太行山南段洞栖蝙蝠的分布及栖息地重要性分析

2009年8月至2010年9月,对太行山南段的洞栖蝙蝠及栖息地进行了调查,共调查洞穴38个,其中28个洞穴为首次调查,共观察到蝙蝠约17000只,隶属2科4属9种,其中分布最广、数量最多的是马铁菊头蝠。测量洞穴的总水平长度、最大宽度和最大高度,并以洞穴内蝙蝠的种群数量(Ai)与根据物种生存状态赋值的权重(Mi)乘积之和评估洞穴重要性。在调查的洞穴中,最重要的洞穴是黄楝树水渠,有8种约2500只蝙蝠在此繁殖和冬眠;其次是涧河洞,有5种约2100只蝙蝠在此繁殖和冬眠。基于洞栖蝙蝠种类和洞穴测量数据的聚类及主成分分析,探讨了太行山南段东西两侧洞栖蝙蝠的分布状况、不同类型栖息地之间的差异以及洞栖蝙蝠对栖息地的选择。太行山南段东西两侧洞栖蝙蝠的种类和种群数量差异不显著。冬眠洞穴的总水平长度、最大宽度、最大高度、郁闭度均显著大于非冬眠洞穴。影响蝙蝠栖息地选择的主要因子有地形因子、隐蔽因子和干扰因子,这3个主成分的累计贡献率达到85.96%。目前,这些洞穴的保护现状均不理想,一些洞穴已经或正在被开发成旅游景点,这使该地区洞栖蝙蝠面临严重的生存危机。本研究结果以期能为决策者在制定开发旅游策略时提供参考和依据。     

贵州洋溪省级自然保护区翼手类 物种多样性调查

2018年7月至2021年2月,采用栖息地调查法和网捕法对贵州洋溪省级自然保护区翼手目动物物种多样性及保护现状进行了调查。共记录到翼手目动物3科6属13种,包括蝙蝠科5种,菊头蝠科5种,蹄蝠科3种。按照中国动物地理区划,以东洋界种类为主,共有11种,另有2种为广布种。列入《中国生物多样性红色名录：哺乳动物》近危级（NT）7种、无危级（LC）物种6种;列入IUCN物种红色名录近危（NT）级1种,无危级（LC）12种。此次在洋溪自然保护区共调查了27个洞穴,其中20个洞穴有蝙蝠栖息。大蹄蝠（Hipposideros armiger）分布最广,在10个洞穴有分布;其次是皮氏菊头蝠（Rhinolophus pearsonii）,在8个洞穴发现;小菊头蝠（R. pusillus）在7个洞穴有分布。对蝙蝠栖息洞穴的干扰情况进行调查发现,超过一半（55%,n = 20）的洞穴存在人类干扰活动,如村民进洞游玩、在洞内饲养家畜、驱赶蝙蝠、进行祭祀活动以及破坏洞口等。建议对村民在洞内养殖家畜、游玩、驱赶蝙蝠等行为加以限制,并通过引导村民文明祭祀、对被封洞口进行疏通、对古老建筑进行修缮等方式,加强对该地区蝙蝠的保护。同时还建议对该保护区的蝙蝠及其栖息地进行长期监测。     

四川绵阳洞栖蝙蝠多样性及受胁现状

1999～2005年,对四川省绵阳市洞栖性蝙蝠进行了凋杳。共采集到4科,5属,14种,约占四川蝙蝠种类31．8％,中国蝙蝠种类11．7％。其中,大足鼠耳蝠（Myotis ricketti）为中国特有种,中华鼠耳蝠（Myotis chinensis）已被列入《中国物种红色名录》中的易危（VU）种,南蝠（Iu io）等5种被列入近危（NT）种。调查中发现不少洞穴已被开发或正在被开发成旅游景点,人为干扰已严重威胁洞穴内蝙蝠的生存。建议对蝙蝠栖息地采取一定的保护措施,并加强保护蝙蝠的宣传教育。     

