Dactylanthus flower visitation by New Zealand lesser short-tailed bats appears to be influenced by daily rainfall

Abstract

The unique relationship between Dactylanthus taylorii and its pollinator, the New Zealand lesser short-tailed bat (Mystacina tuberculata), is poorly understood despite both species being threatened. We used data collected over two summers (2016 and 2017) to determine if mean ambient temperature and total daily rainfall during the flowering period affected flower visitation by bats. We placed dataloggers around D. taylorii inflorescences to monitor bats with implanted passive integrated transponders (PIT-tags). We determined that flower visitation and bat activity was negatively correlated with daily rainfall but not temperature. Further, we found that juveniles and adult males were much more common visitors, with only four visits from adult females in two years. There is still much to learn about the unique and vulnerable relationship between these two New Zealand species, but it appears that rainfall may play a larger role than previously thought.

Vertically stratified interactions of nectarivores and nectar‐inhabiting bacteria in a liana flowering across forest strata*

“…For nectarivorous phyllostomid bats, such a clear distinction between understory‐ and canopy‐feeding bats does not seem to exist. Some studies indicate that bats prefer to feed on flowers higher up due to better accessibility and conspicuity (Diniz et al, 2019; Kobayashi et al, 2020), whereas others report bats feeding on plants flowering in the understory (Czenze and Thurley, 2021; Amorim et al, 2023). Generally, it seems that most neotropical, nectarivorous bats are rather flexible and use all levels of the forest for foraging (Kalko and Handley, 2001; Fleming et al, 2005).…”