne Université Paris France
| | | | - Christian Kerbiriou
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO)Muséum national d'Histoire naturelleCentre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueSorbonne Université Paris France
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO)Muséum national d'Histoire naturelleStation de Biologie Marine Concarneau France
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18
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Neece BD, Loeb SC, Jachowski DS. Variation in regional and landscape effects on occupancy of temperate bats in the southeastern U.S. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0206857. [PMID: 30408058 PMCID: PMC6226102 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat loss, wind energy development, and the disease white-nose syndrome are major threats contributing to declines in bat populations in North America. In the southeastern US in particular, the recent arrival of white-nose syndrome and changes in landscape composition and configuration have driven shifts in bat species populations and distributions. Effective management strategies which address these large-scale, community-level threats require landscape-scale analyses. Our objective was to model the relationship between ecoregional and landscape factors and occupancy by all bat species in South Carolina, USA, during summer. We conducted acoustic surveys from mid-May through July 2015 and 2016 and evaluated temporally dynamic occupancy models for eight bat species or species groups at the 100 km2 level. We found significant effects of landscape factors such as ecoregion and forest edge density for three species, but habitat condition effects were not statistically significant for five other species. Thus, for some species, site-use analyses may be more appropriate than larger scale occupancy analyses. However, our occupancy predictions generally matched statewide historical distributions for all species, suggesting our approach could be useful for monitoring landscape-level trends in bat species. Thus, while our scale of study was likely too coarse for assessing fine-scale habitat associations for all bat species, our findings can improve future monitoring efforts, inform conservation priorities, and guide subsequent landscape-scale studies for bat species and community-level responses to global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin D. Neece
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Susan C. Loeb
- U.S. Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - David S. Jachowski
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
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19
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Spoelstra K, Ramakers JJC, van Dis NE, Visser ME. No effect of artificial light of different colors on commuting Daubenton's bats (Myotis daubentonii) in a choice experiment. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:506-510. [PMID: 29808964 PMCID: PMC6220854 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Progressive illumination at night poses an increasing threat to species worldwide. Light at night is particularly problematic for bats as most species are nocturnal and often cross relatively large distances when commuting between roosts and foraging grounds. Earlier studies have shown that illumination of linear structures in the landscape disturbs commuting bats, and that the response of bats to light may strongly depend on the light spectrum. Here, we studied the impact of white, green, and red light on commuting Daubenton's bats (Myotis daubentonii). We used a unique location where commuting bats cross a road by flying through two identical, parallel culverts underneath. We illuminated the culverts with white, red, and green light, with an intensity of 5 lux at the water surface. Bats had to choose between the two culverts, each with a different lighting condition every night. We presented all paired combinations of white, green, and red light and dark control in a factorial design. Contrary to our expectations, the number of bat passes through a culvert was unaffected by the presence of light. Furthermore, bats did not show any preference for light color. These results show that the response of commuting Daubenton's bats to different colors of light at night with a realistic intensity may be limited when passing through culverts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamiel Spoelstra
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jip J C Ramakers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Natalie E van Dis
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
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20
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Pourshoushtari RD, Pauli BP, Zollner PA, Haulton GS. Road and Habitat Interact to Influence Selection and Avoidance Behavior of Bats in Indiana. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2018. [DOI: 10.1656/045.025.0206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roxanne D. Pourshoushtari
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, School of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
- Current address - Department of Biology, Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX 76904
| | - Benjamin P. Pauli
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, School of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
- Department of Biology, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, Winona, MN 55987
| | - Patrick A. Zollner
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, School of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - G. Scott Haulton
- Division of Forestry, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indianapolis, IN 46204
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21
