Roost selection by the north Queensland long‐eared bat Nyctophilus bifax in littoral rainforest in the Iluka World Heritage Area, New South Wales

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe the roosts of Nyctophilus bifax in littoral rainforest in Iluka Nature Reserve on the north coast of New South Wales. Radio-telemetry was used to track 17 bats in November 1988 (lactation season) and 11 in May 1989 (mating season) to 87 roosts in 49 trees within the littoral rainforest. The bats frequently changed roosts, which were clustered within a small area. During November, lactating females moved twins between diurnal roosts and some carried twins while foraging. Twins represented a load of up to 95% of their mother's bodyweight. Bats roosted communally in foliage and tree hollows, beneath peeling bark, among epiphytes, and between strangler figs and host trees. Hollows were used more frequently when bats were lactating, while the use of foliage roosts was greater during the mating season. Roosts were concentrated in four tree species, although a wide range of other tree species was used. Roost trees used in November were taller (17 m) than those used in May (8.2 m), and refiect selection oi Syzygium leuhmannii and Acmena hemilampra, both trees of the forest interior. The converse applied for selection of Cupaniopsis anacardioides, a small tree of the littoral zone, in May. These results identify the need for conserving a diversity of roosts for this species of bat.

Seasonality of torpor patterns and physiological variables of a free-ranging subtropical bat

“…As T a was measured in only one location during both studies we do not know how different roost T a was to external T a . However, it is known that N. bifax uses a wide variety of roosts, such as foliage and tree hollows (Lunney et al, 1995). Previous studies have shown that roost choice influences torpor bout durations, T skin and also the amount of energy expended while roosting (Willis and Brigham, 2005;Stawski et al, 2008).…”

Day roost selection in female Bechstein's bats (Myotis bechsteinii): a field experiment to determine the influence of roost temperature

“…Fenton 1997). Despite recent interest in studying bat roost selection in the field (Lunney et al 1995;Hosken 1996;Vonhof and Barclay 1996;Brigham et al 1997;Entwistle et al 1997;Jenkins et al 1998), their specific needs are largely unknown. So far, field studies have been based on correlative data and those criteria the bats actually use to select roosts remain somewhat speculative.…”

A Prospective Power Analysis and Review of Habitat Characteristics Used in Studies of Tree-Roosting Bats

“…Finally, we identified 25 published studies that met desired habitat comparison requirements, and were used in calculating power analyses. These include (in alphabetical order): Barclay et al (1988), Betts (1996Betts ( , 1998, Boonman (2000), Brigham et al (1997), Callahan et al (1997), Campbell et al (1996), Crampton and Barclay (1998), Cryan et al (2001), Foster and Kurta (1999), Grindal (1999), Hutchinson and Lacki (2000), Lacki and Schwierjohann (2001), Lunney et al (1995), Mattson et al (1996), Menzel et al (1998), Ormsbee and McComb (1998), Rabe et al (1998), Sasse and Pekins (1996), O'Donnell (1999a, 1999b), Vonhof (1996), Vonhof and Barclay (1996), Waldien et al (2000), and Weller and Zabel (2001). For each paper we determined the number of habitat characteristics quantified, number of habitat characteristics found to be significant, whether nominal (i.e., categorical) habitat characteristics were examined, and whether habitat characteristics were tested using a multivariate approach, tested separately, or both.…”