普氏蹄蝠栖息地选择的研究

为了解普氏蹄蝠(Hipposideros pratti)栖息地的特征、微环境条件及影响该物种栖息地选择的因素,2016年6月至2019年9月,在我国中、南部的10个省或直辖市,对83个洞穴进行测量,记录洞穴微环境,评估洞穴内普氏蹄蝠的受干扰程度,对普氏蹄蝠生态习性进行初步观察。运用独立样本t检验和卡方检验评估普氏蹄蝠的栖息地偏好,主成分分析检验影响栖息地选择的因素。结果显示,有蝙蝠栖息的洞穴66个,有普氏蹄蝠栖息的洞穴17个,普氏蹄蝠的繁殖地主要是天然洞穴;与其他蝙蝠栖息地相比,普氏蹄蝠栖息地具有更高的洞穴最大高度与更低的洞内温度;与普氏蹄蝠非繁殖地相比,繁殖地具有更大的洞穴入口宽度、更高的温度和湿度及更短的水源距离;与非冬眠地相比,冬眠地相对湿度高而光照度低。调查发现,多数栖息地被严重干扰,许多已被开发为旅游景点,可能严重影响普氏蹄蝠的种群数量;普氏蹄蝠通常栖息在距离洞口不远的最高处,个体间保持10～15cm的距离,傍晚出洞时间晚于小体型蝙蝠,冬眠期为11月中下旬至次年4月,冬眠时一般栖息在洞穴深处。研究表明,普氏蹄蝠对栖息地具有强烈选择性。     

广西玉林市翼手类多样性初步调查

从2006年6月至2009年11月对玉林市翼手类物种多样性进行了初步调查.玉林市共有蝙蝠15种,隶属5科7属.其中东洋型种类有13种,占86.7%,季风型(东亚伏翼Pipistrellus abramus)和南中国型(灰伏翼Pipistrellus pulveratus)各1种,分别占蝙蝠种类的6.67%.玉林市蝙蝠可分为3种栖息类型:菊头蝠属Rhinolophus、蹄蝠属Hipposideros和棕果蝠Rousettus leschenaultia为洞穴型蝙蝠;犬蝠Cynopterus sphinx为树栖型蝙蝠;东亚伏翼和灰伏翼为房屋型蝙蝠.蝙蝠在该地区自然生态系统中占有重要地位,食虫蝙蝠捕食蚊、蛾等害虫,是控制害虫的有效天敌之一,食果蝙蝠对荔枝、龙眼、香蕉等水果造成一定危害.目前,由于栖息环境破坏和乱捕滥杀,蝙蝠种类和种群数量均有所下降,应加大保护力度.     

澳门翼手类物种多样性调查

2009 ～2012 年,对澳门翼手目(蝙蝠)物种多样性进行了调查。结果共捕捉到10 个物种,属5 科8 属,其中包括澳门原来记载的2 个物种,即蹄蝠科的大蹄蝠(Hipposideros armiger)和蝙蝠科的东亚伏翼(Pipistrellus abramus);本研究新增加8 个物种,即狐蝠科的犬蝠(Cynopterus sphinx) 和棕果蝠(Rousettus leschenaulti),鞘尾蝠科的黑髯墓蝠(Taphozous melanopogon),菊头蝠科的菲菊头蝠(Rhinolophus pusillus),以及蝙蝠科的大足鼠耳蝠(Myotis ricketti)、普通伏翼(P. pipistrellus)、普通长翼蝠(Miniopterus schreibersi) 和南长翼蝠(M. pusillus)。另外,通过野外录音和分析,并与已发表物种声音特征比较核对,发现菊头蝠科和蹄蝠科各一种,前者可能是泰国菊头蝠(R. siamensis)或者中菊头蝠(R. affinis),后者可能是果树蹄蝠(H. pomona) 或者三叶蹄蝠(Aselliscus stoliczkanus)。本文对已捕捉10 种蝙蝠的分布、形态特征和回声定位叫声特征进行报道,同时对其种群数量和保护现状进行了讨论。保护蝙蝠栖息生境(洞穴、古老建筑和蒲葵树等) 对保护澳门蝙蝠物种多样性至关重要。     

