Species-specific responses to land-use change in island insectivorous bats

Island insectivorous bats exhibit species-specific and scale-dependent responses to human-induced land-use changes, with activity patterns varying significantly across different habitats. A large-scale bioacoustic survey on Madeira revealed that Pipistrellus maderensis thrives in shrublands, croplands, and Laurisilva (primary forest), while Nyctalus leisleri verrucosus and Plecotus austriacus show negative associations with these land-use types. Additionally, altitude negatively influenced the activity of N. leisleri verrucosus and P. austriacus. This study highlights the potential of low-cost autonomous sensors for island-wide bat surveys and underscores the importance of habitat-specific conservation strategies to mitigate threats posed by anthropogenic pressures.

Ferreira, D. F., Gibb, R., López-Baucells, A., Nunes, N. J., Jones, K. E., & Rocha, R. (2022). Species-specific responses to land-use change in island insectivorous bats. Journal for Nature Conservation, 67, 126177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126177