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D'Acunto LE, Pauli BP, Moy M, Johnson K, Abu-Omar J, Zollner PA. Timing and technique impact the effectiveness of road-based, mobile acoustic surveys of bats. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:3152-3160. [PMID: 29607014 PMCID: PMC5869262 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Revised: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mobile acoustic surveys are a common method of surveying bat communities. However, there is a paucity of empirical studies exploring different methods for conducting mobile road surveys of bats. During 2013, we conducted acoustic mobile surveys on three routes in north‐central Indiana, U.S.A., using (1) a standard road survey, (2) a road survey where the vehicle stopped for 1 min at every half mile of the survey route (called a “start‐stop method”), and (3) a road survey with an individual using a bicycle. Linear mixed models with multiple comparison procedures revealed that when all bat passes were analyzed, using a bike to conduct mobile surveys detected significantly more bat passes per unit time compared to other methods. However, incorporating genus‐level comparisons revealed no advantage to using a bike over vehicle‐based methods. We also found that survey method had a significant effect when analyses were limited to those bat passes that could be identified to genus, with the start–stop method generally detecting more identifiable passes than the standard protocol or bike survey. Additionally, we found that significantly more identifiable bat passes (particularly those of the Eptesicus and Lasiurus genera) were detected in surveys conducted immediately following sunset. As governing agencies, particularly in North America, implement vehicle‐based bat monitoring programs, it is important for researchers to understand how variations on protocols influence the inference that can be gained from different monitoring schemes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E D'Acunto
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette IN USA
| | - Benjamin P Pauli
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette IN USA.,Department of Biology Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona MN USA
| | - Mikko Moy
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette IN USA
| | - Kiara Johnson
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette IN USA
| | - Jasmine Abu-Omar
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette IN USA
| | - Patrick A Zollner
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette IN USA
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22
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Turner A, Fischer M, Tzanopoulos J. Sound-mapping a coniferous forest-Perspectives for biodiversity monitoring and noise mitigation. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0189843. [PMID: 29320514 PMCID: PMC5761852 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Acoustic diversity indices have been proposed as low-cost biodiversity monitoring tools. The acoustic diversity of a soundscape can be indicative of the richness of an acoustic community and the structural/vegetation characteristics of a habitat. There is a need to apply these methods to landscapes that are ecologically and/or economically important. We investigate the relationship between the acoustic properties of a coniferous forest with stand-age and structure. We sampled a 73 point grid in part of the UK’s largest man-made lowland coniferous plantation forest, covering a 320ha mosaic of different aged stands. Forest stands ranged from 0–85 years old providing an age-gradient. Short soundscape recordings were collected from each grid point on multiple mornings (between 6am-11am) to capture the dawn chorus. We repeated the study during July/August in 2014 and again in 2015. Five acoustic indices were calculated for a total of 889 two minute samples. Moderate relationships between acoustic diversity with forest stand-age and vegetation characteristics (canopy height; canopy cover) were observed. Ordinations suggest that as structural complexity and forest age increases, the higher frequency bands (4-10KHz) become more represented in the soundscape. A strong linear relationship was observed between distance to the nearest road and the ratio of anthropogenic noise to biological sounds within the soundscape. Similar acoustic patterns were observed in both years, though acoustic diversity was generally lower in 2014, which was likely due to differences in wind conditions between years. Our results suggest that developing these relatively low-cost acoustic monitoring methods to inform adaptive management of production landscapes, may lead to improved biodiversity monitoring. The methods may also prove useful for modelling road noise, landscape planning and noise mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Turner
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
- Kent’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Spatial Studies (KISS), University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Michael Fischer
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
- Kent’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Spatial Studies (KISS), University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Tzanopoulos
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
- Kent’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Spatial Studies (KISS), University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
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23
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Moretto L, Francis CM. What factors limit bat abundance and diversity in temperate, North American urban environments? JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/jux016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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24
