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Lagerveld S, Wilkes T, van Puijenbroek MEB, Noort BCA, Geelhoed SCV. Acoustic monitoring reveals spatiotemporal occurrence of Nathusius' pipistrelle at the southern North Sea during autumn migration. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:1016. [PMID: 37530899 PMCID: PMC10397122 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11590-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Seasonal movements between the summer and winter areas are a widespread phenomenon in bats So far, most information on the migration ecology of bats has been obtained by studies in terrestrial habitats, whereas scientific knowledge on migration over sea is scarce. We performed continuous ultrasonic acoustic monitoring at 13 locations in the southern North Sea during four consecutive years (2017-2020) and analysed the spatiotemporal occurrence of Nathusius' pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii during autumn migration in relation to weather parameters and lunar phase. Our analysis showed that the main autumn migration of Nathusius' pipistrelle at the southern North Sea occurs from mid-August until late October and most bats within the study area occur off the Noord Holland coast. North Sea crossings frequently last longer than one night; the day is spent roosting at an offshore structure. The strongest migration occurs during nights with tailwinds from the east-northeast, but bats are also recorded offshore with low to moderate headwinds or crosswinds. Bat presence decreased between the full moon and the last quarter and increased just before the new moon. Finally, our observations show that the occurrence of bats at sea was reduced in 2020 in comparison to the previous years. The results of this study show clear spatiotemporal patterns of migratory bat occurrence at the southern North Sea. The spatial distribution can be used in spatial planning of future offshore wind farms, whereas the temporal occurrence and environmental factors that shape offshore migration can be used to develop mitigation measures to reduce the number of bat fatalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander Lagerveld
- Den Helder, Wageningen University & Research, Ankerpark 27, 1781 AG, den Helder, The Netherlands.
| | - Tony Wilkes
- Den Helder, Wageningen University & Research, Ankerpark 27, 1781 AG, den Helder, The Netherlands
| | | | - Bart C A Noort
- Den Helder, Wageningen University & Research, Ankerpark 27, 1781 AG, den Helder, The Netherlands
| | - Steve C V Geelhoed
- Den Helder, Wageningen University & Research, Ankerpark 27, 1781 AG, den Helder, The Netherlands
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2
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True MC, Gorman KM, Taylor H, Reynolds RJ, Ford WM. Fall migration, oceanic movement, and site residency patterns of eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) on the mid-Atlantic Coast. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:35. [PMID: 37316899 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00398-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States, eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) are present during fall mating and migration, though little is currently known about most aspects of bat migration. To reveal migration patterns, and understand drivers of over-water flight, we captured and radio-tagged 115 eastern red bats using novel technology, and subsequently tracked and described their movements throughout the region. We compared over-water flight movements to randomly generated patterns using a use-availability framework, and subsequently used a generalized linear mixed effects model to assess the relationship of over-water flight to atmospheric variables. We used hidden Markov models to assess daily activity patterns and site residency. Most bats with long-distance movements traveled in a southwesterly direction, however path vectors were often oriented interior toward the continental landmass rather than along the coastline. We observed that some bats transited wide sections of the Chesapeake and Delaware bays, confirming their ability to travel across large water bodies. This over-water flight typically occurred in the early hours of the night and during favorable flying conditions. If flight over large water bodies is a proxy for over-ocean flight, then collision risk at offshore wind turbines - a major source of migratory bat fatalities - may be linked nightly to warm temperatures that occur early in the fall season. Risk, then, may be somewhat predictable and manageable with mitigation options linking wind-energy operation to weather conditions and seasonality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C True
- Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc., 2121 Midpoint Drive, Suite 201, Fort Collins, CO, 80525, USA
| | - Katherine M Gorman
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 149 Cheatham Hall, 310 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0321, USA.
| | - Hila Taylor
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 149 Cheatham Hall, 310 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0321, USA
| | - Richard J Reynolds
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, 517 Lee Hwy, Verona, VA, 24482, USA
| | - W Mark Ford
- U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 106 Cheatham Hall, 310 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0321, USA
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Marggraf LC, Lindecke O, Voigt CC, Pētersons G, Voigt-Heucke SL. Nathusius’ bats, Pipistrellus nathusii, bypass mating opportunities of their own species, but respond to foraging heterospecifics on migratory transit flights. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.908560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
In late summer, migratory bats of the temperate zone face the challenge of accomplishing two energy-demanding tasks almost at the same time: migration and mating. Both require information and involve search efforts, such as localizing prey or finding potential mates. In non-migrating bat species, playback studies showed that listening to vocalizations of other bats, both con-and heterospecifics, may help a recipient bat to find foraging patches and mating sites. However, we are still unaware of the degree to which migrating bats depend on con-or heterospecific vocalizations for identifying potential feeding or mating opportunities during nightly transit flights. Here, we investigated the vocal responses of Nathusius’ pipistrelle bats, Pipistrellus nathusii, to simulated feeding and courtship aggregations at a coastal migration corridor. We presented migrating bats either feeding buzzes or courtship calls of their own or a heterospecific migratory species, the common noctule, Nyctalus noctula. We expected that during migratory transit flights, simulated feeding opportunities would be particularly attractive to bats, as well as simulated mating opportunities which may indicate suitable roosts for a stopover. However, we found that when compared to the natural silence of both pre-and post-playback phases, bats called indifferently during the playback of conspecific feeding sounds, whereas P. nathusii echolocation call activity increased during simulated feeding of N. noctula. In contrast, the call activity of P. nathusii decreased during the playback of conspecific courtship calls, while no response could be detected when heterospecific call types were broadcasted. Our results suggest that while on migratory transits, P. nathusii circumnavigate conspecific mating aggregations, possibly to save time or to reduce the risks associated with social interactions where aggression due to territoriality might be expected. This avoidance behavior could be a result of optimization strategies by P. nathusii when performing long-distance migratory flights, and it could also explain the lack of a response to simulated conspecific feeding. However, the observed increase of activity in response to simulated feeding of N. noctula, suggests that P. nathusii individuals may be eavesdropping on other aerial hawking insectivorous species during migration, especially if these occupy a slightly different foraging niche.
