The different factors affecting Chiroptera emergences with a focus on Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Pipistrellus pygmaeus

• Main Author: McCabe, H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: University of Plymouth 2023
• Subjects: Chiroptera; Pipistrellus pipistrellus; Pipistrellus pygmaeus; emergence; habitats; sunset; sunrise; pest control; bioindicators; populations; crevice dwellers; roosts
• Online Access: https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/21836

Chiroptera (bats) are important within different ecosystems and biomes due to the different ecosystem services that they provide. The services that they provide to the United Kingdom include organic agricultural pest control and worldwide bats provide pollination and seed dispersal. The rationale for this study is to understand emergence preferences based on natural and anthropogenic factors such as building structure, habitats, and time. Bat roosts are species specific, with urban exploiter species relying on urban habitats such as Pipistrellus pipistrellus and urban-adapter species such as Nyctalus noctule relying on natural roosts. A range of surveys sites were studied across, Hampshire Berkshire and Surrey with a variety of different habitats studied. Bat surveys were carried out from June to September 2021 using the Elekon Bat Scanner (Ecosupport, n.d.). All surveys lasted an average of two hours with extensions or shortenings judged on bat activity within the area, as well as temperature and weather conditions. Surveys were carried out at both dusk and dawn with sunset and sunrise times recorded. Secondary data was provided by Ecosupport and extracted and analysed from phase two bat reports, with specific locations and building names kept confidential. Although different urban features of buildings were measured there were no statistically significant results regarding bat species emergence locations. This differs from much of the literature studied due to Pipistrellus pipistrellus being a known crevice dweller. However, one similar study concluded that Pipistrellus pipistrellus did not have a preference on emergence location but rather on size of crevice used to emerge from. Habitat type was also investigated to evaluate if bats had a selected habitat of which they emerge within. The only species to have a conclusive significant habitat to emerge were Pipistrellus pipistrellus emerging within an agricultural habitat. Emergence and re-entry times of bats were also measured by the times of sunset and ...