同地共栖四种蝙蝠食性和回声定位信号的差异及其生态位分化

本研究于 2 0 0 2年 5月初至 2 0 0 3年 9月中旬在北京房山区霞云岭四合村蝙蝠洞进行 ,分析了共栖同一山洞四种蝙蝠的形态特征、食性和回声定位信号。大足鼠耳蝠食谱中以宽鳍等三种鱼为主 (体积百分比为5 3% ) ,回声定位主频 4 1 87± 1 0 7kHz;马铁菊头蝠主要掠捕鳞翅目昆虫 (73% ) ,恒频叫声主频 74 70± 0 13kHz ;中华鼠耳蝠以近地面或在地表活动的鞘翅目昆虫步甲类和埋葬甲类为主要食物 (6 5 4 % ) ,声脉冲主频较低 35 73± 0 92kHz;白腹管鼻蝠捕食花萤总科和瓢虫科等鞘翅目昆虫 (90 % ) ,回声定位信号主频为 5 9 4 7±1 5 0kHz。结果证实同地共栖四种蝙蝠种属特异的回声定位叫声和形态结构的差异 ,以及不同的捕食生境和捕食策略 ,导致取食生态位分离是四种蝙蝠同地共栖的原因     

普氏蹄蝠(Hipposideros pratti)回声定位声波、形态及捕食策略

研究了普氏蹄蝠（Hipposideros pratti)不同状态（飞行,悬挂）下的回声定位声波特征,形态特征和生态特征（捕食策略,捕食地和食物类型）。结果表明,普氏蹄蝠的回声定位声波为CF－FM型,在不同状态下,主频率有一定的差异,飞行状态的主频率略低于悬挂状态,表明普氏蹄蝠是利用多谱勒补偿效应来适应飞行速度引起的主频率变化,以进行准确的定位和有效的捕食;同时飞行状态下声脉冲时间,声脉冲间隔时间及FM带宽略低于悬挂状态,而声脉冲重复率和能率环略主于悬挂状态,表明普氏蹄蝠在不同状态下利用不同特征的声波进行捕食,由回声定位声波推断和野外观察可知,普氏蹄蝠可能在树冠周围以盘旋方式（在昆虫高峰期）或以捕蝇器式（在昆虫高峰期这后）捕食中等偏大的振翅昆虫（如甲虫）。     

普通长翼蝠食性结构及其回声定位与体型特征

在普通长翼蝠(Miniopterus fuliginosus)的捕食区内用灯诱法和网捕法调查潜在食物(昆虫)种类; 用粪便分析法鉴定普通长翼蝠的食物组成,发现其主要捕食体型较大的鳞翅目和鞘翅目昆虫,体积百分比分别为55%和38%.普通长翼蝠具有相对狭长的翼,翼展比为6.94 ± 0.13;翼载为(9.85 ± 0.83)N/m2,相对较大.飞行状态下普通长翼蝠的回声定位叫声为调频下扫型,声脉冲时程为(1.45 ± 0.06)ms,脉冲间隔为(63.08 ± 21.55)ms,主频较低,为(44.50 ± 2.26)kHz.研究表明,普通长翼蝠的形态特征和回声定位特征与其捕食行为有着密切的联系.     

南蝠回声定位叫声的分析

蝙蝠科是翼手目中种类最繁多、分布最广泛、进化最成功的科之一 ,全球共有 42属 35 5种(Ｎｏｗａｋ ,1991)。该类群的大多数物种都以超声波回声定位来进行捕食 ,其回声定位行为的多样性以及捕食策略的多样性 ,一直都是动物生态学中的研究热点。南蝠 (Ｉａｉｏ)属蝙蝠科南蝠属 ,为单型种 ,主要分布于我国 (罗蓉等 ,1993)。它是蝙蝠科中体形最大者 ,以前对其生态学方面的研究非常少 ,而对其回声定位的研究则未见报道。南蝠捕食时的叫声与飞行及悬挂状态下的叫声的基本特征一致 (声谱图及谐波等 ) ,仅在叫声次数上有一定差异。因此本文将录制南…     

普氏蹄蝠(Hipposideros pratti)回声定位声波、形态及捕食策略

研究了普氏蹄蝠(Hipposideros pratti)不同状态(飞行、悬挂)下的回声定位声波特征、形态特征和生态特征(捕食策略、捕食地和食物类型).结果表明,普氏蹄蝠的回声定位声波为CFFM型,在不同状态下,主频率有一定的差异,飞行状态的主频率略低于悬挂状态,表明普氏蹄蝠是利用多谱勒补偿效应来适应飞行速度引起的主频率变化,以进行准确的定位和有效的捕食;同时飞行状态下声脉冲时间、声脉冲间隔时间及FM带宽略低于悬挂状态,而声脉冲重复率和能率环略高于悬挂状态,表明普氏蹄蝠在不同状态下利用不同特征的声波进行捕食.由回声定位声波推断和野外观察可知,普氏蹄蝠可能在树冠周围以盘旋方式(在昆虫高峰期)或以捕蝇器式(在昆虫高峰期之后)捕食中等偏大的振翅昆虫(如甲虫).     

