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Niga Y, Fujioka E, Heim O, Nomi A, Fukui D, Hiryu S. A glimpse into the foraging and movement behaviour of Nyctalus aviator; a complementary study by acoustic recording and GPS tracking. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230035. [PMID: 37388314 PMCID: PMC10300664 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Species of open-space bats that are relatively large, such as bats from the genus Nyctalus, are considered as high-risk species for collisions with wind turbines (WTs). However, important information on their behaviour and movement ecology, such as the locations and altitudes at which they forage, is still fragmentary, while crucial for their conservation in light of the increasing threat posed by progressing WT construction. We adopted two different methods of microphone array recordings and GPS-tracking capturing data from different spatio-temporal scales in order to gain a complementary understanding of the echolocation and movement ecology of Nyctalus aviator, the largest open-space bat in Japan. Based on microphone array recordings, we found that echolocation calls during natural foraging are adapted for fast flight in open-space optimal for aerial-hawking. In addition, we attached a GPS tag that can simultaneously monitor feeding buzz occurrence, and confirmed that foraging occurred at 300 m altitude and that the flight altitude in mountainous areas is consistent with the turbine conflict zone, suggesting that the birdlike noctule is a high-risk species in Japan. Further investigations on this species could provide valuable insights into their foraging and movement ecology, facilitating the development of a risk assessment regarding WTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshifumi Niga
- Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
| | - Emyo Fujioka
- Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
- The University of Tokyo Hokkaido Forest, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 9-61, Yamabe-Higashimachi, Furano, Hokkaido 079-1563, Japan
| | - Olga Heim
- Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
| | - Akito Nomi
- Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
| | - Dai Fukui
- The University of Tokyo Hokkaido Forest, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 9-61, Yamabe-Higashimachi, Furano, Hokkaido 079-1563, Japan
| | - Shizuko Hiryu
- Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
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Bioacoustic evidence for a continuous summer presence of the greater noctule bat, Nyctalus lasiopterus, in the Italian Alps. MAMMAL RES 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-022-00668-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThe greater noctule bat, Nyctalus lasiopterus (Schreber, 1780), is one of the rarest bat species in Europe. Data on its distribution in the central and western parts of the continent are largely lacking. For the first time, N. lasiopterus was observed in South Tyrol (Northern Italy) using bat detectors in the summer of 2016 and in the following years until 2021. The five sites where the species was detected are located in a limited area of the Adige Valley, which is characterised by low elevation and a mild climate. Multiple recordings indicated a continuous summer presence of N. lasiopterus on the southern side of the Alps. Additionally, we present insights on echolocation and species identification, including statistically significant differences in the call metrics of N. lasiopterus compared to Tadarida teniotis. These results are important at a European level given that data is lacking on the populations of N. lasiopterus in Europe outside the Mediterranean.
