Assemblage and Species Threshold Responses to Environmental and Disturbance Gradients Shape Bat Diversity in Disturbed Cave Landscapes
Ecological thresholds represent a critical tipping point along an environmental gradient that, once breached, can have irreversible consequences for species persistence and assemblage structure. Thresholds can also be used to identify species with the greatest sensitivity to environmental changes. B...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-07-01
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| Series: | Diversity |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/10/3/55 |
| _version_ | 1817989511309688832 |
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| author | Kendra Phelps Reizl Jose Marina Labonite Tigga Kingston |
| author_facet | Kendra Phelps Reizl Jose Marina Labonite Tigga Kingston |
| author_sort | Kendra Phelps |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ecological thresholds represent a critical tipping point along an environmental gradient that, once breached, can have irreversible consequences for species persistence and assemblage structure. Thresholds can also be used to identify species with the greatest sensitivity to environmental changes. Bats are keystone species yet are under pressure from human disturbances, specifically landscape and cave disturbances (i.e., reduced forest cover, urbanization, hunting, tourism). We compared bat assemblages across environmental and disturbance gradients measured at 56 caves in the Philippines to identify species-specific thresholds and assess congruence among species responses. All species exhibited significant responses to one or more gradients, with 84% responding to more than one gradient. Yet mixed responses of sensitivity to some gradients but tolerance to others hindered identification of assemblage thresholds to all gradients except landscape disturbance. However, we identified credible indicator species that exhibit distinct thresholds to specific gradients and tested for differences in ecological and morphological traits between species groups with shared responses (i.e., negative or positive). Few traits were useful for discriminating the direction of a species response, with some exceptions. Species that responded positively to increased landscape disturbance and hunting had greater body mass, whereas species that responded negatively to mining emitted higher peak call frequencies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:47:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-627dd330a9a641e9b4e4cffeffefdae1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:47:51Z |
| publishDate | 2018-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-627dd330a9a641e9b4e4cffeffefdae12022-12-22T02:21:56ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182018-07-011035510.3390/d10030055d10030055Assemblage and Species Threshold Responses to Environmental and Disturbance Gradients Shape Bat Diversity in Disturbed Cave LandscapesKendra Phelps0Reizl Jose1Marina Labonite2Tigga Kingston3Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USAForestry and Environmental Science Department, Bohol Island State University, Bilar 6317, Bohol, PhilippinesResearch & Development, Bohol Island State University, Bilar 6317, Bohol, PhilippinesDepartment of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USAEcological thresholds represent a critical tipping point along an environmental gradient that, once breached, can have irreversible consequences for species persistence and assemblage structure. Thresholds can also be used to identify species with the greatest sensitivity to environmental changes. Bats are keystone species yet are under pressure from human disturbances, specifically landscape and cave disturbances (i.e., reduced forest cover, urbanization, hunting, tourism). We compared bat assemblages across environmental and disturbance gradients measured at 56 caves in the Philippines to identify species-specific thresholds and assess congruence among species responses. All species exhibited significant responses to one or more gradients, with 84% responding to more than one gradient. Yet mixed responses of sensitivity to some gradients but tolerance to others hindered identification of assemblage thresholds to all gradients except landscape disturbance. However, we identified credible indicator species that exhibit distinct thresholds to specific gradients and tested for differences in ecological and morphological traits between species groups with shared responses (i.e., negative or positive). Few traits were useful for discriminating the direction of a species response, with some exceptions. Species that responded positively to increased landscape disturbance and hunting had greater body mass, whereas species that responded negatively to mining emitted higher peak call frequencies.http://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/10/3/55change-pointsindicator speciesThreshold Indicator Taxa Analysis (TITAN)ecological traitsIndValChiroptera |
| spellingShingle | Kendra Phelps Reizl Jose Marina Labonite Tigga Kingston Assemblage and Species Threshold Responses to Environmental and Disturbance Gradients Shape Bat Diversity in Disturbed Cave Landscapes Diversity change-points indicator species Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis (TITAN) ecological traits IndVal Chiroptera |
| title | Assemblage and Species Threshold Responses to Environmental and Disturbance Gradients Shape Bat Diversity in Disturbed Cave Landscapes |
| title_full | Assemblage and Species Threshold Responses to Environmental and Disturbance Gradients Shape Bat Diversity in Disturbed Cave Landscapes |
| title_fullStr | Assemblage and Species Threshold Responses to Environmental and Disturbance Gradients Shape Bat Diversity in Disturbed Cave Landscapes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assemblage and Species Threshold Responses to Environmental and Disturbance Gradients Shape Bat Diversity in Disturbed Cave Landscapes |
| title_short | Assemblage and Species Threshold Responses to Environmental and Disturbance Gradients Shape Bat Diversity in Disturbed Cave Landscapes |
| title_sort | assemblage and species threshold responses to environmental and disturbance gradients shape bat diversity in disturbed cave landscapes |
| topic | change-points indicator species Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis (TITAN) ecological traits IndVal Chiroptera |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/10/3/55 |
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