2019/07/08 by Klotz, Paige, Lundsten, Vanessa, Morat, Nic +1
#Echo Meter 2 #Lasiurus cinereus #Myotis yumanensis #Niche partitioning #echolocation #invertebrate
paper · doi:10.21973/n3cm19
The theory of niche partitioning states that species coexisting at equilibrium within a stable community must share limited resources (Hutchinson 1957). This theory has been widely studied in diverse community assemblages, but few studies have applied niche partitioning to bat communities. Specifically, little is known about how bat species occupy different microhabitats in order to coexist. Our study aims to understand the effect of habitat on bat diversity and abundance within the scope of niche partitioning. To observe the difference in bat assemblages across varying habitats, we identified bat species diversity and abundance using acoustic detection in three different habitats (meadow, forest, and river). We used light traps to survey invertebrates as a measure of abundance throughout the night. Bat calls were most frequent at the river, where Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis) dominated. Hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus) dominated the meadow. Overall, bat activity was lowest in the forest. As time progressed through the night, bat activity decreased at all sites, particularly in the meadow. We also observed ten times more invertebrates in the meadow compared to the other sites. Although the diet of generalist foraging bat species may overlap, species appear to partition into different habitats, possibly to avoid competition and coexist. Understanding more about bat community composition and activity may be useful in protecting this declining guild of mammals.