潇水河永州零陵段沿岸蝙蝠物种多样性调查

2011年5月—2013年8月对潇水河永州零陵段沿岸蝙蝠物种多样性进行了初步调查。共记录到蝙蝠8种,分属3科5属。从分布型看,东洋型种类占多数(62.5%);从种群数量看,东亚伏翼Pipistrellus abramus与大蹄蝠Hipposideros armiger占优势,斑蝠Scotomanes ornatus数量最为稀少。区域内蝙蝠喜栖于竹丛、树冠、岩壁、洞穴、民居与古建筑等处。上、下游所栖蝙蝠种类存在差异,但均喜好在水体与植被交接处活动而形成活动聚集地,且洞穴冬眠型蝙蝠的年活动周期较房屋冬眠型蝙蝠的短。调查结果增加了对潇水河沿岸蝙蝠生存现状的了解,可为进一步开展蝙蝠研究和保护提供参考。     

栖息洞穴干扰对特有种大卫鼠耳蝠种群数量和基因丰富度的影响

大卫鼠耳蝠(Myotis davidii)为中国特有蝙蝠物种。选用8个微卫星位点,研究并评价了大卫鼠耳蝠种群数量、遗传多样性与其栖息洞穴干扰的关系。结果表明,各微卫星位点遵循HW平衡。在124个个体的8个微卫星位点中共检测到130个等位基因。平均NA、He和Ho分别为16.25、0.71和0.62。单位洞穴长度内大卫鼠耳蝠个体数量和等位基因丰富度随干扰强度增加呈现降低趋势。洞穴单位长度内个体数量则受湿度、干扰强度的显著影响。等位基因丰富度不受个体数量的影响,而受洞穴大小和干扰强度的显著影响。通过对大卫鼠耳蝠栖息洞穴的综合评价,82.35%的栖息洞穴已受到人类活动的影响。此外,种群瓶颈效应事件的出现和洞穴微环境的改变,将进一步影响大卫鼠耳蝠种群及其遗传多样性。因此,建议政府部门及当地群众要尽量缩减对其栖息洞穴的开发规划,减少人为干扰,加强就地保护以有效维持其种群良性发展。     

贵州省四种蝙蝠携带病毒组

翼手目(Chiroptera)动物已被确认是人畜共患病毒的重要自然宿主。贵州省翼手目物种多样性资源丰富,包括了2亚目7科19属65种,但在其携带病毒方面的研究仍然不全面。本文基于病毒宏基因组学和s RNA病毒检测,对贵州省广泛分布的大蹄蝠(Hipposideriderosarmiger)、三叶蹄蝠(Aselliscus wheeleri)、贵州菊头蝠(Rhinolophus rex)和皮氏菊头蝠(R. pearsoni)携带的病毒进行注释及鉴定。通过分析得到所携带病毒的种类;并比较了贵州省与云南省和广西省3个地区翼手目携带病毒在种类上的差异。结果显示,在4种蝙蝠中检测出脊椎动物病毒、昆虫病毒、植物病毒、细菌病毒4大类,共计53科111属170余种病毒,其中具有公共卫生学意义病毒9科10属46种,如:人疱疹病毒1型病毒(Human herpesvirus 1)、戊型肝炎病毒(Hepatitis E virus)、人乳头瘤病毒16型(Human papillomavirustype16)等相关的病毒。贵州省与云南省和广西省3个地区的蝙蝠所携带病毒种类比较发现,只有腺病毒科(Adenoviridae)和逆转录病毒科(Retroviridae)均存在于3个省份的蝙蝠体内,说明病毒种类在不同地域分布的蝙蝠种类中存在较大的差异。贵州省分布的大蹄蝠、三叶蹄蝠、贵州菊头蝠和皮氏菊头蝠携带病毒的种类较多,其病毒种类在公共卫生学上具有一定的代表性,对开展贵州省分子流行病学调查具有重要价值。     

