Species diversity and distribution of Chiroptera (Vespertilionidae) in Karelia

Abstract

The article deals with the least studied systematic group of mammals of Karelia-bats (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae). The aim of the study was to determine the status of the species in the process of their inventory by traditional and modern research methods. For the first time the comprehensive assessment of the species composition, relative abundance (%) and relative number (ind./km of the route) of bats during the period of hibernation and their summer activity in Karelia is presented. Monitoring of winter underground shelters was carried out in 2009-2018. It was shown that five species of bats winter in Karelia; they are the northern bat, the Brandt's bat, the whiskered bat, the Daubenton's bat, the brown long-eared bat. The northern bat predominates: its relative abundance is 65.3 %. In the summer the common noctule parti-coloured bat, the Natterer's bat and the pond bat were registered in addition to wintering species mentioned above. It was done the road routes in the latitudinal direction using static ultrasound detector Song Meter SM2 Bat+ and Kaleidoscope Pro (ver. 3.1.1.) software on. In the summer surveys the northern bat dominated: its relative abundance is 70.4 %, relative number-0.413 ind./km of the route. It was registered up to 66°11'N. Other species are much less common, the northern boundaries of their registration are located southwards, and their relative number is 0.001-0.028 ind./km of the route. Studies showed the absolute dominance of the northern bat in bat communities, both in wintering and during in summer activity. Northern boundaries of the species registration were determined. It changes the old ideas about their distribution and spread in the European North of Russia.

Characteristics of the bat (Chiroptera) population in Protected Areas in the northern and middle taiga subzones of European Russia

“…In Vodlozersky NP, this combination of methods produced data on the dominance or high relative abundance of Eptesicus nilssonii (Table 4), but it was less pronounced than in the middle taiga subzone on average (Belkin et al, 2018). Only E. nilssonii was encountered in the standard 40-km transect, yielding a relative density of 0.150 individuals per km of transect.…”

“…Yet, the species checklists in some regional Red Data Books (Table 6) need to be revised, since they have grown outdated and new lists are being prepared in the meantime. For instance, in the Republic of Karelia, the revision will be done in 2020, supposedly leaving only two species on the Red Data Book list (Myotis mystacinus and Plecotus auritus), who live at the northern limit of their distribution ranges and have the lowest relative abundances at hibernacula (Belkin et al, 2018). The Red Data Book of the Murmansk region will retain E. nilssonii.…”

“…their potential prey (Shutova, 2016), in the forest zone, too. A wide application of acoustic observations in ecological and biogeographic studies, in particular at the northern limits of species ranges (Ahlén et al, 2007(Ahlén et al, , 2009; Jones et al, 2013;Poerink et al, 2013;Rydell et al, 2014Rydell et al, , 2020Michaelsen, 2016;Belkin et al, 2018Belkin et al, , 2019bTidenberg et al, 2019), helps quickly detect the dynamical processes in the species composition, abundance, migratory behaviour and distribution of certain bat species.…”