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Pancerasa M, Ambrosini R, Romano A, Rubolini D, Winkler DW, Casagrandi R. Across the deserts and sea: inter-individual variation in migration routes of south-central European barn swallows (Hirundo rustica). MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:51. [PMID: 36419202 PMCID: PMC9682807 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00352-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The spatiotemporal organization of migratory routes of long-distance migrants results from trade-offs between minimizing the journey length and en route risk of migration-related mortality, which may be reduced by avoiding crossing inhospitable ecological barriers. Despite flourishing avian migration research in recent decades, little is still known about inter-individual variability in migratory routes, as well as the carry-over effects of spatial and temporal features of migration on subsequent migration stages. METHODS We reconstructed post- and pre-breeding migration routes, barrier crossing behaviour and non-breeding movements of the largest sample (N = 85) analysed to date of individual barn swallows breeding in south-central Europe, which were tracked using light-level geolocators. RESULTS Most birds spent their non-breeding period in the Congo basin in a single stationary area, but a small fraction of itinerant individuals reaching South Africa was also observed. Birds generally followed a 'clockwise loop migration pattern', moving through the central Mediterranean and the Sahara Desert during post-breeding (north to south) migration yet switching to a more western route, along the Atlantic coast of Africa, Iberia and western Mediterranean during the pre-breeding (south to north) migration. Southward migration was straighter and less variable, while northward migration was significantly faster despite the broader detour along the Atlantic coast and Iberia. These patterns showed limited sex-related variability. The timing of different circannual events was tightly linked with previous migration stages, considerably affecting migration route and speed of subsequent movements. Indeed, individuals departing late from Africa performed straighter and faster pre-breeding migrations, partly compensating for the initial departure delays, but likely at the cost of performing riskier movements across ecological barriers. CONCLUSIONS Different spatiotemporal migration strategies during post- and pre-breeding migration suggest that conditions en route may differ seasonally and allow for more efficient travelling along different migration corridors in either season. While highlighting patterns of inter-individual variability, our results support increasing evidence for widespread loop migration patterns among Afro-Palearctic avian migrants. Also, they suggest that carry-over effects acting across different phases of the annual cycle of migratory species can have major impacts on evolutionary processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Pancerasa
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico Di Milano, Via Ponzio 34/5, 20131, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Ambrosini
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Andrea Romano
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
- Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque, IRSA-CNR, Via del Mulino 19, 20861, Brugherio, MB, Italy
| | | | - Renato Casagrandi
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico Di Milano, Via Ponzio 34/5, 20131, Milan, Italy.
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Bach P, Voigt CC, Göttsche M, Bach L, Brust V, Hill R, Hüppop O, Lagerveld S, Schmaljohann H, Seebens‐Hoyer A. Offshore and coastline migration of radio‐tagged Nathusius' pipistrelles. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Vera Brust
- Institute of Avian Research Wilhelmshaven Germany
| | | | - Ommo Hüppop
- Institute of Avian Research Wilhelmshaven Germany
| | | | - Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute of Avian Research Wilhelmshaven Germany
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg Oldenburg Germany
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Rogers EJ, McGuire L, Longstaffe FJ, Clerc J, Kunkel E, Fraser E. Relating wing morphology and immune function to patterns of partial and differential bat migration using stable isotopes. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:858-869. [PMID: 35218220 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Migration is energetically expensive and is predicted to drive similar morphological adaptations and physiological trade-offs in migratory bats and birds. Previous studies suggest that fixed traits like wing morphology vary among species and individuals according to selective pressures on flight, while immune defenses can vary flexibly within individuals as energy is variably reallocated throughout the year. We assessed intraspecific variation in wing morphology and immune function in silver-haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans), a species that follows both partial and differential migration patterns. We hypothesized that if bats experience energy constraints associated with migration, then wing morphology and immune function should vary based on migratory tendency (sedentary or migratory) and migration distance. We predicted that long-distance migrants would have reduced immune function and more migration-adapted wing shapes compared to resident or short-distance migrating bats. We estimated breeding latitude of spring migrants using stable hydrogen isotope techniques. Our sample consisted primarily of male bats, which we categorized as residents, long-distance northern migrants, short-distance northern migrants, and southern migrants (apparent breeding location south of capture site). Controlling for individual condition and capture date, we related wing characteristics and immune indices among groups. Some, but not all, aspects of wing form and immune function varied between migrants and residents. Long-distance northern migrants had larger wings than short-distance northern migrants and lower wing loading than southern migrants. Compared with resident bats, short-distance northern migrants had reduced IgG while southern migrants had heightened neutrophils and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios. Body fat, aspect ratio, wing tip shape, and bacteria killing ability did not vary with migration status or distance. In general, male silver-haired bats do not appear to mediate migration costs by substantially downregulating immune defenses or to be under stronger selection for wing forms adapted for fast, energy-efficient flight. Such phenotypic changes may be more adaptive for female silver-haired bats, which migrate farther and are more constrained by time in spring than males. Adaptations for aerial hawking and the use of heterothermy by migrating bats may also reduce the energetic cost of migration and the need for more substantial morphological and physiological trade-offs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Rogers
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA.,Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Liam McGuire
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Fred J Longstaffe
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Jeff Clerc
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA.,Normandeau Associates Inc, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Emma Kunkel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Erin Fraser
- Environmental Science Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland (Grenfell Campus), Corner Brook, NL, Canada