贵州省松桃县东部地区翼手目物种多样性

2008年7月至2009年2月,对贵州省松桃县东部地区的14个镇(乡)47洞穴翼手目的种类、数量、分布及生境进行调查研究。通过标本的采集、鉴定,确定该地区共有翼手目动物3科14种,其中2种为待定种;爪哇伏翼(Pipistrellus javanicus)、棒茎伏翼(P.paterculus)、单角菊头蝠(Rhinolophusmonoceros)3种在贵州省首次发现,其中单角菊头蝠是在中国大陆首次发现。另外,还对该地区蝙蝠的冬眠行为、对冬眠地的选择以及栖息环境的受胁现状进行了初步调查,发现不同种类蝙蝠的冬眠行为是不一样的;同时发现,洞外捕食生境的不同会造成洞穴内分布翼手目种类的不同。     

Distribution and underground habitats of cave-dwelling bats in China

To understand the distribution and relative abundance of cave-dwelling bats and to identify those sites that would be important for conservation of bat species, 25 underground sites that had not been previously surveyed were investigated in this 3-year study (from December 2003 to April 2006) in Funiu Mountain of Henan province, China. Approximately 80 000 bats were recorded, representing 12 species. The most abundant species were Rhinolophus affini s, Miniopterus schreibersi and Hipposideros pratti . The roosts were evaluated for their conservation importance. The most important sites in the area are Yunhua and Nanzhao caves, which serve as hibernaculums and nursery roosts to c . 13 740 and 11 803 bats, respectively, representing seven species. By means of cluster and correspondence analysis, the distribution of bat species was different between the two sides of the mountain and was highly dependent on the size of the cave. The underground sites in the south region hosted c . 80% of the total bats, representing 11 species. The sites in the north region hosted 20% of the total bats, representing seven species. Presently, none of the caves in the region has adequate protection and some bat populations are under serious threat. Many large caves that contained large bat populations and several species of concern had been developed as tourist sites, and so some advice on protecting the most important local habitats was sought based on the assessment of the conservation status of underground sites. This paper presents basic data concerning the distribution of cave-dwelling bats and the patterns of cave use on Funiu Mountain. The data will help local governments and policy-makers develop suitable strategies to promote local tourisms while protecting important habitats of animal species.     

Ecological preferences of neotropical cave bats in roost site selection and their implications for conservation

Bats frequently use caves as roosts due to higher environmental stability and protection. However, species-specific ecological and physiological requirements and conditions of roosts and their surroundings can influence species presence. Little is known on cave choice by bats in the Neotropics, a species- and cave-rich region. Understanding how bats, cave characteristics and the surrounding landscape are related with each other helps the management and conservation of bats and caves. Based on sampling 19 caves using both diurnal observations and captures, we tested (1) whether bat richness was positively related to cave temperature, humidity, size, stability, and heterogeneity of microhabitats, and the preservation and heterogeneity of the surrounding landscape in central Brazil; (2) whether cave and landscape characteristics influenced on species composition; (3) how species responded to cave and landscape variables; and (4) whether these relationships changed between seasons. Temperature was a limiting factor, whereas environmental stability, humidity, and structural attributes of caves favored the occurrence of more species. Larger caves, rich in microhabitats – but more stable than the external environment – supported more species, especially in the dry season. Landscape context did not influence species richness and composition in the caves, but the percentage of vegetation around caves was important for certain species. Our results highlight the influence of environmental variables in the process of cave selection by Neotropical bat species. Moreover, we emphasize the importance of cave protection for bats and provide useful information for decision-making in processes of environmental licensing.     

New records of ectoparasitic Acari (Arachnida) and Streblidae (Diptera) from bats in Jalisco,Mexico

Ectoparasites of bats in the Neotropics are diverse and play numerous ecological roles as vectors of microbial pathogens and endoparasites and as food sources for other cave fauna living both on their hosts and in bat roosts. The ectoparasites of bats in Jalisco State of western Mexico have not been as well described as those of other states with recent checklists that have focused primarily on the Yucatan Peninsula. We captured bats from 2011–2015 on the south coast and Sierra de Amula, Jalisco using mist nets, and we removed ectoparasites by hand. We identified 24 species of streblid bat flies and six ectoparasitic mites from bats caught in mist nets. There were an additional eight possibly undescribed species of Streblidae. Our collections extend the known range of species into Jalisco.     

