Evening bat summer roost-site selection on a managed pine landscape
Authors: | Chris D. Hein, Karl V. Miller, Steven B. Castleberry |
Year: | 2009 |
Type: | Scientific Journal |
Station: | Southern Research Station |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.2193/2008-211 |
Abstract
Creation and maintenance of forested corridors to increase landscape heterogeneity has been practiced for decades but is a new concept in intensively managed southern pine (Pinus spp.) forest. Additionally, more information is needed on bat ecology within such forest systems. Therefore, we examined summer roost-site selection by evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis) in an intensively managed landscape with forested corridors in southeastern South Carolina, USA, 2003-2006. We radiotracked 53 (26 M,27 F) adult evening bats 75 (31 M, 44F) diurnal roosts. We modeled landscape-level roost-site selection with logistic regression and elevated models using Akaike’s Information Criterion for small samples. Model selection results indicated that mature (>40 yr) mixed pine-hardwood stands were important roost sites for male and lactating female evening bats. Upland forested corridors, comprised of mature pine or mixed pine-hardwoods, were important roosting habitats for males and, to a lesser extent, lactating females. Male roosts were farther from open stands and lactating females roosts were farther from mid-rotation stands than randomly selected structures. Our results suggest most structures (i.e large trees and snags) in mature forests are important habitat components for evening bats. We recommend maintaining older (>40 yr old) stand conditions in the form of forest stands or corridors across managed landscapes to provide roosting habitat. Furthermore, our results suggest that an understanding of sex-specific roost-site selection is critical for developing comprehensive guidelines foe creating and maintaining habitat features beneficial to forest bats (JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 73 (4):511-517, 2009)