Species richness and structure of three Neotropical bat assemblages

Abstract

We compared the assemblages of phyllostomid bats in three Neotropical rainforests with respect to species richness and assemblage structure and suggested a method to validate estimates of species richness for Neotropical bat assemblages based on mist-netting data. The fully inventoried bat assemblage at La Selva Biological Station (LS, 100 m elevation) in Costa Rica was used as a reference site to evaluate seven estimators of species richness. The Jackknife 2 method agreed best with the known bat species richness and thus was used to extrapolate species richness for an Amazonian bat assemblage (Tiputini Biodiversity Station; TBS, 200 m elevation) and an Andean premontane bat assemblage (Podocarpus National Park; BOM, 1000 m elevation) in Ecuador. Our results suggest that more than 100 bat species occur sympatrically at TBS and about 50 bat species coexist at BOM. TBS harbours one of the most species-rich bat assemblages known, including a highly diverse phyllostomid assemblage. Furthermore, we related assemblage structure to large-scale geographical patterns in floral diversity obtained from botanical literature. Assemblage structure of these three phyllostomid assemblages was influenced by differences in floral diversity at the three sites. At the Andean site, where understorey shrubs and epiphytes exhibit the highest diversity, the phyllostomid assemblage is mainly composed of understorey frugivores and nectarivorous species. By contrast, canopy frugivores are most abundant at the Amazonian site, coinciding with the high abundance of canopy fruiting trees. Assemblage patterns of other taxonomic groups also may reflect the geographical distribution patterns of floral elements in the Andean and Amazonian regions.

Bat assemblages in conservation areas of a metropolitan region in Southeastern Brazil, including an important karst habitat

“…Artibeus lituratus and S. lilium have been identified as indicators of habitat disturbance, and are found commonly in deforested landscapes (Reis et al, 2003;Gorresen and Willig, 2004;Bobrowiec and Gribel, 2010). Moreover, the structure of phyllostomid assemblages can be influenced by differences in floral diversity, differences in types of secondary vegetation, food availability and vegetation structure (Mancina et al, 2007;Rex et al, 2008;Bobrowiec and Gribel, 2010). Therefore, only an analysis of diet and of the availability of resources can confirm whether the abundances of these species reflect real differences in partitioning of resources in the different vegetation strata in each study area.…”

“…These shelters provide greater microclimate stability compared with cavities in trees for example, and such stability is important for thermoregulation and development of infant bats (Bonaccorso et al, 1992;Vonhof and Barclay, 1996;Rodriguez-Durán and Soto-Centeno, 2003). In spite of this critical role that such shelters play in the lives of bats, knowledge on bats inhabiting caves in Brazil can be found in only a few studies (Trajano, 1985(Trajano, , 1995Trajano and Moreira, 1991;Bredt et al, 1999;Trajano and Gimenez, 1998;Esbérard et al, 2005;Faria et al, 2006;Costa et al, 2010).…”

Un caso de éxito en la restauración de un humedal tropical mediante la evaluación del ensamble de larvas de Odonata (Insecta)

“…The slope of the declining graph indicates evenness with more even communities producing flatter graphs. We compared the LM and CB rank abundance structure using a Kolmogorov-Smirnov two-sample test (Magurran, 2004;Rex, Kelm, Wiesner, Kunz, & Voigt, 2008;Sokal & Rohlf, 2012).…”

Mammalia, Chiroptera, Emballonuridae, Peropteryx leucoptera Peters, 1867 and Peropteryx pallidoptera Lim, Engstrom, Reid, Simmons, Voss and Fleck, 2010: distributional range extensions in Ecuador

“…The specimen was fluid preserved in alcohol with the skull extracted and Peropteryx pallidoptera (triangles) in Ecuador. 1) record of P. pallidoptera (MEPN 9913) originally reported as P. leucoptera 0˚2'4.17"N, 71˚24'13.93"W (Arcos et al 2007); 2) holotype of P. pallidoptera 00˚48'S, 76˚24'W (Lim et al 2010); 3) record of P. leucoptera (MEPN 9869) from Tiputini River (Arcos et al 2007); 4) purported record of P. leucoptera from Tiputini Biological Station (Rex et al 2008); 5) new record of P. leucoptera (QCAZ 8478) from Sucumbíos Province, Ecuador. and deposited in the Mammalogy Division of Museo de Zoología at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador (QCAZ 8478).…”

“…Earlier reports of P. leucoptera in Orellana Province of Ecuador include the capture of one female individual (deposited at the Museo de la Escuela Politécnica Nacional-MEPN 9869) near the Rio Tiputini (0°41'58.12" S, 76°23'8.41" W, 250 m) (Arcos et al 2007, published as MEPN 5941-which likely corresponds to the field preparation number) as well as the unvouchered report of five individuals from Tiputini Biological Station (0°38'18.60" S, 76°8'55.20" W, 200 m elevation) (Rex et al 2008). An additional record, initially described as P. leucoptera by Arcos et al (2007) (MEPN 9913) was reexamined and, based on the characters presented in Lim et al (2010)-gradation of wing coloration, size of pterygoid pits, and presence or absence of band across ears-this specimen was determined to be a female P. pallidoptera.…”