Small Tent-Roosting Bats Promote Dispersal of Large-Seeded Plants in a Neotropical Forest

In Neotropical regions, fruit bats are among the most important components of the remaining fauna in disturbed landscapes. These relatively small-bodied bats are well-known dispersal agents for many small-seeded plant species, but are assumed to play a negligible role in the dispersal of large-seeded plants. We investigated the importance of the small tent-roosting bat Artibeus watsoni for dispersal of large seeds in the Sarapiquí Basin, Costa Rica. We registered at least 43 seed species > 8 mm beneath bat roosts, but a species accumulation curve suggests that this number would increase with further sampling. Samples collected beneath bat feeding roosts had, on average, 10 times more seeds and species than samples collected 5 m away from bat feeding roosts. This difference was generally smaller in small, disturbed forest patches. Species-specific abundance of seeds found beneath bat roosts was positively correlated with abundance of seedlings, suggesting that bat dispersal may influence seedling recruitment. Our study demonstrates a greater role of small frugivorous bats as dispersers of large seeds than previously thought, particularly in regions where populations of large-bodied seed dispersers have been reduced or extirpated by hunting.     

Hunting,disturbance and roost persistence of bats in caves at Ankarana,northern Madagascar

Surveys and monitoring of 37 caves in and around the Ankarana Special Reserve, northern Madagascar, yielded evidence of hunting of bats and potential disturbance of bats by miners and tourists, and colony counts for several bat species of potential conservation concern. Colony size decreased by 95% and 14% for a colony of Hipposideros commersoni and a colony of Eidolon dupreanum, respectively, when recent evidence of hunting occurred at those colonies and those declines are probably attributable to hunting. Evidence of hunting occurred commonly at the roosts of those species and most commonly at the roosts of Rousettus madagascariensis. Hunting of pteropodids was associated with high vulnerability of roosts to hunters, little forest buffer between the cave and open savannah and the absence of tombs in the cave. Roost sites of the hunted species persisted for at least several years and this regularity may facilitate hunting. This work supports the ranking of E. dupreanum, R. madagascariensis and H. commersoni as species of conservation concern. Managers should consider the impact of tourist visits on bats and of increasing access to caves for tourism. Conservation efforts for the hunted species should also seek to protect vulnerable and unprotected cave roosts.     

Habitat fragmentation and the prevalence of parasites (Diptera,Streblidae) on three Phyllostomid bat species

Ectoparasitism in bats seems to be influenced strongly by the type of roost preferred by the hosts, and group size; however, the effect of habitat loss and fragmentation on the prevalence of ectoparasites in bats has scarcely been studied. In northeastern Yucatan, Mexico, we estimated the prevalence of infestation by Streblidae flies in three phyllostomid bat species with different roost preferences (caves, trees, or both) in two types of landscape matrices (tropical semi‐deciduous forest and man‐made pastures) that differed in area of forest cover and the number of forest fragments. Habitat fragmentation and the presence of a contrasting matrix may limit the availability of roosts (trees) and the movement of bats across the landscape. Accordingly, we hypothesized higher prevalence of Streblidae infestation in the pasture matrix and in the group of bats that roost in trees. Bat abundance was higher in the pasture matrix; however, the prevalence of infestation was significantly higher in the continuous forest matrix and in bats that roosted in caves. The prevalence of some species of Streblidae was affected by habitat fragmentation in species that roost in caves, such as Desmodus rotundus, as well as those using foliage and caves, such as Artibeus jamaicensis. Our results provide evidence that some species of Streblidae may respond differently to habitat fragmentation than their hosts, generating changes to bat‐ectoparasite interactions in fragmented areas. Environmental variations involving roosts, not evaluated in this study, may influence our results, since these factors affect ectoparasite abundance and reproduction.     

