Tree size, microhabitat diversity and landscape structure determine the value of isolated trees for bats in farmland
Isolated trees are increasingly recognised as playing a vital role in supporting biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, yet their occurrence has declined substantially in recent decades. Most bats in Europe are tree-dependent species that rely on woody elements in order to persist in farmlands. Ho...
Published in: | Biological Conservation |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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2022
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1983/2e6c9af9-3877-4a62-8f14-a8590ad1fa8c https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/2e6c9af9-3877-4a62-8f14-a8590ad1fa8c https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109476 https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/ws/files/340678110/Full_text_PDF_final_published_version_.pdf http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85124192444&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
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ftubristolcris:oai:research-information.bris.ac.uk:publications/2e6c9af9-3877-4a62-8f14-a8590ad1fa8c 2024-05-19T07:38:04+00:00 Tree size, microhabitat diversity and landscape structure determine the value of isolated trees for bats in farmland Froidevaux, Jérémy S.P. Laforge, Alexis Larrieu, Laurent Barbaro, Luc Park, Kirsty Fialas, Penelope C. Jones, Gareth 2022-03 application/pdf https://hdl.handle.net/1983/2e6c9af9-3877-4a62-8f14-a8590ad1fa8c https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/2e6c9af9-3877-4a62-8f14-a8590ad1fa8c https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109476 https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/ws/files/340678110/Full_text_PDF_final_published_version_.pdf http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85124192444&partnerID=8YFLogxK eng eng https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/2e6c9af9-3877-4a62-8f14-a8590ad1fa8c info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Froidevaux , J S P , Laforge , A , Larrieu , L , Barbaro , L , Park , K , Fialas , P C & Jones , G 2022 , ' Tree size, microhabitat diversity and landscape structure determine the value of isolated trees for bats in farmland ' , Biological Conservation , vol. 267 , 109476 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109476 Acoustic sampling Agricultural landscapes Bat conservation Landscape heterogeneity Remnant trees Scattered trees article 2022 ftubristolcris https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109476 2024-04-24T00:08:42Z Isolated trees are increasingly recognised as playing a vital role in supporting biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, yet their occurrence has declined substantially in recent decades. Most bats in Europe are tree-dependent species that rely on woody elements in order to persist in farmlands. However, isolated trees are rarely considered in conservation programs and landscape planning. Further investigations are therefore urgently required to identify which trees – based on both their intrinsic characteristics and their location in the landscape – are particularly important for bats. We acoustically surveyed 57 isolated trees for bats to determine the relative and interactive effects of size, tree-related microhabitat (TreM) diversity and surrounding landscape context on bat activity. Tall trees with large diameter at breast height and crown area positively influenced the activity of Pipistrellus pipistrellus and small Myotis bats (Myotis spp.) while smaller and thinner trees favoured M. myotis activity. The diversity of TreMs that can be used as roosts had a positive effect on (i) Barbastella barbastellus activity only when trees were relatively close (<50 m) to woody patches, (ii) Pipistrellus nathusii/kuhlii activity only in the most heterogeneous landscapes, and (iii) Myotis spp. activity only in the most forested environment (>10% within 100 radius scale). The potential benefits of isolated trees for bats result from ecological mechanisms operating at both tree and landscape scales, underlining the crucial need for implementing a multi-scale approach in conservation programs. Maintaining the largest and most TreM-diversified trees located in the most heterogeneous agricultural landscapes will provide the greatest benefits. Article in Journal/Newspaper Barbastella barbastellus Pipistrellus nathusii Pipistrellus pipistrellus University of Bristol: Bristol Research Biological Conservation 267 109476 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Bristol: Bristol Research |
op_collection_id |
ftubristolcris |
language |
English |
topic |
Acoustic sampling Agricultural landscapes Bat conservation Landscape heterogeneity Remnant trees Scattered trees |