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Lagerveld S, Jonge Poerink B, Geelhoed SCV. Offshore Occurrence of a Migratory Bat, Pipistrellus nathusii, Depends on Seasonality and Weather Conditions. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11123442. [PMID: 34944219 PMCID: PMC8698179 DOI: 10.3390/ani11123442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Migratory bats regularly fly over the North Sea, where the number of offshore wind farms will increase rapidly in the next decades. Information is urgently needed on the timing and the conditions bats can be expected offshore, since windfarms can cause fatalities amongst bats. We therefore collected acoustic data on the presence of bats at four nearshore locations at sea between 2012 and 2016. Modelling the occurrence of Nathusius’ pipistrelle for 480 nights in autumn showed that its migration is strongest in early September, with east-northeasterly tailwinds, low wind speeds, and relatively high temperatures. The species’ migration did not show a strong relationship with other factors, i.e., moon phase, cloud cover, atmospheric pressure, rain, and visibility. Our results provide valuable input to policy-makers to prescribe mitigation measures to reduce bat fatalities in offshore wind farms. Abstract Bats regularly migrate over the North Sea, but information on the environmental conditions when this occurs is scarce. Detailed information is urgently needed on the conditions under which bats can be expected offshore, as the number of offshore windfarms that can cause fatalities amongst bats in the North Sea is increasing rapidly. We performed ultrasonic acoustic monitoring at multiple nearshore locations at sea between 2012 and 2016 for, in total, 480 monitoring nights. We modelled the offshore occurrence of Nathusius’ pipistrelle in autumn as a function of weather conditions, seasonality, and the lunar cycle using a generalized additive mixed model (GAMM). We investigated which covariates are important using backward selection based on a likelihood ratio test. Our model showed that important explanatory variables for the offshore occurrence of Nathusius’ pipistrelle are seasonality (night in year), wind speed, wind direction, and temperature. The species’ migration is strongest in early September, with east-northeasterly tailwinds, wind speeds < 5 m/s, and temperatures > 15 °C. Lunar cycle, cloud cover, atmospheric pressure, atmospheric pressure change, rain, and visibility were excluded during the model selection. These results provide valuable input to reduce bat fatalities in offshore wind farms by taking mitigation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander Lagerveld
- Wageningen Marine Research, Ankerpark 27, 1781 AG Den Helder, The Netherlands;
- Correspondence:
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8
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Pretorius M, Markotter W, Kearney T, Seamark E, Broders H, Keith M. No Evidence of Pre-Hibernation or Pre-Migratory Body Mass Gain in Miniopterus natalensis in North-Eastern South Africa. JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.25225/jvb.20088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mariëtte Pretorius
- Mammal Research Institute, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa; e-mail: ,
| | - Wanda Markotter
- Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Centre for Viral Zoonoses, University of Pretoria, South Africa; e-mail:
| | | | | | - Hugh Broders
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; e-mail:
| | - Mark Keith
- Mammal Research Institute, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa; e-mail: ,
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9
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Haest B, Stepanian PM, Wainwright CE, Liechti F, Bauer S. Climatic drivers of (changes in) bat migration phenology at Bracken Cave (USA). GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:768-780. [PMID: 33151018 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is drastically changing the timing of biological events across the globe. Changes in the phenology of seasonal migrations between the breeding and wintering grounds have been observed across biological taxa, including birds, mammals, and insects. For birds, strong links have been shown between changes in migration phenology and changes in weather conditions at the wintering, stopover, and breeding areas. For other animal taxa, the current understanding of, and evidence for, climate (change) influences on migration still remains rather limited, mainly due to the lack of long-term phenology datasets. Bracken Cave in Texas (USA) holds one of the largest bat colonies of the world. Using weather radar data, a unique 23-year (1995-2017) long time series was recently produced of the spring and autumn migration phenology of Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) at Bracken Cave. Here, we analyse these migration phenology time series in combination with gridded temperature, precipitation, and wind data across Mexico and southern USA, to identify the climatic drivers of (changes in) bat migration phenology. Perhaps surprisingly, our extensive spatiotemporal search did not find temperature to influence either spring or autumn migration. Instead, spring migration phenology seems to be predominantly driven by wind conditions at likely wintering or spring stopover areas during the migration period. Autumn migration phenology, on the other hand, seems to be dominated by precipitation to the east and north-east of Bracken Cave. Long-term changes towards more frequent migration and favourable wind conditions have, furthermore, allowed spring migration to occur 16 days earlier. Our results illustrate how some of the remaining knowledge gaps on the influence of climate (change) on bat migration and abundance can be addressed using weather radar analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgen Haest
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Phillip M Stepanian
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Charlotte E Wainwright
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Felix Liechti
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Silke Bauer
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
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10
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Green DM, McGuire LP, Vanderwel MC, Willis CKR, Noakes MJ, Bohn SJ, Green EN, Brigham RM. Local trends in abundance of migratory bats across 20 years. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus) and silver-haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans) are species of conservation concern because of the documented annual mortality that occurs at wind energy facilities. Several recent studies have predicted continental-scale declines of hoary bat populations due to interactions with wind turbines. We predicted a decrease in captures at a summer site over 20 years where researchers have captured bats using generally consistent methods. We developed a hierarchical Bayesian model to estimate the relative change in the expected number of captures while controlling for time of year, temperature, and netting effort. We found no decrease in the number of captures for either species. We suggest that the lack of decrease observed at our study site may be a result of compensatory immigration, despite potential broader-scale population declines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana M Green
- Department of Biology, Laboratory Building LB109, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Liam P McGuire
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Mark C Vanderwel