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Nuijten RJM, Katzner TE, Allen AM, Bijleveld AI, Boorsma T, Börger L, Cagnacci F, Hart T, Henley MA, Herren RM, Kok EMA, Maree B, Nebe B, Shohami D, Vogel SM, Walker P, Heitkönig IMA, Milner‐Gulland EJ. Priorities for translating goodwill between movement ecologists and conservation practitioners into effective collaboration. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rascha J. M. Nuijten
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science, Department of Biology University of Oxford Oxford United Kingdom
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Wageningen University and Research Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Todd E. Katzner
- U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Andrew M. Allen
- Department of Animal Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen The Netherlands
- Department of Animal Ecology and Physiology Radboud University Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Allert I. Bijleveld
- Department of Coastal Systems NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research Den Burg The Netherlands
| | - Tjalle Boorsma
- Asociación Civil Armonía Santa Cruz de la Sierra Bolivia
| | - Luca Börger
- Department of Biosciences Swansea University Swansea UK
| | - Francesca Cagnacci
- Animal Ecology Unit, Research and Innovation Centre Fondazione Edmund Mach San Michele all'Adige Italy
| | - Tom Hart
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Michelle A. Henley
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Environmental Research Unit University of South Africa Pretoria South Africa
- Elephants Alive Limpopo South Africa
| | | | - Eva M. A. Kok
- Department of Coastal Systems NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research Den Burg The Netherlands
| | | | | | - David Shohami
- Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Faculty of Science The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Susanne Marieke Vogel
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
| | | | - Ignas M. A. Heitkönig
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Wageningen University and Research Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - E. J. Milner‐Gulland
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science, Department of Biology University of Oxford Oxford United Kingdom
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Iannella M, Masciulli U, Cerasoli F, Di Musciano M, Biondi M. Assessing future shifts in habitat suitability and connectivity to old-growth forests to support the conservation of the endangered giant noctule. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14446. [PMID: 36518268 PMCID: PMC9744155 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Suitable climate and availability of habitats for roosting, foraging, and dispersing are critical for the long-term persistence of bat species. The giant noctule (Nyctalus lasiopterus) represents one of the lesser-known European bats, especially regarding the environmental factors which shape its distribution. Methodology We integrated climate-based ecological niche models with information about topography and rivers' network to model weighted suitability for N. lasiopterus in the western Palearctic. The weighted suitability map was then used to estimate connectivity among the distinct occurrence localities of N. lasiopterus, as well as from these latter towards European old-growth forests, under current conditions and different combinations of future timeframes (2030, 2050, 2070) and shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs 3.70 and 5.85). Results Current weighted suitability is highest in Andalusia, northern Iberia, southwestern France, peninsular Italy, coastal Balkans and Anatolia, with dispersed suitable patches elsewhere. A north-eastward shift of weighted suitability emerges in the considered future scenarios, especially under SSP 5.85. The major current ecological corridors for N. lasiopterus are predicted within a 'belt' connecting northern Spain and southwestern France, as well as in the Italian Alps. However, following changes in weighted suitability, connectivity would increase in central-eastern Europe in the future. The bioclimatic niche of the western N. lasiopterus populations does not overlap with those of the central and eastern ones, and it only overlaps with climatic conditions characterizing old-growth forests in western Europe. Conclusions The outcomes of our analyses would help in designing specific conservation measures for the distinct groups of giant noctule populations, favoring the possibility of range expansion and movement towards forested habitats.
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Lato KA, Stepanuk JEF, Heywood EI, Conners MG, Thorne LH. Assessing the accuracy of altitude estimates in avian biologging devices. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0276098. [PMID: 36288345 PMCID: PMC9605028 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in animal biologging technologies have greatly improved our understanding of animal movement and distribution, particularly for highly mobile species that travel across vast spatial scales. Assessing the accuracy of these devices is critical to drawing appropriate conclusions from resulting data. While understanding the vertical dimension of movements is key to assessing habitat use and behavior in aerial species, previous studies have primarily focused on assessing the accuracy of biologging devices in the horizontal plane with far less emphasis placed on the vertical plane. Here we use an Unaccompanied Aircraft System (UAS) outfitted with a laser altimeter to broadly assess the accuracy of altitude estimates of three commonly used avian biologging devices during three field trials: stationary flights, continuous horizontal movements, and continuous vertical movements. We found that the device measuring barometric pressure consistently provided the most accurate altitude estimates (mean error of 1.57m) and effectively captured finer-scale vertical movements. Conversely, devices that relied upon GPS triangulation to estimate altitude typically overestimated altitude during horizontal movements (mean error of 6.5m or 40.96m) and underestimated amplitude during vertical movements. Additional factors thought to impact device accuracy, including Horizontal- and Position- Dilution of Precision and the time intervals over which altitude estimates were assessed, did not have notable effects on results in our analyses. Reported accuracy values for different devices may be useful in future studies of aerial species’ behavior relative to vertical obstacles such as wind turbines. Our results suggest that studies seeking to quantify altitude of aerial species should prioritize pressure-based measurements, which provide sufficient resolution for examining broad and some fine-scale behaviors. This work highlights the importance of considering and accounting for error in altitude measurements during avian studies relative to the scale of data needed to address particular scientific questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A. Lato
