Bats at an Altitude above 2000 m on Pirin Mountain, Bulgaria
The study describes a pilot survey on bats in the highest areas of Pirin Mountain. The methods included examining subfossil bone remains, mist-netting, and recording echolocation calls. The study was conducted in August 2002 and 2013 and from 2019 to 2020. While in general, bat diversity tends to de...
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2023
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:93224cb0e7174ed894b56b0afea31b8c 2024-02-11T10:09:22+01:00 Bats at an Altitude above 2000 m on Pirin Mountain, Bulgaria Heliana Dundarova Vasil V. Popov 2023-12-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14010126 https://doaj.org/article/93224cb0e7174ed894b56b0afea31b8c EN eng MDPI AG https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/1/126 https://doaj.org/toc/2076-2615 doi:10.3390/ani14010126 2076-2615 https://doaj.org/article/93224cb0e7174ed894b56b0afea31b8c Animals, Vol 14, Iss 1, p 126 (2023) Chiroptera underground sites swarming highlands Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991 article 2023 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14010126 2024-01-14T01:39:26Z The study describes a pilot survey on bats in the highest areas of Pirin Mountain. The methods included examining subfossil bone remains, mist-netting, and recording echolocation calls. The study was conducted in August 2002 and 2013 and from 2019 to 2020. While in general, bat diversity tends to decrease with increasing altitude due to harsher environmental conditions, the present study, despite a short period, reveals high diversity. Twenty species, more than half of the Bulgarian bat fauna, were detected. The recording and analysis of vocal signatures proved to be the best way to inventory bat diversity. At least 13 species were detected by this method. Vespertilio murinus and Tadarida teniotis together make up more than 60% of all reliably determined echolocation sequences. Significant activity was found for Myotis myotis/blythii , Plecotus auritus , Eptesicus serotinus , and E. nilssonii . The registration of the latter species is of considerable faunistic interest. It was previously only known from a single specimen at one location in the country. The sex and age structure of the bat assemblage suggests that it is likely a swarming assemblage. The area is the highest swarming location in Europe. The results provide valuable information on bat ecology and behaviour, which can be used to inform management and protection efforts. Article in Journal/Newspaper Vespertilio murinus Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Animals 14 1 126 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Chiroptera underground sites swarming highlands Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991 |
spellingShingle |
Chiroptera underground sites swarming highlands Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991 Heliana Dundarova Vasil V. Popov Bats at an Altitude above 2000 m on Pirin Mountain, Bulgaria |
topic_facet |
Chiroptera underground sites swarming highlands Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991 |
description |
The study describes a pilot survey on bats in the highest areas of Pirin Mountain. The methods included examining subfossil bone remains, mist-netting, and recording echolocation calls. The study was conducted in August 2002 and 2013 and from 2019 to 2020. While in general, bat diversity tends to decrease with increasing altitude due to harsher environmental conditions, the present study, despite a short period, reveals high diversity. Twenty species, more than half of the Bulgarian bat fauna, were detected. The recording and analysis of vocal signatures proved to be the best way to inventory bat diversity. At least 13 species were detected by this method. Vespertilio murinus and Tadarida teniotis together make up more than 60% of all reliably determined echolocation sequences. Significant activity was found for Myotis myotis/blythii , Plecotus auritus , Eptesicus serotinus , and E. nilssonii . The registration of the latter species is of considerable faunistic interest. It was previously only known from a single specimen at one location in the country. The sex and age structure of the bat assemblage suggests that it is likely a swarming assemblage. The area is the highest swarming location in Europe. The results provide valuable information on bat ecology and behaviour, which can be used to inform management and protection efforts. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Heliana Dundarova Vasil V. Popov |
author_facet |
Heliana Dundarova Vasil V. Popov |
author_sort |
Heliana Dundarova |
title |
Bats at an Altitude above 2000 m on Pirin Mountain, Bulgaria |
title_short |
Bats at an Altitude above 2000 m on Pirin Mountain, Bulgaria |
title_full |
Bats at an Altitude above 2000 m on Pirin Mountain, Bulgaria |
title_fullStr |
Bats at an Altitude above 2000 m on Pirin Mountain, Bulgaria |
title_full_unstemmed |
Bats at an Altitude above 2000 m on Pirin Mountain, Bulgaria |
title_sort |
bats at an altitude above 2000 m on pirin mountain, bulgaria |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14010126 https://doaj.org/article/93224cb0e7174ed894b56b0afea31b8c |
genre |
Vespertilio murinus |
genre_facet |
Vespertilio murinus |
op_source |
Animals, Vol 14, Iss 1, p 126 (2023) |
op_relation |
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/1/126 https://doaj.org/toc/2076-2615 doi:10.3390/ani14010126 2076-2615 https://doaj.org/article/93224cb0e7174ed894b56b0afea31b8c |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14010126 |
container_title |
Animals |
container_volume |
14 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
126 |
_version_ |
1790609230510686208 |