How many nights should acoustic detectors be set to estimate cave-exiting behavior of hibernating bats?

Whiting, Jericho C.; Doering, Bill; Aho, Ken

doi:10.1007/s13364-023-00709-y

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 29 publications

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“…We used AnaLookW to filter files for bat search-phase calls (i.e., files containing ≥ 1 search-phase echolocation sequence of ≥ 2 echolocation pulses) by call structure by species 22 , 52 , 53 , and one coauthor (B. Doering) manually vetted all files that passed filters 22 , 48 . Our detector array has been successful at documenting extensive, natural cave-exiting flight of Townsend’s big-eared bats and western small-footed myotis in our study area 22 , 48 , 54 .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Disturbance of hibernating bats due to researchers entering caves to conduct hibernacula surveys

Whiting,

Doering,

Aho

et al. 2024

Sci Rep

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Estimating population changes of bats is important for their conservation. Population estimates of hibernating bats are often calculated by researchers entering hibernacula to count bats; however, the disturbance caused by these surveys can cause bats to arouse unnaturally, fly, and lose body mass. We conducted 17 hibernacula surveys in 9 caves from 2013 to 2018 and used acoustic detectors to document cave-exiting bats the night following our surveys. We predicted that cave-exiting flights (i.e., bats flying out and then back into caves) of Townsend’s big-eared bats (Corynorhinus townsendii) and western small-footed myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum) would be higher the night following hibernacula surveys than on nights following no surveys. Those two species, however, did not fly out of caves more than predicted the night following 82% of surveys. Nonetheless, the activity of bats flying out of caves following surveys was related to a disturbance factor (i.e., number of researchers × total time in a cave). We produced a parsimonious model for predicting the probability of Townsend’s big-eared bats flying out of caves as a function of disturbance factor and ambient temperature. That model can be used to help biologists plan for the number of researchers, and the length of time those individuals are in a cave to minimize disturbing bats.

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