形态和声波相似的中华菊头蝠与中菊头蝠的共存机制

研究了同域分布的中华菊头蝠(Rhinolophus sinicus)与中菊头蝠(Rhinolophus affinis)的食性、形态、回声定位声波及捕食时间.中华菊头蝠与中菊头蝠均属于中等体型的菊头蝠,前臂长分别为(51.25±0.22) mm和(52.40±0.37) mm;悬挂状态下的回声定位声波均为典型的调频-恒频-调频(FM-CM-FM)型叫声,峰频分别为(82.07±0.17) kHz和(84.41±0.48) kHz.粪便分析显示中华菊头蝠与中菊头蝠分别捕食9目和7目昆虫,均以鳞翅目(Lepidiptera)和鞘翅目(Coleoptera)昆虫为主要食物(体积百分比总和> 90%),捕食鳞翅目昆虫的体积百分比差异显著,对猎物大小(以鞘翅目昆虫体长衡量)的选择无显著差异.中华菊头蝠与中菊头蝠的营养生态位宽度分别为2.38和2.28,重叠度达0.91,营养生态位未发生明显分化,但充足的食物资源促进了二者的共存.另外,2种菊头蝠的感官生态位和时间生态位未发生明显分化.由2种菊头蝠的翼载和峰频的差异推测二者发生了空间生态位和捕食微生境的分化,这也可能促进了二者的共存.     

环境噪声对蝙蝠回声定位叫声及飞行活动的影响

环境噪声影响动物的活动及其叫声特性,已成为动物面对的一种重要选择压力。为应对噪声的干扰,多数动物类群会远离噪声区域和改变其叫声的频谱时间结构,如延长叫声持续时间、提高叫声频率等,但有些动物的活动和叫声频谱时间结构并不受环境噪声的影响。本研究在自然条件下,研究不同环境噪声强度对蝙蝠活动和回声定位声波的影响。选取噪声强度有差异的12个样点,分别录制各样点大卫鼠耳蝠、西南鼠耳蝠、亚洲长翼蝠及未知蝙蝠的回声定位声波,分析其持续时间、起始频率、峰频、终止频率和带宽,统计蝙蝠通过次数。回归分析结果显示：环境噪声强度与大卫鼠耳蝠、西南鼠耳蝠、亚洲长翼蝠及未知蝙蝠的活动无显著相关性P > 0.05）,与回声定位声波的脉冲持续时间、起始频率、峰频、终止频率及带宽均不显著相关（P > 0.05）。暗示低频低强度（< 20 kHz, < 67.5 dB）的环境噪声可能对高频回声定位蝙蝠的叫声及活动没有显著影响。     

六种共栖蝙蝠的回声定位信号及翼型特征的比较

本研究于2006 年5 ～ 8 月在桂林市七星公园七星岩洞进行,比较分析了共栖2 科(蹄蝠科和蝙蝠科)6 种共75 只蝙蝠的回声定位信号和翼型特征。普氏蹄蝠的回声定位叫声为短而多谐波的CF/ FM 型,主频率为61.2±0.8 kHz, 具有高翼载、低翼展比和中等翼尖指数; 大蹄蝠的回声定位叫声为单CF/ FM 型,主频率为68. 6 ±0.7 kHz,具有高翼载、低翼展比和中等翼尖指数;中蹄蝠的回声定位叫声为单CF / FM 型,主频率为85.2 ±0.5 kHz,具有中等翼载、低翼展比和中等翼尖指数;高颅鼠耳蝠的回声定位叫声为长带宽的FM 型,主频率为50.7 ±3.8 kHz,具有低翼载、中等翼展比和低翼尖指数;大足鼠耳蝠回声定位叫声为FM 型,主频率为39.9 ±3.2 kHz,具有中等翼载、低翼展比和高翼尖指数;绒山蝠回声定位叫声为短而多谐波的FM 型,主频率为49.0± 0. 4 kHz,具有高翼载、中等翼展比和低翼尖指数。经单因素方差分析表明,6 种蝙蝠之间绝大部分的形态和声音参数差异显著(One-way ANOVA,P < 0. 05)。以上结果说明,6 种同地共栖蝙蝠种属特异的回声定位叫声
和形态结构体现出了相互之间的生态位分离,从而降低了种间竞争压力,使得6 种蝙蝠能够同地共存。     