- Department of Biology, Laboratory Building LB248, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Craig K R Willis
- Department of Biology and Centre for Forest Inter-Disciplinary Research (C-FIR), University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Matthew J Noakes
- DST-NRF Centre of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
| | - Shelby J Bohn
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Eric N Green
- Department of Biology, Laboratory Building LB109, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - R Mark Brigham
- Department of Biology, Laboratory Building LB109, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
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11
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Brabant R, Laurent Y, Poerink BJ, Degraer S. Activity and Behaviour of Nathusius' Pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii at Low and High Altitude in a North Sea Offshore Wind Farm. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2019.21.2.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robin Brabant
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Operational Directorate Natural Environment (OD Nature), Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecology (ATECO), Marine Ecology and Management (MARECO), Vautierstraat 29, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Yves Laurent
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Operational Directorate Natural Environment (OD Nature), Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecology (ATECO), Marine Ecology and Management (MARECO), Vautierstraat 29, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bob Jonge Poerink
- Ecosensys, Hoofdweg 46, 9966 VC Zuurdijk, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Steven Degraer
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Operational Directorate Natural Environment (OD Nature), Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecology (ATECO), Marine Ecology and Management (MARECO), Vautierstraat 29, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
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12
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Mills D. Summer and autumn activity patterns of the eastern bent-wing bat (Miniopterus orianae oceanensis) at a large maternity site in southern New South Wales. AUST J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/zo20041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The eastern bent-wing bat (Miniopterus orianae oceanensis) is a small (11–20 g, mean 14 g) insectivorous bat with a distribution that extends along the eastern seaboard of mainland Australia. It is primarily a cave-dwelling species, particularly for breeding females who form large maternity colonies at just a few locations throughout its range. Seasonal population changes at one of the three large New South Wales maternity colonies (Church Cave) were studied from December to March every year for 12 years when adult females were resident at a maternity site. Five key periods were identified: (1) adult arrival, (2) adult peak, (3) juvenile independence, (4) adult–juvenile peak, and (5) autumn migration. The average duration of the adult peak period was 38 days and usually commenced around late December or early January. This is the critical period in which to estimate the female adult population. All other periods lasted ~14 days. Understanding the timing of these different periods is important in estimating various population parameters. The timing of migration is also important with respect to windfarm construction and impact assessments of turbine strike to migrating bats. Four separate variables were investigated to describe the timing of autumn migration from Church Cave; moon illumination, minimum nightly temperatures, barometric pressure, and timing of adult arrival. The timing of adult arrival was the only model that was significant in explaining the onset of migration. This generally occurs 83–87 nights after the commencement of arrival of female adult bent-wing bats at Church Cave in early to mid December.
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13
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Jonasson KA, Guglielmo CG. Evidence for spring stopover refuelling in migrating silver-haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans). CAN J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Migrating animals must acquire sufficient fuel to sustain migratory movement, but how time is allocated to achieve this can vary greatly. The fuel strategies used by migrating bats are not well understood and have not been investigated during the spring when insectivorous bats face low food abundance. Migrating silver-haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans (Le Conte, 1831)) were captured at a stopover site in Long Point, Ontario, Canada, in April and May of 2012–2014. We followed the movements of 40 bats outfitted with radio transmitters using an automated telemetry array and examined the effects of ambient temperature, fat stores, and sex on stopover duration. As seen previously in autumn, most bats departed the evening following capture, but one-third of bats used multiday stopovers. Extended stopover was associated with lower ambient temperature. There was no effect of sex or fat at capture on stopover departure probability. Bats captured closer to dawn had greater fat mass and lean mass than those captured early in the night, a trend indicative of fuel deposition at this site. This is the first study to provide evidence that bats use stopover habitat for refuelling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin A. Jonasson
- Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, 1393 Western Road, London, ON N6G 1G9, Canada
- Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, 1393 Western Road, London, ON N6G 1G9, Canada
| | - Christopher G. Guglielmo
- Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, 1393 Western Road, London, ON N6G 1G9, Canada
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Male long-distance migrant turned sedentary; The West European pond bat (Myotis dasycneme) alters their migration and hibernation behaviour. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217810. [PMID: 31658268 PMCID: PMC6816563 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
During autumn in the temperate zone, insectivorous male bats face a profound energetic challenge, as in the same period they have to make energy choices related to hibernation, mating and migration. To investigate these energetic trade-offs, we compared the body mass of male and female pond bats (Myotis dasycneme) through the summer season, characterized the known hibernacula in terms of male or female bias, and subsequently compared their population trend during two study periods, between 1930–1980 and 1980–2015. Towards the end of summer, males began losing weight whilst females were simultaneously accumulating fat, suggesting that males were pre-occupied with mating. We also found evidence for a recent adaptation to this energetic trade-off, males have colonised winter roosts in formerly unoccupied areas, which has consequently led to a change in the migration patterns for the male population of this species. As male bats do not assist in raising offspring, males have ample time to restore their energy balance after hibernation. Our results suggest that choosing a hibernacula closer to the summer range not only decreases energy cost needed for migration, it also lengthens the mating season of the individual male. Our findings have important conservation implications, as male and female biased hibernation assemblages may differ critically in terms of microclimate preferences.
