Habitat Associations of Bats in an Agricultural Landscape: Linear Features Versus Open Habitats
1. Bats are important components of agricultural ecosystems. However, little is known about the extent to which bats use linear features when foraging and commuting in agricultural settings, when compared to the interior of fields. 2. As part of a large-scale citizen science project, bat detectors w...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:1f289576683e42b4aa9c288ed4c59d0e 2023-05-15T17:48:37+02:00 Habitat Associations of Bats in an Agricultural Landscape: Linear Features Versus Open Habitats Domhnall Finch Henry Schofield Fiona Mathews 2020-10-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101856 https://doaj.org/article/1f289576683e42b4aa9c288ed4c59d0e EN eng MDPI AG https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/10/1856 https://doaj.org/toc/2076-2615 doi:10.3390/ani10101856 2076-2615 https://doaj.org/article/1f289576683e42b4aa9c288ed4c59d0e Animals, Vol 10, Iss 1856, p 1856 (2020) agriculture agri-environmental scheme bats connectivity fragmentation habitat degradation Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991 article 2020 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101856 2022-12-31T10:01:33Z 1. Bats are important components of agricultural ecosystems. However, little is known about the extent to which bats use linear features when foraging and commuting in agricultural settings, when compared to the interior of fields. 2. As part of a large-scale citizen science project, bat detectors were placed in the centre of agricultural fields (arable and pasture) and along linear features (intensively managed hedgerows, sympathetically managed hedgerows and treelines). 3. Our results show that all 10 of the bat species groups identified were found both along linear features and in the middle of agricultural fields. Of the five species groups analysed further, all had significantly more bat activity along linear features compared to the middle of fields, except for Nyctalus noctula . However, our results showed that 29% of calls from Rhinolophus ferrumequinum were recorded in the middle of agricultural fields, compared to only 10% for Pipistrellus pipistrellus . Bat activity was more likely to be associated with treelines compared to other linear feature types. 4. Our results highlight the importance of linear feature management to bat conservation, but also the need to consider field centres during survey design and Environmental Impact Assessments. Article in Journal/Newspaper Nyctalus noctula Pipistrellus pipistrellus Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Animals 10 10 1856 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
agriculture agri-environmental scheme bats connectivity fragmentation habitat degradation Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991 |
spellingShingle |
agriculture agri-environmental scheme bats connectivity fragmentation habitat degradation Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991 Domhnall Finch Henry Schofield Fiona Mathews Habitat Associations of Bats in an Agricultural Landscape: Linear Features Versus Open Habitats |
topic_facet |
agriculture agri-environmental scheme bats connectivity fragmentation habitat degradation Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991 |
description |
1. Bats are important components of agricultural ecosystems. However, little is known about the extent to which bats use linear features when foraging and commuting in agricultural settings, when compared to the interior of fields. 2. As part of a large-scale citizen science project, bat detectors were placed in the centre of agricultural fields (arable and pasture) and along linear features (intensively managed hedgerows, sympathetically managed hedgerows and treelines). 3. Our results show that all 10 of the bat species groups identified were found both along linear features and in the middle of agricultural fields. Of the five species groups analysed further, all had significantly more bat activity along linear features compared to the middle of fields, except for Nyctalus noctula . However, our results showed that 29% of calls from Rhinolophus ferrumequinum were recorded in the middle of agricultural fields, compared to only 10% for Pipistrellus pipistrellus . Bat activity was more likely to be associated with treelines compared to other linear feature types. 4. Our results highlight the importance of linear feature management to bat conservation, but also the need to consider field centres during survey design and Environmental Impact Assessments. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Domhnall Finch Henry Schofield Fiona Mathews |
author_facet |
Domhnall Finch Henry Schofield Fiona Mathews |
author_sort |
Domhnall Finch |
title |
Habitat Associations of Bats in an Agricultural Landscape: Linear Features Versus Open Habitats |
title_short |
Habitat Associations of Bats in an Agricultural Landscape: Linear Features Versus Open Habitats |
title_full |
Habitat Associations of Bats in an Agricultural Landscape: Linear Features Versus Open Habitats |
title_fullStr |
Habitat Associations of Bats in an Agricultural Landscape: Linear Features Versus Open Habitats |
title_full_unstemmed |
Habitat Associations of Bats in an Agricultural Landscape: Linear Features Versus Open Habitats |
title_sort |
habitat associations of bats in an agricultural landscape: linear features versus open habitats |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101856 https://doaj.org/article/1f289576683e42b4aa9c288ed4c59d0e |
genre |
Nyctalus noctula Pipistrellus pipistrellus |
genre_facet |
Nyctalus noctula Pipistrellus pipistrellus |
op_source |
Animals, Vol 10, Iss 1856, p 1856 (2020) |
op_relation |
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/10/1856 https://doaj.org/toc/2076-2615 doi:10.3390/ani10101856 2076-2615 https://doaj.org/article/1f289576683e42b4aa9c288ed4c59d0e |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101856 |
container_title |
Animals |
container_volume |
10 |
container_issue |
10 |
container_start_page |
1856 |
_version_ |
1766154758335234048 |