A Comparison of the Phyllostomid Bat Assemblages in Undisturbed Neotropical Forest and in Forest Fragments of a Slash‐and‐Burn Farming Mosaic in Petén, Guatemala¹

Abstract

Using mist nets, we compared phyllostomid bat ensembles of continuous mature forest in Tikal National Park, Guatemala, and of forest fragments in the nearby farming landscape. Of 20 species captured, 13 were shared between treatments, 4 were unique to continuous forest, and 3 were unique to forest fragments. Dominance–diversity curves were similar for the two treatments except that Sturnira lilium comprised 43 percent of captures in the forest fragments, resulting in greater dominance there. Capture rates (and presumably relative abundance) differed significantly between continuous forest and forest fragments, both in terms of species and feeding guilds. Sturnia lilium and Dermanura sp. were captured significantly more often in forest fragments than in continuous forest, whereas Artibeus jamaicensis, A. lituratus, and Centurio senex were taken significantly more often in continuous forest. Large frugivores accounted for a higher proportion of total captures in continuous forest than in forest fragments, whereas small frugivores showed the opposite pattern. By their abundances, Carollia perspicillata and S. lilium are indicators of forest disturbance. The relative abundances of large frugivores, which feed on large fruits of mature forest trees, and small frugivores, which feed on small‐fruited plants occurring in early succession, are an indicator of forest disturbance. Other groups, such as large insect‐ and vertebrate‐eating bats, because of their low capture rates, are impractical as indicators for rapid assessment of forest disturbance based on mist netting, but may prove especially vulnerable to forest fragmentation.

Rapid assessment of bat diversity in the biological station ‘Las Guacamayas’ (‘Laguna del Tigre’ National Park, Guatemala)

“…Another study surveying coffee shade plantations of Antigua Guatemala reported a lower diversity than our survey with only 12 bat species (Kraker-Castañeda & Pérez-Consuegra 2011). However, two other studies in Guatemala reported higher diversity than our survey, respectively 20 species of Phyllostomidae in forests of the Tikal National Park (Schulze et al 2006) and 42 species in 13 sites across Guatemala (Ubico & McLean 1995). The important specific diversity detected in this last study probably results from the high diversity of habitats sampled.…”

Abundance responses of frugivorous bats (Stenodermatinae) to coffee cultivation and selective logging practices in mountainous central Veracruz, Mexico

“…which, in coffee plantations, are frequently weeded out in plantation maintenance. This suggests a strong relationship between Sturnira bats and the understory food items in disturbed cloud forests, as has been reported for tropical semi-deciduous forest fragments (Schulze et al 2000). In the studied region, this relationship is reinforced by the pasture matrix surrounding most forest fragments, which renders other fruit resources unavailable for small bats such as Sturnira.…”

O que é melhor para manter a riqueza de espécies de morcegos (Mammalia, Chiroptera): um fragmento florestal grande ou vários fragmentos de pequeno tamanho?

“…Também foi amplamente amostrado nas outras áreas, perfazendo 62% das coletas no fragmento médio e 32% no fragmento grande. Platyrrhinus lineatus, S. lilium e C. perspicillata representaram 6, 7 e 2,5%, respectivamente, do total de coletas dos pequenos fragmentos, o que sugere serem, também, espécies indicadoras de áreas perturbadas, embora, para C. perspicillata, ao contrário do que preconiza SCHULZE et al (2000), de que é uma espécie indicadora de áreas devastadas, os resultados obtidos neste estudo indicam que sua ocorrência está muito mais relacionada à presença do gênero Piper, sua alimentação preferencial (CHARLES-DOMINIQUE 1991, MARINHO-FILHO 1991, BIZERRIL & RAW 1998, do que ao fato de a área estar degradada ou não, pois durante 10 anos de coletas, na região de Londrina, nunca foi capturada em locais onde não houvesse piperáceas, mesmo que se tratasse de ambiente degradado.…”