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Julia E. F. Stepanuk
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
| | - Eleanor I. Heywood
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
| | - Melinda G. Conners
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
| | - Lesley H. Thorne
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
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Behavioral innovation and genomic novelty are associated with the exploitation of a challenging dietary opportunity by an avivorous bat. iScience 2022; 25:104973. [PMID: 36093062 PMCID: PMC9459691 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Foraging on nocturnally migrating birds is one of the most challenging foraging tasks in the animal kingdom. Only three bat species (e.g., Ia io) known to date can prey on migratory birds. However, how these bats have exploited this challenging dietary niche remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that I. io hunts at the altitude of migrating birds during the bird migration season. The foraging I. io exhibited high flight altitudes (up to 4945 m above sea level) and high flight speeds (up to 143.7 km h−1). I. io in flight can actively prey on birds in the night sky via echolocation cues. Genes associated with DNA damage repair, hypoxia adaptation, biting and mastication, and digestion and metabolism have evolved to adapt to this species’ avivorous habits. Our results suggest that the evolution of behavioral innovation and genomic novelty are associated with the exploitation of challenging dietary opportunities. Predation on nocturnally migrating birds is rare and challenging in nature Bats exhibit high flight altitude and speed associated with foraging on migrating birds Bats can actively prey on birds in the night sky via echolocation cues The adaptive evolution of genes enables bats to adapt to the avivorous habits
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Novella-Fernandez R, Juste J, Ibañez C, Nogueras J, Osborne PE, Razgour O. The role of forest structure and composition in driving the distribution of bats in Mediterranean regions. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3224. [PMID: 35217783 PMCID: PMC8881505 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07229-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Forests are key native habitats in temperate environments. While their structure and composition contribute to shaping local-scale community assembly, their role in driving larger-scale species distributions is understudied. We used detailed forest inventory data, an extensive dataset of occurrence records, and species distribution models integrated with a functional approach, to disentangle mechanistically how species-forest dependency processes drive the regional-scale distributions of nine forest specialist bats in a Mediterranean region in the south of Spain. The regional distribution patterns of forest bats were driven primarily by forest composition and structure rather than by climate. Bat roosting ecology was a key trait explaining the strength of the bat-forest dependency relationships. Tree roosting bats were strongly associated with mature and heterogeneous forest with large trees (diameters > 425 mm). Conversely, and contrary to what local-scale studies show, our results did not support that flight-related traits (wing loading and aspect ratio) drive species distributional patterns. Mediterranean forests are expected to be severely impacted by climate change. This study highlights the utility of disentangling species-environment relationships mechanistically and stresses the need to account for species-forest dependency relationships when assessing the vulnerability of forest specialists towards climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Novella-Fernandez
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. .,Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Life Science Systems, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.
| | - Javier Juste
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain.,CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Patrick E Osborne
- School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Orly Razgour
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.,University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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Tena E, Tellería JL. Modelling the distribution of bat activity areas for conservation in a Mediterranean mountain range. Anim Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Tena
- Departamento de Biodiversidad Ecología y Evolución Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid Spain
| | - José Luis Tellería
- Departamento de Biodiversidad Ecología y Evolución Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid Spain
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Urban forest preserves local bat species diversity, but not forest dweller specialists—renewed study 65 years later (Kharkiv city, Ukraine). MAMMAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-021-00580-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Vasenkov DA, Vasiliev NS, Sidorchuk NV, Rozhnov VV. Use of GPS–GSM Trackers in Studying the Biology of the Greater Noctule Nyctalus lasiopterus in Russia. BIOL BULL+ 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s106235902006014x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Tracing the geographic origin of common pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) swarming at a mass hibernaculum. Mamm Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-020-00057-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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