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Koch M, Manecke J, Burgard JP, Münnich R, Kugelschafter K, Kiefer A, Veith M. How weather triggers the emergence of bats from their subterranean hibernacula. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6344. [PMID: 37072427 PMCID: PMC10113228 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32166-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Hibernation is one of the most important behaviours of bats of the temperate zone. During winter, when little food or liquid water is available, hibernation in torpor lowers metabolic costs. However, the timing of emergence from hibernation is crucial for the resumption of the reproductive process in spring. Here, we investigate the spring emergence of six bat species or pairs of bat species of the genera Myotis and Plecotus at five hibernation sites in Central Europe over 5 years. Using generalized additive Poisson models (GAPMs), we analyze the influence of weather conditions (air and soil temperature, atmospheric pressure, atmospheric pressure trend, rain, wind, and cloud cover) as predictors of bat activity and separate these extrinsic triggers from residual motivation to emerge from hibernation (extrinsic factors not studied; intrinsic motivation). Although bats in a subterranean hibernaculum are more or less cut off from the outside world, all species showed weather dependence, albeit to varying degrees, with air temperature outside the hibernaculum having a significant positive effect in all species. The residual, potentially intrinsic motivation of species to emerge from their hibernacula corresponds to their general ecological adaptation, such as trophic specialization and roosting preferences. It allows the definition of three functional groups (high, medium and low residual activity groups) according to the degree of weather dependence of spring activity. A better knowledge of the interplay of extrinsic triggers and residual motivation (e.g., internal zeitgebers) for spring emergence will help to understand the flexibility of a species to adapt to a changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Koch
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, 54296 Trier, Germany
| | - Julia Manecke
- Economics and Social Statistics Department, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, 54296 Trier, Germany
| | - Jan Pablo Burgard
- Economics and Social Statistics Department, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, 54296 Trier, Germany
| | - Ralf Münnich
- Economics and Social Statistics Department, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, 54296 Trier, Germany
| | | | - Andreas Kiefer
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, 54296 Trier, Germany
- NABU Rhineland-Palatinate, 55118 Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael Veith
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, 54296 Trier, Germany
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Fraser EE, McGuire LP. Prehibernation swarming in temperate bats: a critical transition between summer activity and hibernation. CAN J ZOOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2022-0129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
In this contribution to Dr. Brock Fenton's Festschrift, we briefly reflect on Dr. Fenton's seminal works examining bat swarming behaviour in Ontario and use these reflections as a launch pad to conduct a global review on autumn swarming in bats, and underlying hypotheses to explain this behaviour. Our review frames the swarming period as a time of critical transitions, during which bats must balance multiple life history trade-offs, and we consider how various intrinsic and extrinsic factors may contribute to inter- and intraspecific differences in autumn behaviour. We discuss the transition away from summer residency, including maternity colony breakup, day roosting, and migration during autumn. We review key life history elements of swarming, including mating behaviours and associated reproductive condition, genetic exchange during swarming, and variation among sexes, ages, and species. Finally, we discuss the behaviours and physiological states of bats transitioning from the swarming period to hibernation. Throughout, we identify common patterns and also exceptions. Over 50 years of research has yielded many insights into autumn swarming, but knowledge gaps remain. Future research focus on a greater diversity of species will reveal general principles underlying the transition from summer active season, through the swarming period, and into winter hibernation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E. Fraser
- School of Science and the Environment, Memorial University of Newfoundland (Grenfell Campus), 20 University Drive, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada
| | - Liam P. McGuire
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
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Reusch C, Scheuerlein A, Grosche L, Meier F, Gampe J, Dammhahn M, van Schaik J, Kerth G. The risk faced by the early bat: individual plasticity and mortality costs of the timing of spring departure after hibernation. OIKOS 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christine Reusch
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Inst. and Museum, Univ. of Greifswald Greifswald Germany
- Dept of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Inst. for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | - Alexander Scheuerlein
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Inst. and Museum, Univ. of Greifswald Greifswald Germany
| | - Leo Grosche
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Inst. and Museum, Univ. of Greifswald Greifswald Germany
| | - Frauke Meier
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Inst. and Museum, Univ. of Greifswald Greifswald Germany
| | - Jutta Gampe
- Laboratory of Statistical Demography, Max‐Planck Inst. for Demographic Research Rostock Germany
| | - Melanie Dammhahn
- Behavioural Biology, Inst. for Neurobiology and Univ. of Münster Münster Germany
| | - Jaap van Schaik