Characteristics of the northernmost population ofRhinolophus ferrumequinum in the Carpathian Basin

Roost utilisation byRhinolophus ferrumequinum (Schreber, 1774) was investigated between 1984 and 1998 in north-eastern Hungary. Exploration of summer and winter roosts, monitoring and bat-banding were implemented to find movements between the colonies. Data on roost utilisation by this species in south-eastern Slovakia, collected in a similar way, were included for comparison. Twenty-two marked bats were recaptured. The studied bats created nursery colonies in Hungarian churches and moved to Slovakian mines and caves to hibernate in winter. The population used two main hibernacula, two large nursery roosts and one temporary roost but several other roosts were also visited. The area occupied by the population was 5180 km².R. ferrumequinum living in SE Slovakia and NE Hungary formed probably a separate population on the northern edge of the species range. This population is a part of the metapopulation of the species.     

External temperature and distance from nearest entrance influence microclimates of cave and culvert‐roosting tri‐colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus)

Many North American bat species hibernate in both natural and artificial roosts. Although hibernacula can have high internal climate stability, they still retain spatial variability in their thermal regimes, resulting in various “microclimates” throughout the roost that differ in their characteristics (e.g., temperature and air moisture). These microclimate components can be influenced by factors such as the number of entrances, the depth of the roost, and distance to the nearest entrance of the roost. Tri‐colored bats are commonly found roosting in caves in winter, but they can also be found roosting in large numbers in culverts, providing the unique opportunity to investigate factors influencing microclimates of bats in both natural and artificial roost sites. As tri‐colored bats are currently under consideration for federal listing, information of this type could be useful in aiding in the conservation and management of this species through a better understanding of what factors affect the microclimate near roosting bats. We collected data on microclimate temperature and microclimate actual water vapor pressure (AWVP) from a total of 760 overwintering tri‐colored bats at 18 caves and 44 culverts. Using linear mixed models analysis, we found that variation in bat microclimate temperatures was best explained by external temperature and distance from nearest entrance in both caves and culverts. External temperature had a greater influence on microclimate temperatures in culverts than caves. We found that variation in microclimate AWVP was best explained by external temperature, distance from nearest entrance, and proportion from entrance (proportion of the total length of the roost from the nearest entrance) in culvert‐roosting bats. Variation in microclimate AWVP was best explained by external temperature and proportion from entrance in cave‐roosting bats. Our results suggest that bat microclimate temperature and AWVP are influenced by similar factors in both artificial and natural roosts, although the relative contribution of these factors differs between roost types.     

Effects of Hierarchical Roost Removal on Northern Long-Eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) Maternity Colonies

Forest roosting bats use a variety of ephemeral roosts such as snags and declining live trees. Although conservation of summer maternity habitat is considered critical for forest-roosting bats, bat response to roost loss still is poorly understood. To address this, we monitored 3 northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) maternity colonies on Fort Knox Military Reservation, Kentucky, USA, before and after targeted roost removal during the dormant season when bats were hibernating in caves. We used 2 treatments: removal of a single highly used (primary) roost and removal of 24% of less used (secondary) roosts, and an un-manipulated control. Neither treatment altered the number of roosts used by individual bats, but secondary roost removal doubled the distances moved between sequentially used roosts. However, overall space use by and location of colonies was similar pre- and post-treatment. Patterns of roost use before and after removal treatments also were similar but bats maintained closer social connections after our treatments. Roost height, diameter at breast height, percent canopy openness, and roost species composition were similar pre- and post-treatment. We detected differences in the distribution of roosts among decay stages and crown classes pre- and post-roost removal, but this may have been a result of temperature differences between treatment years. Our results suggest that loss of a primary roost or ≤ 20% of secondary roosts in the dormant season may not cause northern long-eared bats to abandon roosting areas or substantially alter some roosting behaviors in the following active season when tree-roosts are used. Critically, tolerance limits to roost loss may be dependent upon local forest conditions, and continued research on this topic will be necessary for conservation of the northern long-eared bat across its range.