Larger trees may support larger Indiana bat maternity colonies in a dynamic landscape

Abstract

Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis), federally listed as endangered, are of management concern in eastern North America. While researchers quantified the habitat affinities of the species throughout the range, few studies have occurred in regions where populations are at high risk for wind energy development and changing climes. Central Illinois, USA, is a dynamic landscape where forest area has been increasing in recent decades (on public and private land) because of changing farming practices and increased habitat protections. The increasing availability of large diameter trees, increasing forest biomass, and changing forest compositions have the potential to influence Indiana bat roost habitat preferences. We assessed Indiana bat maternity roost selection at the tree and forest plot scale to characterize patterns of use in this region from 2017-2018. We predicted that large trees on the landscape would support large colonies of Indiana bats. We located bats in multiple species of trees including elm (Ulmus spp.), cottonwood (Populus deltoides), and shagbark hickory (Carya ovata). We documented larger maternity colonies sharing roosts than in previous studies from the 1980s in the same region. We suggest managers and regulatory agencies monitor Indiana bats in dynamic landscapes such as those with changing forest composition and biomass.

One model to rule them all: identifying priority bat habitats from multi‐species habitat suitability models

“…While this prevents direct comparison of suitability values between the HSMs, both models are created with similar enough methods to build a multi‐species HSM. Across the state, habitat for the Indiana bat was in places of low elevation forested riparian floodplains, often leaving snags preferred for roosting (Cable et al 2022). Indiana bat habitat closely followed riparian zones along the Illinois and Mississippi rivers with most of the habitat confined to the bottom third of the state.…”

“…While this prevents direct comparison of suitability values between the HSMs, both models are created with similar enough methods to build a multi-species HSM. Across the state, habitat for the Indiana bat was in places of low elevation forested riparian floodplains, often leaving snags preferred for roosting (Cable et al 2022).…”

Perspectives on forestry management: How do bats fit in?

“…Illinois has seen a similar trend in the conversion of agriculture to forest habitat; however, these forests are highly fragmented, and the species and age composition have been impacted by urbanization, timber harvest, insect damage, and invasive species (IFDC, 2017). Previous research reveals that forest management decisions influence bat communities through roost availability (Cable et al, 2022), manipulation of the forest structure (Adams et al, 2009), and control of the insect prey base (Dodd et al, 2012). These management decisions are made by a limited number of professionals navigating prioritizing multiple goals, with limited funding to conserve these forests and the wildlife they support (IFDC, 2017).…”