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Inst. and Museum, Univ. of Greifswald Greifswald Germany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Inst. and Museum, Univ. of Greifswald Greifswald Germany
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Bergmann A, Gloza-Rausch F, Wimmer B, Kugelschafter K, Knörnschild M. Similarities in social calls during autumn swarming may facilitate interspecific communication between Myotis bat species. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.950951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats employ a variety of social calls for communication purposes. However, for most species, social calls are far less studied than echolocation calls and their specific function often remains unclear. We investigated the function of in-flight social calls during autumn swarming in front of a large hibernaculum in Northern Germany, whose main inhabitants are two species of Myotis bats, Natterer’s bats (Myotis nattereri) and Daubenton’s bats (Myotis daubentonii). We recorded social calls in nights of high swarming activity and grouped the calls based on their spectro-temporal structure into ten types and verified our visual classification by a discriminant function analysis. Whenever possible, we subsequently assigned social calls to either M. daubentonii or M. nattereri by analyzing the echolocation calls surrounding them. As many bats echolocate at the same time during swarming, we did not analyze single echolocation calls but the “soundscape” surrounding each social call instead, encompassing not only spectral parameters but also the timbre (vocal “color”) of echolocation calls. Both species employ comparatively similar social call types in a swarming context, even though there are subtle differences in call parameters between species. To additionally gain information about the general function of social calls produced in a swarming context, we performed playback experiments with free-flying bats in the vicinity of the roost, using three different call types from both species, respectively. In three out of six treatments, bat activity (approximated as echolocation call rate) increased during and after stimulus presentation, indicating that bats inspected or approached the playback site. Using a camera trap, we were sometimes able to identify the species of approaching bats. Based on the photos taken during playbacks, we assume one call type to support interspecific communication while another call type works for intraspecific group cohesion.
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Bergmann A, Burchardt LS, Wimmer B, Kugelschafter K, Gloza‐Rausch F, Knörnschild M. The soundscape of swarming: Proof of concept for a noninvasive acoustic species identification of swarming
Myotis
bats. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9439. [DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anja Bergmann
- Museum für Naturkunde Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science Berlin Germany
- Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Lara S. Burchardt
- Museum für Naturkunde Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science Berlin Germany
- Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Bernadette Wimmer
- Naturschutz, Landwirtschaft, Gartenbau, Schifffahrt und Wasserwirtschaft Landratsamt Garmisch‐Patenkirchen Garmisch‐Patenkirchen Germany
| | | | - Florian Gloza‐Rausch
- Museum für Naturkunde Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science Berlin Germany
- Noctalis Fledermaus‐Zentrum GmbH Bad Segeberg Germany
- Deutsche Fledermauswarte e.V Berlin Germany
| | - Mirjam Knörnschild
- Museum für Naturkunde Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science Berlin Germany
- Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
- Deutsche Fledermauswarte e.V Berlin Germany
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Bell CP. Daily, Seasonal and Inter-Annual Variation in Activity Within a Common Pipistrelle Swarming Site and Hibernaculum. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2022. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2022.24.1.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher P. Bell
- Durham Bat Group, c/o Durham Wildlife Trust, Chilton Moor, Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear, DH4 6PU, United Kingdom
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Kerth G. Long-term field studies in bat research: importance for basic and applied research questions in animal behavior. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022; 76:75. [PMID: 35669868 PMCID: PMC9135593 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03180-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAnimal species differ considerably in longevity. Among mammals, short-lived species such as shrews have a maximum lifespan of about a year, whereas long-lived species such as whales can live for more than two centuries. Because of their slow pace of life, long-lived species are typically of high conservation concern and of special scientific interest. This applies not only to large mammals such as whales, but also to small-sized bats and mole-rats. To understand the typically complex social behavior of long-lived mammals and protect their threatened populations, field studies that cover substantial parts of a species’ maximum lifespan are required. However, long-term field studies on mammals are an exception because the collection of individualized data requires considerable resources over long time periods in species where individuals can live for decades. Field studies that span decades do not fit well in the current career and funding regime in science. This is unfortunate, as the existing long-term studies on mammals yielded exciting insights into animal behavior and contributed data important for protecting their populations. Here, I present results of long-term field studies on the behavior, demography, and life history of bats, with a particular focus on my long-term studies on wild Bechstein’s bats. I show that long-term studies on individually marked populations are invaluable to understand the social system of bats, investigate the causes and consequences of their extraordinary longevity, and assess their responses to changing environments with the aim to efficiently protect these unique mammals in the face of anthropogenic global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Kerth