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Roby PL, Gumbert MW, Lacki MJ. Nine years of Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) spring migration behavior. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) congregates in large hibernation groups in winter and travels after spring emergence to form summer maternity colonies, but information on migration behavior in this species remains limited to mostly band recovery observations. We tracked female Indiana bats in spring migration toward summer grounds using aerial radiotelemetry. Adult female Indiana bats were radiotagged in spring from 2009 through 2017, with 15 individuals successfully tracked to summer grounds and an additional 11 bats located in summer grounds via aerial telemetry after migration was complete. This resulted in the location of 17 previously unknown summer grounds for female Indiana bats, including adding Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to the summer maternity range. Two of the colonies identified in this study were south of the previously known southernmost colony in Tennessee, expanding the summer maternity range for the species by 178 km. Time-stamped location fixes along the migration path provided information about nightly and overall distances traveled, duration of travel, migration speed, and weather-related influences on bat behavior. Bats traveled 164.6 ± 26.2 km (± SE) on average from hibernacula to summer grounds and were migrating for an average of 7.3 ± 1.4 calendar nights. Bats alternated between foraging and traveling throughout each night of their migration route. Nightly migration rate was 9.9 ± 0.8 km/h and bats were active on the landscape for an average of 6.1 ± 0.4 h/night. Lower nighttime temperatures and lower barometric pressure correlated with use of layover areas during a migration night. Understanding bat behavior during migration can provide pertinent information for land managers to consider in efforts to conserve potential migration corridors, foraging areas, and roosting habitats of species in decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piper L Roby
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Copperhead Environmental Consulting, Inc., Paint Lick, KY, USA
| | - Mark W Gumbert
- Copperhead Environmental Consulting, Inc., Paint Lick, KY, USA
| | - Michael J Lacki
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
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16
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Roemer C, Coulon A, Disca T, Bas Y. Bat sonar and wing morphology predict species vertical niche. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 145:3242. [PMID: 31153342 DOI: 10.1121/1.5102166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The use of echolocation allows insectivorous bats to access unique foraging niches by locating obstacles and prey with ultrasounds in complete darkness. To avoid interspecific competition, it is likely that sonar features and wing morphology co-evolved with species vertical distribution, but due to the technical difficulties of studying flight in the vertical dimension, this has never been demonstrated with empirical measurements. The authors equipped 48 wind masts with arrays of two microphones and located the vertical distribution of a community of 19 bat species and two species groups over their annual activity period (>8000 nights). The authors tested the correlation between the proportion of flights at height and the acoustic features of bat calls as well as their wing morphology. The authors found that call peak frequency and bandwidth are good predictors of bat use of the vertical space regardless of their acoustic strategies (i.e., gleaning, hawking, or detecting prey flutter). High wing aspect ratios and high wing loadings were associated with high proportions of time spent at height, confirming hypotheses from the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aurélie Coulon
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, CP 135, 57 rue Cuvier 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Yves Bas
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, CP 135, 57 rue Cuvier 75005 Paris, France
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17
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Troxell SA, Holderied MW, Pētersons G, Voigt CC. Nathusius' bats optimize long-distance migration by flying at maximum range speed. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:222/4/jeb176396. [PMID: 30814276 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.176396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Aerial migration is the fastest, yet most energetically demanding way of seasonal movement between habitats. However, for many taxa, and bats in particular, we lack a clear understanding of the energy requirements for migration. Here, we examined the energetic cost and flight speed of the long-distance migratory Nathusius' bat (Pipistrellus nathusii). We measured flight metabolism in relation to airspeed in a wind tunnel, inferred the optimal traveling speed over long distances, i.e. maximum range speed, and compared this value with flight speed measured in wild conspecifics. Body mass and wing morphologies were similar in captive and wild bats, indicating that the body condition of captive bats was similar to that of migratory bats. Nine out of the 12 captive bats exhibited a U-shaped relationship between flight metabolic power and airspeed when flying in the wind tunnel. The flight metabolic rate across all airspeeds averaged 0.98±0.28 W, which corresponds well to established allometric relationships between flight metabolic rate and body mass for bats. During summer migration, P. nathusii traveled at an average speed of 6.9±0.7 m s-1, which was significantly higher than the minimum power speed (5.8±1.0 m s-1), yet within the range of expected maximum range speed inferred from wind tunnel experiments. This suggests that P. nathusii may migrate at an energetically optimal speed and that aerial refueling does not substantially lower migratory speed in P. nathusii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara A Troxell
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany.,Freie Universität, Takustrasse 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Strasse 11, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Marc W Holderied
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndale Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Gunārs Pētersons
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Latvia University of Agriculture, Helamaņa 8, Jelgava 3004, Latvia
| | - Christian C Voigt
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany .,Freie Universität, Takustrasse 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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18
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Dechmann DKN, Wikelski M, Ellis-Soto D, Safi K, O'Mara MT. Determinants of spring migration departure decision in a bat. Biol Lett 2017; 13:rsbl.2017.0395. [PMID: 28931730 PMCID: PMC5627173 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2017.0395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Migratory decisions in birds are closely tied to environmental cues and fat stores, but it remains unknown if the same variables trigger bat migration. To learn more about the rare phenomenon of bat migration, we studied departure decisions of female common noctules (Nyctalus noctula) in southern Germany. We did not find the fattening period that modulates departure decisions in birds. Female noctules departed after a regular evening foraging session, uniformly heading northeast. As the day of year increased, migratory decisions were based on the interactions among wind speed, wind direction and air pressure. As the migration season progressed, bats were likely to migrate on nights with higher air pressure and faster tail winds in the direction of travel, and also show high probability of migration on low-pressure nights with slow head winds. Common noctules thus monitor complex environmental conditions to find the optimal migration night.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina K N Dechmann