马铁菊头蝠捕食活动与猎物资源的关系

捕食者与猎物的关系研究对了解物种捕食行为及种群空间格局具有重要意义。采用Avisoft Bioacoustics超声波仪录制马铁菊头蝠自然状态下的声波以确定其捕食活动强度,用灯诱法、扫网法和飞行阻隔法相结合采集昆虫,搜集蝙蝠粪便并分析其食物组成。结果表明,马铁菊头蝠在8月份活动最频繁,昆虫丰富度在8月份最丰富,马铁菊头蝠捕食活动与鳞翅目丰富度呈显著正相关。马铁菊头蝠主要以鳞翅目和鞘翅目为食,但食性存在明显的月份变化。卡方检验结果表明,马铁菊头蝠捕食的猎物与环境中可利用的昆虫猎物存在显著差异。在食物资源丰富时,马铁菊头蝠选择性地捕食营养丰富的鞘翅目昆虫。     

在不同状态和生境复杂度中大蹄蝠回声定位叫声的可塑性

蝙蝠回声定位声波的可塑性对其适应不同状态、生境以及捕食和社会交流具有重要的作用。为进一步研究大蹄蝠的回声定位声波在不同状态和生境下的可塑性,通过室内行为实验,对大蹄蝠在4 种不同状态(室内飞行、静息、布袋内和手持)和4 种不同生境复杂度(室外、室内0 棵树、室内1 棵树、室内5 棵树)条件下飞行的回声定位声波特征进行研究。结果表明:大蹄蝠的回声定位声波为CF - FM 型,通常连续发出2 - 4 个脉冲组成一个脉冲组。对比大蹄蝠在4 种不同状态下的回声定位叫声发现,主频按静息、布袋内、手持、飞行的顺序依次降低,后端FM 频宽则按手持、布袋内、飞行和静息的顺序依次变短;而脉冲间隔和脉冲时程则均按静 息、飞行、布袋内、手持的顺序依次增加。对比大蹄蝠在4 种不同生境复杂度中飞行的回声定位叫声发现,主频按室外、室内0 棵树、室内1 棵树、室内5 棵树依次提高,而脉冲时程及脉冲间隔则依次缩短;室外放飞条件下的后端FM 频宽比室内飞行的短。研究结果说明,大蹄蝠在不同状态、不同生境复杂度条件下的回声定位叫声具有明显的可塑性和生境适应性。     

Pupal deposition and ecology of bat flies (Diptera: Streblidae): Trichobius sp. (caecus group) in a Mexican cave habitat

We studied the deposition of pupae of the winged bat fly Trichobius sp. (caecus group; Diptera), an ectoparasite of Natalus stramineus (Chiroptera, Natalidae), in a natural cave in Tamaulipas, Mexico. For the first time, we show a strong spatial segregation of populations of a streblid bat fly at different stages of development. Using molecular techniques we were able to match developmental stages to adults. Only 5 pupae were present in the main bat roosts. The overwhelming majority occurred exclusively in the bat flyway passages at a considerable distance from roosting bats. Pupal density corresponded positively with the average flight height of bats in the cave passage. Taken together, observations suggest that these ectoparasites must actively seek out their hosts by moving onto passing or roosting bats. The scarceness of pupae in the main roost may be dictated by environmental constraints for their development. The estimated population of viable pupae far exceeds the population of imagoes on the bats, and predation on adults by spiders is common.     

