Exceptionally Uniform Bat Assemblages across Different Forest Habitats Are Dominated by Single Hyperabundant Generalist Species
Woodland bat assemblages are usually structured in a space according to the distance from the ground, water, and obstacles, features that often define chiropteran hunting tactics. Consequently, the bat species composition differs strongly among various habitats, even within the same forest patch. Ho...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-02-01
|
| Series: | Forests |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/2/337 |
| _version_ | 1797298237694017536 |
|---|---|
| author | Mateusz Ciechanowski Zuzanna Wikar Katarzyna Borzym Emilia Janikowska Julia Brachman Martyna Jankowska-Jarek Konrad Bidziński |
| author_facet | Mateusz Ciechanowski Zuzanna Wikar Katarzyna Borzym Emilia Janikowska Julia Brachman Martyna Jankowska-Jarek Konrad Bidziński |
| author_sort | Mateusz Ciechanowski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Woodland bat assemblages are usually structured in a space according to the distance from the ground, water, and obstacles, features that often define chiropteran hunting tactics. Consequently, the bat species composition differs strongly among various habitats, even within the same forest patch. However, when conducting local bat surveys in Wolin National Park (WPN), we revealed an unexpected uniformity in the qualitative and quantitative structure of bat assemblages, based on mist netting and ultrasound recording. In total, 10 vespertilionid species were detected. Across all methods and sampled habitats, a single species, <i>Pipistrellus pygmaeus</i>, predominated, while no <i>Barbastella barbastellus</i>, an old forest specialist, were detected, despite the abundance of their preferred daily roosts. We also reviewed the literature for mist-netted bat samples in four different habitats in lowland Polish forests. The samples usually clustered based on habitats, and the same habitat classes often clustered very closely despite representing geographically distant forests. The exception was WPN, where all four habitat classes formed a tightly packed cluster. We hypothesize that <i>P. pygmaeus</i> might act as a hyperabundant native species, a successful generalist that reduces the contribution of more specialized taxa in the assemblage. It probably benefits from both forest renaturation and anthropogenic cross-boundary subsidy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:32:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8a85d6a584ac498789e85e0d4df3e99d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:32:46Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-8a85d6a584ac498789e85e0d4df3e99d2024-02-23T15:16:59ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072024-02-0115233710.3390/f15020337Exceptionally Uniform Bat Assemblages across Different Forest Habitats Are Dominated by Single Hyperabundant Generalist SpeciesMateusz Ciechanowski0Zuzanna Wikar1Katarzyna Borzym2Emilia Janikowska3Julia Brachman4Martyna Jankowska-Jarek5Konrad Bidziński6Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, PolandDepartment of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, PolandAcademic Bat Group, Polish Society for Nature Protection “Salamandra”, 80-308 Gdańsk, PolandStudent Bat Research Group, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, PolandStudent Bat Research Group, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, PolandDepartment of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, PolandDepartment of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, PolandWoodland bat assemblages are usually structured in a space according to the distance from the ground, water, and obstacles, features that often define chiropteran hunting tactics. Consequently, the bat species composition differs strongly among various habitats, even within the same forest patch. However, when conducting local bat surveys in Wolin National Park (WPN), we revealed an unexpected uniformity in the qualitative and quantitative structure of bat assemblages, based on mist netting and ultrasound recording. In total, 10 vespertilionid species were detected. Across all methods and sampled habitats, a single species, <i>Pipistrellus pygmaeus</i>, predominated, while no <i>Barbastella barbastellus</i>, an old forest specialist, were detected, despite the abundance of their preferred daily roosts. We also reviewed the literature for mist-netted bat samples in four different habitats in lowland Polish forests. The samples usually clustered based on habitats, and the same habitat classes often clustered very closely despite representing geographically distant forests. The exception was WPN, where all four habitat classes formed a tightly packed cluster. We hypothesize that <i>P. pygmaeus</i> might act as a hyperabundant native species, a successful generalist that reduces the contribution of more specialized taxa in the assemblage. It probably benefits from both forest renaturation and anthropogenic cross-boundary subsidy.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/2/337ChiropteraVespertilionidaewoodlandsdiversityPolandWolin National Park |
| spellingShingle | Mateusz Ciechanowski Zuzanna Wikar Katarzyna Borzym Emilia Janikowska Julia Brachman Martyna Jankowska-Jarek Konrad Bidziński Exceptionally Uniform Bat Assemblages across Different Forest Habitats Are Dominated by Single Hyperabundant Generalist Species Forests Chiroptera Vespertilionidae woodlands diversity Poland Wolin National Park |
| title | Exceptionally Uniform Bat Assemblages across Different Forest Habitats Are Dominated by Single Hyperabundant Generalist Species |
| title_full | Exceptionally Uniform Bat Assemblages across Different Forest Habitats Are Dominated by Single Hyperabundant Generalist Species |
| title_fullStr | Exceptionally Uniform Bat Assemblages across Different Forest Habitats Are Dominated by Single Hyperabundant Generalist Species |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exceptionally Uniform Bat Assemblages across Different Forest Habitats Are Dominated by Single Hyperabundant Generalist Species |
| title_short | Exceptionally Uniform Bat Assemblages across Different Forest Habitats Are Dominated by Single Hyperabundant Generalist Species |
| title_sort | exceptionally uniform bat assemblages across different forest habitats are dominated by single hyperabundant generalist species |
| topic | Chiroptera Vespertilionidae woodlands diversity Poland Wolin National Park |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/2/337 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mateuszciechanowski exceptionallyuniformbatassemblagesacrossdifferentforesthabitatsaredominatedbysinglehyperabundantgeneralistspecies AT zuzannawikar exceptionallyuniformbatassemblagesacrossdifferentforesthabitatsaredominatedbysinglehyperabundantgeneralistspecies AT katarzynaborzym exceptionallyuniformbatassemblagesacrossdifferentforesthabitatsaredominatedbysinglehyperabundantgeneralistspecies AT emiliajanikowska exceptionallyuniformbatassemblagesacrossdifferentforesthabitatsaredominatedbysinglehyperabundantgeneralistspecies AT juliabrachman exceptionallyuniformbatassemblagesacrossdifferentforesthabitatsaredominatedbysinglehyperabundantgeneralistspecies AT martynajankowskajarek exceptionallyuniformbatassemblagesacrossdifferentforesthabitatsaredominatedbysinglehyperabundantgeneralistspecies AT konradbidzinski exceptionallyuniformbatassemblagesacrossdifferentforesthabitatsaredominatedbysinglehyperabundantgeneralistspecies |