- Department of Immuno-ecology and Migration, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany .,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - M Wikelski
- Department of Immuno-ecology and Migration, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - D Ellis-Soto
- Department of Immuno-ecology and Migration, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - K Safi
- Department of Immuno-ecology and Migration, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - M Teague O'Mara
- Department of Immuno-ecology and Migration, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany .,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
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19
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Krauel JJ, McGuire LP, Boyles JG. Testing traditional assumptions about regional migration in bats. MAMMAL RES 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-017-0346-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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20
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Predator–prey interaction reveals local effects of high-altitude insect migration. Oecologia 2017; 186:49-58. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-3995-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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21
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McCabe JD, Olsen BJ, Osti B, Koons PO. The influence of wind selectivity on migratory behavioral strategies. Behav Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer D McCabe
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Ecology, Russell Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME
- Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, ME
| | - Brian J Olsen
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME
- Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, ME
| | - Bipush Osti
- Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, ME
- School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, ME
| | - Peter O Koons
- Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, ME
- School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, ME
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22
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Ijäs A, Kahilainen A, Vasko VV, Lilley TM. Evidence of the Migratory Bat, Pipistrellus nathusii, Aggregating to the Coastlines in the Northern Baltic Sea. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2017. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2017.19.1.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Asko Ijäs
- Brahea Centre, Centre for Maritime Studies, University of Turku, 28101 Pori, Finland
| | - Aapo Kahilainen
- Metapopulation Research Centre, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ville V. Vasko
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turun yliopisto, Finland
| | - Thomas M Lilley
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, 20014 Turun yliopisto, Finland
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23
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Clerc J, Weller TJ, Schineller JB, Szewczak JM. Minimally invasive collection of adipose tissue facilitates the study of eco‐physiology in small‐bodied mammals. Methods Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Clerc
- Department of Biological Sciences Humboldt State University Arcata CA 95521 USA
| | - Theodore J. Weller
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station Arcata CA 95521 USA
| | | | - Joseph M. Szewczak
- Department of Biological Sciences Humboldt State University Arcata CA 95521 USA
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24
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Voigt-Heucke SL, Zimmer S, Kipper S. Does Interspecific Eavesdropping Promote Aerial Aggregations in European Pipistrelle Bats During Autumn? Ethology 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Silke L. Voigt-Heucke
- Animal Behaviour Group; Institute of Biology; Freie Universität Berlin; Berlin Germany
| | - Stefanie Zimmer
- Animal Behaviour Group; Institute of Biology; Freie Universität Berlin; Berlin Germany
| | - Silke Kipper
- Animal Behaviour Group; Institute of Biology; Freie Universität Berlin; Berlin Germany
- Chair of Zoology; Technische Universität München; Freising Germany
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25
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Ciechanowski M, Jakusz-Gostomska A, Żmihorski M. Empty in summer, crowded during migration? Structure of assemblage, distribution pattern and habitat use by bats (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in a narrow, marine peninsula. MAMMAL RES 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-015-0249-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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26
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Mitchell GW, Woodworth BK, Taylor PD, Norris DR. Automated telemetry reveals age specific differences in flight duration and speed are driven by wind conditions in a migratory songbird. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2015; 3:19. [PMID: 26279850 PMCID: PMC4537592 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-015-0046-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given that winds encountered on migration could theoretically double or half the energy expenditure of aerial migrants, there should be strong selection on behaviour in relation to wind conditions aloft. However, evidence suggests that juvenile songbirds are less choosy about wind conditions at departure relative to adults, potentially increasing energy expenditure during flight. To date, there has yet to be a direct comparison of flight efficiency between free-living adult and juvenile songbirds during migration in relation to wind conditions aloft, likely because of the challenges of following known aged individual songbirds during flight. We used an automated digital telemetry array to compare the flight efficiency of adult and juvenile Savannah sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) as they flew nearly 100 km during two successive stages of their fall migration; a departure flight from their breeding grounds out over the ocean and then a migratory flight along a coast. Using a multilevel path modelling framework, we evaluated the effects of age, flight stage, tailwind component, and crosswind component on flight duration and groundspeed. RESULTS We found that juveniles departed under wind conditions that were less supportive relative to adults and that this resulted in juveniles taking 1.4 times longer to complete the same flight trajectories as adults. We did not find an effect of age on flight duration or groundspeed after controlling for wind conditions aloft, suggesting that both age groups were flying at similar airspeeds. We also found that groundspeeds were 1.7 times faster along the coast than over the ocean given more favourable tailwinds along the coast and because birds appeared to be climbing in altitude over the ocean, diverting some energy from horizontal to vertical movement. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide the first evidence that adult songbirds have considerably more efficient migratory flights than juveniles, and that this efficiency is driven by the selection of more supportive tailwind conditions aloft. We suggest that the tendency for juveniles to be less choosy about wind conditions at departure relative to adults could be adaptive if the benefits of having a more flexible departure schedule exceed the time and energy savings realized during flight with more supportive winds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg W Mitchell
- />Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 Canada
- />Wildlife Research Division, National Wildlife Research Center, Environment Canada, Ottawa, ON K1H 0H3 Canada
| | - Bradley K Woodworth
- />Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 Canada
- />Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 Canada
| | - Philip D Taylor
