Integrating Multiple Survey Techniques to Document a Shifting Bat Community in the Wake of White-Nose Syndrome

The long-term study of bat communities often depends on a diverse set of sampling methodologies that are chosen based on the species or habitat management priorities of the research project. Integrating the data from a diverse set of methodologies (such as acoustic monitoring and mist net sampling) would improve our ability to characterize changes in community structure or composition over time, such as one would expect following an emergent infectious disease such as white-nose syndrome. We developed a Bayesian state-space model to integrate these disparate data into a common currency (relative abundance). We collected both acoustic monitoring and mist net capture data over an 8-y period (2006–2014) to document shifts in the bat community in central New England, USA, in response to the onset of white-nose syndrome in 2009. The integrated data model shows a significant decline in the abundance of little brown bat Myotis lucifugus, northern long-eared bat Myotis septentrionalis, and hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus, and an increase in abundance of the eastern small-footed bat Myotis leibii and the eastern red bat Lasiurus borealis. There was no evidence for a change in abundance in the big brown bat Eptesicus fuscus since the onset of white-nose syndrome. The consistency of this model with regional estimates of decline over the same time period support the validity of our relative abundance estimate. This model provides the opportunity to quantify shifts in other communities where multiple sampling methodologies were employed, and therefore provides natural resource managers with a robust tool to integrate existing sampling data to quantify changes in community composition that can inform conservation and management recommendations.

Accidental capture of the arboreal rodent Rhipidomys cf. macrurus in a mist-net in Silvânia National Forest, Brazil

We describe a bycatch event of an individual of Rhipidomys cf. macrurus in a mist-net during a chiroptera survey carried out in the Conservation Unit National Forest Silvânia, Silvânia municipality, Goiás, Brazil. Catching animals other than birds and bats in mist-nets is exceptional, so our record is one of the few reported in the literature and involving a rodent. Presumable the individual became entangled while foraging in the vegetation surrounding the mis-net.

Ilha Grande, one of the locations with the most records of bat species (Mammalia, Chiroptera) in Rio de Janeiro state: results of a long-term ecological study

Faunal inventories provide quantitative and qualitative data for different sites and are relevant sources of information for identifying areas of high species richness and endemism. Biological collections are important in this context for increasing the precision of species identification. The objectives of this study were to update the list of bat species of Ilha Grande by analyzing specimens in zoological collections as well as records obtained in areas where no such studies had been undertaken before; to compare five different studies conducted on Ilha Grande using mist net sampling; and to compare the results of studies on Ilha Grande with sampling results from other areas in Rio de Janeiro state. The occurrence of 36 bat species was confirmed for Ilha Grande. Five studies on Ilha Grande formerly conducted by the authors were compared with 34 fauna inventories in Rio de Janeiro state. The studies on Ilha Grande had distinct objectives and sampling techniques applied to different locations in the same area. Ilha Grande is one of the regions in Rio de Janeiro state with more bat records both in terms of abundance and number of species, as well as one of the areas of highest bat capture effort.

The early history of netting bats

The Japanese-style mist net that mammalogists and ornithologists use extensively came into regular use by scientists in the 1950s and early 1960s and its use in capturing bats and birds unharmed is now worldwide. The history of the innovative mist net, which was originally made of silk and brought to the U.S. by ornithologist Oliver L. Austin, Jr., shortly after WW II, was reviewed recently by Genoways et al. (2020). However, the mist net was not the first net to be used for the scientific capture of bats and birds—that was the Italian trammel net.