- Zoological Institute and Museum, Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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Mordue S, Aegerter J, Mill A, Dawson DA, Crepaldi C, Wolff K. Population structure, gene flow and relatedness of Natterer’s bats in Northern England. Mamm Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00102-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThere have been significant declines in population numbers of many bat species in the United Kingdom, including Natterer’s batsMyotis nattereri, over the last century, largely due to anthropogenic changes. The philopatry, which temperate-zone bats often exhibit to their natal landscapes, in combination with anthropogenic threats, can lead to fragmentation, isolation and sub-division of populations. This may result in bottlenecks and declines in genetic diversity. Multi-scaled research is required to disentangle how the variation in the physical traits of bat species (e.g. affecting flight), as well as their social and behavioural traits (e.g. community size, migration, breeding systems), may affect the genetic health of populations and provide a potential buffer against fragmentation. We used microsatellite markers to characterise the genetic diversity and population structure present in Natterer’s bat colonies to determine whether summer roosting bat colonies were spatially differentiated or part of a meta-population. Analyses of population structure and measures of genetic relatedness suggest spatially differentiated populations of bats exhibit long term site fidelity to summer roosting sites, whilst high genetic diversity at sites indicates gene exchange occurs via swarming sites. Natterer’s bats in northern England may travel greater distances to swarming sites than has been previously documented.
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Giavi S, Glaizot O, Christe P. Sex and Age Variation in the Phenology of a Common Pipistrelle Bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) Population in Front of a Hibernaculum. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2020.22.1.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Giavi
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Berne, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Glaizot
- Museum of Zoology, Place de la Riponne 6, 1014 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Christe
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Lausanne, Biophore, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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Reusch C, Gampe J, Scheuerlein A, Meier F, Grosche L, Kerth G. Differences in seasonal survival suggest species-specific reactions to climate change in two sympatric bat species. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:7957-7965. [PMID: 31380063 PMCID: PMC6662409 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-lived animals with a low annual reproductive output need a long time to recover from population crashes and are, thus, likely to face high extinction risk, if the current global environmental change will increase mortality rates. To aid conservation of those species, knowledge on the variability of mortality rates is essential. Unfortunately, however, individual-based multiyear data sets that are required for that have only rarely been collected for free-ranging long-lived mammals. Here, we used a five-year data set comprising activity data of 1,445 RFID-tagged individuals of two long-lived temperate zone bat species, Natterer's bats (Myotis nattereri) and Daubenton's bats (Myotis daubentonii), at their joint hibernaculum. Both species are listed as being of high conservation interest by the European Habitats Directive. Applying mixed-effects logistic regression, we explored seasonal survival differences in these two species which differ in foraging strategy and phenology. In both species, survival over the first winter of an individual's life was much lower than survival over subsequent winters. Focussing on adults only, seasonal survival patterns were largely consistent with higher winter and lower summer survival but varied in its level across years in both species. Our analyses, furthermore, highlight the importance of species-specific time periods for survival. Daubenton's bats showed a much stronger difference in survival between the two seasons than Natterer's bats. In one exceptional winter, the population of Natterer's bats crashed, while the survival of Daubenton's bats declined only moderately. While our results confirm the general seasonal survival pattern typical for hibernating mammals with higher winter than summer survival, they also show that this pattern can be reversed under particular conditions. Overall, our study points toward a high importance of specific time periods for population dynamics and suggests species-, population-, and age class-specific responses to global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Reusch
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Institute and MuseumUniversity of GreifswaldGreifswaldGermany
| | - Jutta Gampe
- Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR)RostockGermany
| | | | - Frauke Meier
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Institute and MuseumUniversity of GreifswaldGreifswaldGermany
- Echolot – Büro für Fledermauskunde Landschaftsökologie und UmweltbildungMünsterGermany
| | - Lena Grosche
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Institute and MuseumUniversity of GreifswaldGreifswaldGermany
- Echolot – Büro für Fledermauskunde Landschaftsökologie und UmweltbildungMünsterGermany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Institute and MuseumUniversity of GreifswaldGreifswaldGermany
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