EFFECT OF HABITAT AND FORAGING HEIGHT ON BAT ACTIVITY IN THE COASTAL PLAIN OF SOUTH CAROLINA

Abstract: We compared bat activity levels in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina among 5 habitat types: forested riparian areas, clearcuts, young pine plantations, mature pine plantations, and pine savannas. We used time-expansion radio-microphones and integrated detectors to simultaneously monitor bat activity at 3 heights (30, 10, 2 m) in each habitat type. Variation in vegetative clutter among sampling heights and among habitat types allowed us to examine the differential effect of forest vegetation on the spatial activity patterns of clutter-adapted and open-adapted bat species. Moreover, monitoring activity at 30, 10, and 2 m permitted us to also compare bat activity above and below the forest canopy. We detected calls of 5 species or species groups: eastern red/Seminole bats (Lasiurus borealis/L. seminolus), eastern pipistrelles (Pipistrellus subflavus), evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis), big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus), and hoary bats (Lasiurus cinerius). At 2 and 10 m, bat activity was concentrated in riparian areas, whereas we detected relatively low levels of bat activity in upland habitats at those heights. Activity was more evenly distributed across the landscape at 30 m. Bat activity levels above the forest canopy were almost 3 times greater than within or below the canopy. We detected significantly greater activity levels of 2 open-adapted species (hoary and big brown bats) above rather than within or below the forest canopy. However, activity levels of 2 clutter-adapted species (eastern red/Seminole bats and eastern pipistrelles) did not differ above, within, or below the forest canopy. Despite classification as a clutter-adapted species, evening bat activity was greater above rather than within or below the forest canopy. We believe our results highlight the importance of riparian areas as foraging habitat for bats in pine-dominated landscapes in the southeastern United States. Although acoustical surveys conducted below forest canopies can provide useful information about species composition and relative activity levels of bats that forage in cluttered environments, our results showing activity above canopy suggest that such data may not accurately reflect relative activity of bats adapted to forage in more open conditions, and therefore may provide an inaccurate picture of bat community assemblage and foraging habitat use.     

Seasonal variation in age,sex, and reproductive status of Mexican free-tailed bats

In North America, Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana) consume vast numbers of insects contributing to the economic well-being of society. Mexican free-tailed bats have declined due to historic guano mining, roost destruction, and bioaccumulation of organochlorine pesticides. Long-distance migrations and dense congregations at roosts exacerbate these declines. Wind energy development further threatens bat communities worldwide and presents emerging challenges to bat conservation. Effective mitigation of bat mortality at wind energy facilities requires baseline data on the biology of affected populations. We collected data on age, sex, and reproductive condition of Mexican free-tailed bats at a cave roost in eastern Nevada located 6 km from a 152-MW industrial wind energy facility. Over 5 years, we captured 46,353 Mexican free-tailed bats. Although just over half of the caught individuals were nonreproductive adult males (53.6%), 826 pregnant, 892 lactating, 10,101 post-lactating, and 4327 nonreproductive adult females were captured. Juveniles comprised 11.5% of captures. Female reproductive phenology was delayed relative to conspecific roosts at lower latitudes, likely due to cooler temperatures. Roost use by reproductive females and juvenile bats demonstrates this site is a maternity roost, with significant ecological and conservation value. To our knowledge, no other industrial scale wind energy facilities exist in such proximity to a heavily used bat roost in North America. Given the susceptibility of Mexican free-tailed bats to wind turbine mortality and the proximity of this roost to a wind energy facility, these data provide a foundation from which differential impacts on demographic groups can be assessed.     

雄性菲菊头蝠夏季集群大小的 变化及其影响因素

本研究以栖息于废弃防空洞的雄性菲菊头蝠(Rhinolophus pusillus)作为研究对象,探究其夏季集群大小变化及其潜在影响因素。应用红外热成像仪监测菲菊头蝠在6月到8月期间的集群大小。利用单因素方差分析和一般线性回归模型,检验菲菊头蝠集群大小的月变化及其与洞内微气候的关系。研究发现,菲菊头蝠集群大小从6月至8月逐渐递增。集群大小变异系数6月高于7月和8月。菲菊头蝠集群大小与洞内温度和相对湿度均呈显著正相关关系。本研究表明,洞内微气候影响菲菊头蝠集群大小。这为野生蝙蝠栖息地保护与管理提供理论基础。     

Studying the microbiota of bats: Accuracy of direct and indirect samplings

Given the recurrent bat‐associated disease outbreaks in humans and recent advances in metagenomics sequencing, the microbiota of bats is increasingly being studied. However, obtaining biological samples directly from wild individuals may represent a challenge, and thus, indirect passive sampling (without capturing bats) is sometimes used as an alternative. Currently, it is not known whether the bacterial community assessed using this approach provides an accurate representation of the bat microbiota. This study was designed to compare the use of direct sampling (based on bat capture and handling) and indirect sampling (collection of bat's excretions under bat colonies) in assessing bacterial communities in bats. Using high‐throughput 16S rRNA sequencing of urine and feces samples from Rousettus aegyptiacus, a cave‐dwelling fruit bat species, we found evidence of niche specialization among different excreta samples, independent of the sampling approach. However, sampling approach influenced both the alpha‐ and beta‐diversity of urinary and fecal microbiotas. In particular, increased alpha‐diversity and more overlapping composition between urine and feces samples was seen when direct sampling was used, suggesting that cross‐contamination may occur when collecting samples directly from bats in hand. In contrast, results from indirect sampling in the cave may be biased by environmental contamination. Our methodological comparison suggested some influence of the sampling approach on the bat‐associated microbiota, but both approaches were able to capture differences among excreta samples. Assessment of these techniques opens an avenue to use more indirect sampling, in order to explore microbial community dynamics in bats.     