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McGregor M, Matthews K, Jones D. Vegetated Fauna Overpass Disguises Road Presence and Facilitates Permeability for Forest Microbats in Brisbane, Australia. Front Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2017.00153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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25
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Pauli BP, Zollner PA, Haulton GS. Nocturnal habitat selection of bats using occupancy models. J Wildl Manage 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin P. Pauli
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; Purdue University; 195 Marsteller Street West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Patrick A. Zollner
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources; Purdue University; 195 Marsteller Street West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - G. Scott Haulton
- Division of Forestry; Indiana Department of Natural Resources; 402 West Washington Street Indianapolis IN 46204 USA
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26
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Krauel JJ, LeBuhn G. Patterns of Bat Distribution and Foraging Activity in a Highly Urbanized Temperate Environment. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168927. [PMID: 28030640 PMCID: PMC5193347 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how to manage biodiversity in urban areas will become increasingly important as density of humans residing in urban centers increases and urban areas expand. While considerable research has documented the shifts in biodiversity along urbanization gradients, much less work has focused on how characteristics of dense urban centers, effectively novel environments, influence behavior and biodiversity. Urban bats in San Francisco provide an opportunity to document changes in behavior and biodiversity to very high-density development. We studied (1) the distribution and abundance of bat foraging activity in natural areas; and (2) characteristics of natural areas that influence the observed patterns of distribution and foraging activity. We conducted acoustic surveys of twenty-two parks during 2008-2009. We confirmed the presence of four species of bats (Tadarida brasiliensis, Myotis yumanensis, Lasiurus blossevillii, and M. lucifugus). T. brasiliensis were found in all parks, while M. yumanensis occurred in 36% of parks. Results indicate that proximity to water, park size, and amount of forest edge best explained overall foraging activity. Proximity to water best explained species richness. M. yumanensis activity was best explained by reduced proportion of native vegetation as well as proximity to water. Activity was year round but diminished in December. We show that although bats are present even in very densely populated urban centers, there is a large reduction in species richness compared to that of outlying areas, and that most habitat factors explaining their community composition and activity patterns are similar to those documented in less urbanized environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer J. Krauel
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Gretchen LeBuhn
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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27
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Kern JM, Radford AN. Anthropogenic noise disrupts use of vocal information about predation risk. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2016; 218:988-995. [PMID: 27595178 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.08.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/20/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is rapidly becoming a universal environmental feature. While the impacts of such additional noise on avian sexual signals are well documented, our understanding of its effect in other terrestrial taxa, on other vocalisations, and on receivers is more limited. Little is known, for example, about the influence of anthropogenic noise on responses to vocalisations relating to predation risk, despite the potential fitness consequences. We use playback experiments to investigate the impact of traffic noise on the responses of foraging dwarf mongooses (Helogale parvula) to surveillance calls produced by sentinels, individuals scanning for danger from a raised position whose presence usually results in reduced vigilance by foragers. Foragers exhibited a lessened response to surveillance calls in traffic-noise compared to ambient-sound playback, increasing personal vigilance. A second playback experiment, using noise playbacks without surveillance calls, suggests that the increased vigilance could arise in part from the direct influence of additional noise as there was an increase in response to traffic-noise playback alone. Acoustic masking could also play a role. Foragers maintained the ability to distinguish between sentinels of different dominance class, increasing personal vigilance when presented with subordinate surveillance calls compared to calls of a dominant groupmate in both noise treatments, suggesting complete masking was not occurring. However, an acoustic-transmission experiment showed that while surveillance calls were potentially audible during approaching traffic noise, they were probably inaudible during peak traffic intensity noise. While recent work has demonstrated detrimental effects of anthropogenic noise on defensive responses to actual predatory attacks, which are relatively rare, our results provide evidence of a potentially more widespread influence since animals should constantly assess background risk to optimise the foraging-vigilance trade-off.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie M Kern
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, University of Bristol, BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Andrew N Radford
- School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, University of Bristol, BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom.