- />Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 Canada
- />Bird Studies Canada, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0 Canada
| | - D Ryan Norris
- />Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 Canada
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27
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Hedenström A, Johansson LC. Bat flight: aerodynamics, kinematics and flight morphology. J Exp Biol 2015; 218:653-63. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.031203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Bats evolved the ability of powered flight more than 50 million years ago. The modern bat is an efficient flyer and recent research on bat flight has revealed many intriguing facts. By using particle image velocimetry to visualize wake vortices, both the magnitude and time-history of aerodynamic forces can be estimated. At most speeds the downstroke generates both lift and thrust, whereas the function of the upstroke changes with forward flight speed. At hovering and slow speed bats use a leading edge vortex to enhance the lift beyond that allowed by steady aerodynamics and an inverted wing during the upstroke to further aid weight support. The bat wing and its skeleton exhibit many features and control mechanisms that are presumed to improve flight performance. Whereas bats appear aerodynamically less efficient than birds when it comes to cruising flight, they have the edge over birds when it comes to manoeuvring. There is a direct relationship between kinematics and the aerodynamic performance, but there is still a lack of knowledge about how (and if) the bat controls the movements and shape (planform and camber) of the wing. Considering the relatively few bat species whose aerodynamic tracks have been characterized, there is scope for new discoveries and a need to study species representing more extreme positions in the bat morphospace.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Hedenström
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
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28
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McGuire LP, Jonasson KA, Guglielmo CG. Bats on a budget: torpor-assisted migration saves time and energy. PLoS One 2014; 9:e115724. [PMID: 25551615 PMCID: PMC4281203 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Accepted: 11/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats and birds must balance time and energy budgets during migration. Migrating bats face similar physiological challenges to birds, but nocturnality creates special challenges for bats, such as a conflict between travelling and refueling, which many birds avoid by feeding in daylight and flying at night. As endothermic animals, bats and birds alike must expend substantial amounts of energy to maintain high body temperatures. For migratory birds refueling at stopovers, remaining euthermic during inactive periods reduces the net refuelling rate, thereby prolonging stopover duration and delaying subsequent movement. We hypothesized that bats could mitigate similar ambient-temperature dependent costs by using a torpor-assisted migration strategy. We studied silver-haired bats Lasionycteris noctivagans during autumn migration using a combination of respirometry and temperature-sensitive radiotelemetry to estimate energy costs incurred under ambient temperature conditions, and the energy that bats saved by using torpor during daytime roosting periods. All bats, regardless of sex, age, or body condition used torpor at stopover and saved up to 91% of the energy they would have expended to remain euthermic. Furthermore, bats modulated use of torpor depending on ambient temperature. By adjusting the time spent torpid, bats achieved a rate of energy expenditure independent of the ambient temperature encountered at stopover. By lowering body temperature during inactive periods, fuel stores are spared, reducing the need for refuelling. Optimal migration models consider trade-offs between time and energy. Heterothermy provides a physiological strategy that allows bats to conserve energy without paying a time penalty as they migrate. Although uncommon, some avian lineages are known to use heterothermy, and current theoretical models of migration may not be appropriate for these groups. We propose that thermoregulatory strategies should be an important consideration of future migration studies of both bats and birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam P. McGuire
- Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Kristin A. Jonasson
- Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher G. Guglielmo
- Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
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Dechmann DKN, Wikelski M, Varga K, Yohannes E, Fiedler W, Safi K, Burkhard WD, O'Mara MT. Tracking post-hibernation behavior and early migration does not reveal the expected sex-differences in a "female-migrating" bat. PLoS One 2014; 9:e114810. [PMID: 25517947 PMCID: PMC4269398 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-distance migration is a rare phenomenon in European bats. Genetic analyses and banding studies show that females can cover distances of up to 1,600 km, whereas males are sedentary or migrate only short distances. The onset of this sex-biased migration is supposed to occur shortly after rousing from hibernation and when the females are already pregnant. We therefore predicted that the sexes are exposed to different energetic pressures in early spring, and this should be reflected in their behavior and physiology. We investigated this in one of the three Central European long-distance migrants, the common noctule (Nyctalus noctula) in Southern Germany recording the first individual partial migration tracks of this species. In contrast to our predictions, we found no difference between male and female home range size, activity, habitat use or diet. Males and females emerged from hibernation in similar body condition and mass increase rate was the same in males and females. We followed the first migration steps, up to 475 km, of radio-tagged individuals from an airplane. All females, as well as some of the males, migrated away from the wintering area in the same northeasterly direction. Sex differences in long-distance migratory behavior were confirmed through stable isotope analysis of hair, which showed greater variation in females than in males. We hypothesize that both sexes faced similarly good conditions after hibernation and fattened at maximum rates, thus showing no differences in their local behavior. Interesting results that warrant further investigation are the better initial condition of the females and the highly consistent direction of the first migratory step in this population as summering habitats of the common noctule occur at a broad range in Northern Europe. Only research focused on individual strategies will allow us to fully understand the migratory behavior of European bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina K. N. Dechmann
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- University of Konstanz, Department of Biology, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
- * E-mail:
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- University of Konstanz, Department of Biology, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| | - Katarina Varga
- University of Konstanz, Department of Biology, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Wolfgang Fiedler
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- University of Konstanz, Department of Biology, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Kamran Safi
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- University of Konstanz, Department of Biology, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - M. Teague O'Mara
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- University of Konstanz, Department of Biology, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