Evidence of homing following translocation of long‐tailed bats (Chalinolobus tuberculatus) at Grand Canyon Cave,New Zealand

Abstract

Homing behaviour in the New Zealand long‐tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus), a temperate insectivorous species, was investigated at Grand Canyon Cave, central North Island. A pilot study of nine adult male bats was conducted to determine whether use of the cave was regular enough for a homing study. Eight bats returned to the cave over the 3‐week monitoring period, six on the night following release. Nine additional bats carrying radio transmitters were then released at three sites (three at each site) c. 5, 10 and 20 km due east of the cave; sites estimated to be located within, on the border of, and outside the population's known familiar area respectively. All but one of these nine bats were subsequently detected at the cave. Results suggest that adult long‐tailed bats are able to return home following displacement both inside and outside their familiar area. Implications of these findings for translocations of bats and the possession of a potential long‐distance navigation system by this species are discussed.     

Anticipating white‐nose syndrome in the Southern Hemisphere: Widespread conditions favourable to Pseudogymnoascus destructans pose a serious risk to Australia's bat fauna

There is a serious concern that white‐nose syndrome (WNS), a fungal disease causing severe population declines in North American bats, could soon threaten bats on the Australian continent. Despite an ‘almost certain' risk of incursion within the next ten years, and high virulence in naïve bat populations, we remain uncertain about the vulnerability of Australian bats to WNS. In this study, we intersected occurrences for the 27 cave roosting bat species in Australia with interpolated data on mean annual surface temperature, which provides a proxy for thermal conditions within a cave and hence its suitability for growth by the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Our analysis identifies favourable roost thermal conditions within 30–100% of the ranges of eight bat species across south‐eastern Australia, including for seven species already listed as threatened with extinction. These results demonstrate the potential for widespread exposure to P. destructans and suggest that WNS could pose a serious risk to the conservation of Australia's bat fauna. The impacts of exposure to P. destructans will depend, however, on the sensitivity of bats to developing WNS, and a more comprehensive vulnerability assessment is currently prevented by a lack of information on the hibernation biology of Australian bats. Thus, given the clear potential for widespread exposure of Australia's bats to P. destructans demonstrated by our study, two specific policy actions seem justified: (i) urgent implementation of border controls that identify and decontaminate cave‐associated fomites and (ii) dedicated funding to enable research on key aspects of bat winter behaviour and hibernation physiology. Further, as accidental translocation of this fungus could also pose a risk to other naïve bat faunas in cooler regions of southern Africa and South America, we argue that a proactive, globally coordinated approach is required to understand and mitigate the potential impacts of WNS spreading to Southern Hemisphere bats.     

Knowledge and Perceptions of,and Attitudes to,Bats by People Living around Arabuko-Sokoke Forest,Malindi-Kenya

Bat populations continue to decline worldwide because of myriad human activities. To enhance bat conservation, human behavior needs to change. Such change can occur, in part, through an understanding of what motivates human actions toward bats. We used a Bat Attitude Questionnaire (BAQ) to investigate attitudes toward bats in people (n = 394) living around Arabuko-Sokoke Forest (ASF), Kenya. Belief in myths seemed to prevail among those surveyed and that these myths were significantly associated with low tolerance of bats (ordinal regression, p < 0.05). Older and more educated people reported more positive attitudes toward bats than others. Multiple linear regression revealed that females showed more negative attitudes toward, and more belief in, myths about bats than males (both p < 0.01). Ordinal regression showed that hostile behavior toward bats was more common among males (p < 0.001). Nearly one-third of the respondents reported actively killing bats or destroying bat roosts. A similar proportion did not see any benefits of bats to humans, while the majority of respondents associated bats with the destruction of farmers’ fruits. To address prevailing negative attitudes about bats, we recommend conducting evening school-based bat study tours, specifically targeting youths in schools around the forest, to examine whether physical contacts with bats would help positively influence human attitudes toward bats. Additionally, since mango (Mangifera indica) farming is an important source of income to people around ASF, an assessment of the quantity of mangoes destroyed by bats would be important to determine whether there is a need for controlling bat access to crops through appropriate schemes.     

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.