spellingShingle |
Acoustic sampling Agricultural landscapes Bat conservation Landscape heterogeneity Remnant trees Scattered trees Froidevaux, Jérémy S.P. Laforge, Alexis Larrieu, Laurent Barbaro, Luc Park, Kirsty Fialas, Penelope C. Jones, Gareth Tree size, microhabitat diversity and landscape structure determine the value of isolated trees for bats in farmland |
topic_facet |
Acoustic sampling Agricultural landscapes Bat conservation Landscape heterogeneity Remnant trees Scattered trees |
description |
Isolated trees are increasingly recognised as playing a vital role in supporting biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, yet their occurrence has declined substantially in recent decades. Most bats in Europe are tree-dependent species that rely on woody elements in order to persist in farmlands. However, isolated trees are rarely considered in conservation programs and landscape planning. Further investigations are therefore urgently required to identify which trees – based on both their intrinsic characteristics and their location in the landscape – are particularly important for bats. We acoustically surveyed 57 isolated trees for bats to determine the relative and interactive effects of size, tree-related microhabitat (TreM) diversity and surrounding landscape context on bat activity. Tall trees with large diameter at breast height and crown area positively influenced the activity of Pipistrellus pipistrellus and small Myotis bats (Myotis spp.) while smaller and thinner trees favoured M. myotis activity. The diversity of TreMs that can be used as roosts had a positive effect on (i) Barbastella barbastellus activity only when trees were relatively close (<50 m) to woody patches, (ii) Pipistrellus nathusii/kuhlii activity only in the most heterogeneous landscapes, and (iii) Myotis spp. activity only in the most forested environment (>10% within 100 radius scale). The potential benefits of isolated trees for bats result from ecological mechanisms operating at both tree and landscape scales, underlining the crucial need for implementing a multi-scale approach in conservation programs. Maintaining the largest and most TreM-diversified trees located in the most heterogeneous agricultural landscapes will provide the greatest benefits. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Froidevaux, Jérémy S.P. Laforge, Alexis Larrieu, Laurent Barbaro, Luc Park, Kirsty Fialas, Penelope C. Jones, Gareth |
author_facet |
Froidevaux, Jérémy S.P. Laforge, Alexis Larrieu, Laurent Barbaro, Luc Park, Kirsty Fialas, Penelope C. Jones, Gareth |
author_sort |
Froidevaux, Jérémy S.P. |
title |
Tree size, microhabitat diversity and landscape structure determine the value of isolated trees for bats in farmland |
title_short |
Tree size, microhabitat diversity and landscape structure determine the value of isolated trees for bats in farmland |
title_full |
Tree size, microhabitat diversity and landscape structure determine the value of isolated trees for bats in farmland |
title_fullStr |
Tree size, microhabitat diversity and landscape structure determine the value of isolated trees for bats in farmland |
title_full_unstemmed |
Tree size, microhabitat diversity and landscape structure determine the value of isolated trees for bats in farmland |
title_sort |
tree size, microhabitat diversity and landscape structure determine the value of isolated trees for bats in farmland |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/1983/2e6c9af9-3877-4a62-8f14-a8590ad1fa8c https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/2e6c9af9-3877-4a62-8f14-a8590ad1fa8c https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109476 https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/ws/files/340678110/Full_text_PDF_final_published_version_.pdf http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85124192444&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
genre |
Barbastella barbastellus Pipistrellus nathusii Pipistrellus pipistrellus |
genre_facet |
Barbastella barbastellus Pipistrellus nathusii Pipistrellus pipistrellus |
op_source |
Froidevaux , J S P , Laforge , A , Larrieu , L , Barbaro , L , Park , K , Fialas , P C & Jones , G 2022 , ' Tree size, microhabitat diversity and landscape structure determine the value of isolated trees for bats in farmland ' , Biological Conservation , vol. 267 , 109476 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109476 |
op_relation |
https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/2e6c9af9-3877-4a62-8f14-a8590ad1fa8c |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109476 |
container_title |
Biological Conservation |
container_volume |
267 |
container_start_page |
109476 |
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1799477457239146496 |