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Baerwald EF, Patterson WP, Barclay RMR. Origins and migratory patterns of bats killed by wind turbines in southern Alberta: evidence from stable isotopes. Ecosphere 2014. [DOI: 10.1890/es13-00380.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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31
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Rydell J, Bach L, Bach P, Diaz LG, Furmankiewicz J, Hagner-Wahlsten N, Kyheröinen EM, Lilley T, Masing M, Meyer MM, Ptersons G, Šuba J, Vasko V, Vintulis V, Hedenström A. Phenology of Migratory Bat Activity Across the Baltic Sea and the South-Eastern North Sea. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2014. [DOI: 10.3161/150811014x683354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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32
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Wiederholt R, López-Hoffman L, Cline J, Medellín RA, Cryan P, Russell A, McCracken G, Diffendorfer J, Semmens D. Moving across the border: modeling migratory bat populations. Ecosphere 2013. [DOI: 10.1890/es13-00023.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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33
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Haarsma AJ, Siepel H. Macro-evolutionary trade-offs as the basis for the distribution of European bats. ANIM BIOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1163/15707563-00002424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Bats have a high species diversity and show unique ecological traits. The distribution patterns of European bat species differ between species. In this paper we seek to explain which life history traits, or interrelations between traits, can best explain observed differences in the distribution patterns of bats. Traits are interrelated and sometimes involve trade-offs, implying that a change in one trait may have positive or negative consequences for other traits. We describe the main morphological, physiological and ecological adaptations of insectivorous European bat species. We make pair-wise relations between traits, indicating the interrelations between traits, in terms of possible trade-offs. We relate the consequences of these trade-offs to the distribution maps of the species, focusing on the traits relevant for southern and northern distribution limits. We found coarse patterns that might indicate the distribution of related species are a consequence of their physiological, morphological and ecological adaptations and the interrelations between these adaptations. Hence, we think life-history strategies can be used to explain differences in species distribution. The method presented in this paper might also be useful for other mammal groups with a high species diversity, such as Rodentia and Soricidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Jifke Haarsma
- 1Centre for Ecosystem Studies, Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 47, NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Henk Siepel
- 1Centre for Ecosystem Studies, Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 47, NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
- 2Animal Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Cortés-Calva P, Álvarez-Castañeda ST, Hernández-Gutiérrez JM, Cuevas MDLP. Underwood's Bonneted Bat (Eumops underwoodi): First Record in the Baja California Peninsula. WEST N AM NATURALIST 2012. [DOI: 10.3398/064.072.0315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Voigt CC, Sörgel K, Šuba J, Keišs O, Pētersons G. The insectivorous bat Pipistrellus nathusii uses a mixed-fuel strategy to power autumn migration. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 279:3772-8. [PMID: 22719039 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.0902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to birds, bats are possibly limited in their capacity to use body fat as an energy source for long migrations. Here, we studied the fuel choice of migratory Pipistrellus nathusii (approximate weight: 8 g) by analysing the stable carbon isotope ratio (δ(13)C(V-PDB)) of breath and potential energy sources. Breath δ(13)C(V-PDB) was intermediate between δ(13)C(V-PDB) of insect prey and adipocyte triacylglycerols, suggesting a mixed-fuel use of P. nathusii during autumn migration. To clarify the origin of oxidized fatty acids, we performed feeding experiments with captive P. nathusii. After an insect diet, bat breath was enriched in (13)C relative to the bulk and fat portion of insects, but not deviating from the non-fat portion of insects, suggesting that bats oxidized exogenous proteins and carbohydrates, but not exogenous fatty acids. A feeding experiment with (13)C-labelled substrates confirmed these findings. In conclusion, migratory P. nathusii oxidized dietary proteins directly from insects captured en route in combination with endogenous fatty acids from adipocytes, and replenished their body reserves by routing dietary fatty acids to their body reserves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian C Voigt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, 10315 Berlin, Germany.
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Muijres FT, Johansson LC, Bowlin MS, Winter Y, Hedenström A. Comparing aerodynamic efficiency in birds and bats suggests better flight performance in birds. PLoS One 2012; 7:e37335. [PMID: 22624018 PMCID: PMC3356262 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2011] [Accepted: 04/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Flight is one of the energetically most costly activities in the animal kingdom, suggesting that natural selection should work to optimize flight performance. The similar size and flight speed of birds and bats may therefore suggest convergent aerodynamic performance; alternatively, flight performance could be restricted by phylogenetic constraints. We test which of these scenarios fit to two measures of aerodynamic flight efficiency in two passerine bird species and two New World leaf-nosed bat species. Using time-resolved particle image velocimetry measurements of the wake of the animals flying in a wind tunnel, we derived the span efficiency, a metric for the efficiency of generating lift, and the lift-to-drag ratio, a metric for mechanical energetic flight efficiency. We show that the birds significantly outperform the bats in both metrics, which we ascribe to variation in aerodynamic function of body and wing upstroke: Bird bodies generated relatively more lift than bat bodies, resulting in a more uniform spanwise lift distribution and higher span efficiency. A likely explanation would be that the bat ears and nose leaf, associated with echolocation, disturb the flow over the body. During the upstroke, the birds retract their wings to make them aerodynamically inactive, while the membranous bat wings generate thrust and negative lift. Despite the differences in performance, the wake morphology of both birds and bats resemble the optimal wake for their respective lift-to-drag ratio regimes. This suggests that evolution has optimized performance relative to the respective conditions of birds and bats, but that maximum performance is possibly limited by phylogenetic constraints. Although ecological differences between birds and bats are subjected to many conspiring variables, the different aerodynamic flight efficiency for the bird and bat species studied here may help explain why birds typically fly faster, migrate more frequently and migrate longer distances than bats.
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Fly-and-Forage Strategy in the Bat Pipistrellus nathusii During Autumn Migration. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2012. [DOI: 10.3161/150811012x661693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Baerwald EF, Barclay RMR. Patterns of activity and fatality of migratory bats at a wind energy facility in Alberta, Canada. J Wildl Manage 2011. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Engel S, Bowlin MS, Hedenstrom A. The Role of Wind-Tunnel Studies in Integrative Research on Migration Biology. Integr Comp Biol 2010; 50:323-35. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icq063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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