Advanced survey effort required to obtain bat assemblage data in temperate woodlands (Chiroptera)

There is a lack of precise guidelines concerning the survey effort required for advanced bat surveys in temperate European woodlands, resulting in a lack of standardisation in survey methods. In this study we assess catch data from 56 bat trapping surveys at 11 UK woodland sites in order to provide recommendations for mist net survey effort required to gain meaningful bat assemblage data in temperate woodlands. Species accumulation curves were produced and were used to develop two novel values for survey effort: the minimum survey threshold (MST), whereby surveyors are more likely than not to encounter less dominant species; and the known species threshold (KST), the point where a given percentage (in our case, 75%) of the known species assemblage for a site is likely to be reached and beyond which there are diminishing returns for survey effort. For our data, the mean of MST was 17.4 net hours, and for KST, the mean was 29.8 net hours. The MST and KST values were reached during the second and third surveys, respectively. These proposed values are adaptable based on location and known species assemblage and may be used for planning advanced bat surveys in temperate woodlands not only to maximise survey efficacy and use of limited resources but to ensure ethical viability of undertaking advanced surveys in the first place.

EFEKTIVITAS PENGGUNAAN JARING KABUT DALAM KOLEKSI CHIROPTERA (MEGACHIROPTERA DAN MICROCHIROPTERA)

The use of traps is very important in the process of sampling bats in the field. The mist net is a type of traps that commonly used to catch bats for research purposes. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of using mist nets in bats sampling. Sampling site located in the Lindu Plain, District of Sigi, Central Sulawesi. Bats were sampled by mist nets using purposive sampling method, at four different types of habitat. The result of this study indicated that mist net is effective in catching fruit-eating bats (Megachiroptera), but is not effective in capturing insectivorous bats (Microchiroptera).

ECTOPARASITES DIVERSITY OF MICROCHIROPTERA BATS SUBORDER IN JEPANG CAVE, PLAWANGAN HILL, SLEMAN, YOGYAKARTA

Ectoparasites in bats can cause a decrease in health and can be a disease vector. Ectoparasites found in bats are generally members of the Insect Class and Arachnida Class. This study was aim to determine the diversity of ectoparasites in bats of the Microchiroptera suborder in Jepang Cave, Plawangan Hill, Sleman, Yogyakarta and knowing various factors that influence the existence of these ectoparasites in bats. Catching bats is done by mist net, bats are anesthetized and morphometric measurements are carried out. Descriptive methods are used to identify bats and their ectoparasites and analyze the abundance of ectoparasites using prevalence and intensity. Identification of ectoparasites were carried out in the Animal Systematic Laboratory of the Parasitology Section of the Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, by using the book of ectoparasites identification. Bat species were ound include Miniopterus schreibersii and Rhinolopus pusillus. The results showed that ectoparasite species were found in the bats of the Microchiroptera Suborder from the Subclass Acarina and the Insect Class. The species of Subclass Acarina found were Periglischrus sp., Spinturnix plecotinus, Blattisocius sp., And Glycyphagus sp. Species of the Insect Class found include Megastrebla sp., Stylidia caudata, Basilia sp., and Brachytarsina sp. The prevalence of R. pussilus in Jepang Cave, was 66.67% and it is frequent. The ectoparasite intensity category of Periglischrus sp. was 0.72, meanwhile Glycyphagus sp. and Stylidia caudata were 0.06, which is very low.

KEANEKARAGAMAN JENIS KELELAWAR (Chiroptera) DI KAWASAN UNIVERSITAS TANJUNGPURA KOTA PONTIANAK

Bat (Chiroptera) are a type of mammal that has an important ecological role for the sustainability of the forest, including helping to spread seeds, flower pollination, and control insect population. Bats have adapted well to various habitats, including urban forests. The purpose of this research is to search bats diversity data in the area of Tanjungpura University, Pontianak. Method of this research using the capture and release by using a mist net, placed purposively, by looking at the bat path. The Mist net was installed around tree canopy layers at 3 research locations, new campuses, old campuses, and the Arboretum. Based on the location of the observation, the number of species and types found in three locations is the same. There are 2 species of the family Pteropodidae including the sub-order Megachiroptera, Cynopterus brachyotis and Cynopterus minutus. Data analysis results show that no type of bat dominates from three observation locations, the dominance index is < 1. Diversity of Bats from all three locations shows < 1 which includes low diversity index criteria. The evenness of bats from all three observation locations has a criteria value of > 0.5 meaning the community at all three observation locations is the lability community to the stable. Keyword: Bats, Diversity, Urban Forest