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28
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Fensome AG, Mathews F. Roads and bats: a meta-analysis and review of the evidence on vehicle collisions and barrier effects. Mamm Rev 2016; 46:311-323. [PMID: 27708480 PMCID: PMC5031215 DOI: 10.1111/mam.12072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Roads are a potential threat to bat conservation. In addition to the direct risk of collision of bats with vehicles, roads could pose a threat to bat populations as a result of habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation, and could act as barriers to movements of bats between habitats. We performed a systematic review of the literature and conducted meta‐analyses to assess the threat posed by roads to bats as a result of 1) collisions between bats and vehicles and 2) roads acting as barriers to movements of bats. Based on collated records of 1207 bat road casualties in Europe, we found that low‐flying species are more prone to collisions than high‐flying species, and that juveniles are more vulnerable to collisions than adults. In addition, meta‐analysis identified a significant bias towards male casualties. Casualties included rare species such as Barbastella barbastellus and geographically restricted species such as Rhinolophus species. The bias towards male casualties could be indicative of greater natal philopatry or lower dispersal among females, or of sexual segregation in habitats of varying quality, i.e. females may occupy better quality habitats than males, and road density may be lower in better quality habitats. Whether or not roads act as barriers to the movement of bats depends on a complex interplay of habitat and species‐specific behaviour. For example, the presence of favourable habitat for bats – notably woodland – was found in this review to be linked with significantly reduced barrier effects but a heightened risk of collision. Our data suggest that roads do pose a threat to bats. Future research should assess the contribution of traffic noise and street lighting to the barrier effect of roads. Where new road schemes are monitored by ecological practitioners, it is vital that consistent protocols are employed to ensure that bat activity can be compared before and after the road is built. Evidence from such research should be used to minimize the risks for bats of any roads built in the future, and to design safe crossing points for bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Grace Fensome
- Hatherly Laboratories, Biosciences College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Prince of Wales Road Exeter EX4 4PS UK
| | - Fiona Mathews
- Hatherly Laboratories, Biosciences College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Prince of Wales Road Exeter EX4 4PS UK
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29
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Russo D, Ancillotto L. Sensitivity of bats to urbanization: a review. Mamm Biol 2014; 80:205-212. [PMID: 32226358 PMCID: PMC7094881 DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2014.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In this article we review the current knowledge of the effects of urban
expansion on bats and assess the potential of these mammals as bioindicators of
urbanization. The response of bats to this process is highly species-specific: some
species tolerate urban habitat or are even favoured by its roosting or foraging
opportunities, others are affected by the loss or fragmentation of key natural
habitat, or by the physical and chemical pollution associated with urbanization.
Species responses generally translate into altered community structures, with few
markedly dominating species. We propose different hypothetical models of bat fitness
along an urbanization gradient and discuss why bat population density may not be an
effective fitness proxy to assess the reactions of these mammals to urban expansion.
We also suggest that urban habitat may act as an ecological trap even for apparently
synurbic species. Overall, bat sensitivity to urbanization makes these mammals
promising candidates to track the effects of this process of land use change on the
biota, but more studies, specifically tailored to explore this role, are
needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Russo
- 1Wildlife Research Unit, Laboratorio di Ecologia Applicata, Sezione di Biologia e Protezione dei Sistemi Agrari e Forestali, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Università 100, Portici, Napoli, I-80055 Italy.,2School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Leonardo Ancillotto
- 1Wildlife Research Unit, Laboratorio di Ecologia Applicata, Sezione di Biologia e Protezione dei Sistemi Agrari e Forestali, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Università 100, Portici, Napoli, I-80055 Italy.,3Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie "Charles Darwin", Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
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30
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Kitzes J, Merenlender A. Large roads reduce bat activity across multiple species. PLoS One 2014; 9:e96341. [PMID: 24823689 PMCID: PMC4019470 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Accepted: 04/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the negative impacts of roads on many terrestrial vertebrate and bird populations are well documented, there have been few studies of the road ecology of bats. To examine the effects of large roads on bat populations, we used acoustic recorders to survey bat activity along ten 300 m transects bordering three large highways in northern California, applying a newly developed statistical classifier to identify recorded calls to the species level. Nightly counts of bat passes were analyzed with generalized linear mixed models to determine the relationship between bat activity and distance from a road. Total bat activity recorded at points adjacent to roads was found to be approximately one-half the level observed at 300 m. Statistically significant road effects were also found for the Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis), big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus), and silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans). The road effect was found to be temperature dependent, with hot days both increasing total activity at night and reducing the difference between activity levels near and far from roads. These results suggest that the environmental impacts of road construction may include degradation of bat habitat and that mitigation activities for this habitat loss may be necessary to protect bat populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Kitzes
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Adina Merenlender
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
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31
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Strasser EH, Heath JA. Reproductive failure of a human-tolerant species, the American kestrel, is associated with stress and human disturbance. J Appl Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Erin H. Strasser
- Department of Biological Science and Raptor Research Center; Boise State University; 1910 University Drive; Boise; ID; 83725; USA
| | - Julie A. Heath
- Department of Biological Science and Raptor Research Center; Boise State University; 1910 University Drive; Boise; ID; 83725; USA
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