Home-range size of evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis) in southwestern Georgia

摘要

Despite the ecological importance of bats, a lack of basic data, such as space-use needs, hinders management efforts. Therefore, we investigated home-range size in Nycticeius humeralis (Evening Bats) by radiotracking 14 individuals (5 females and 9 males) for 7-11 nights each in a pine-dominated landscape in southwestern Georgia during June-August 2008. We generated 95% and 50% adaptive kernel (AK) home ranges and 95% minimum convex polygon (MCP) home ranges and found that mean 95% AK home-range size was 155.7 ± 38.3 ha, with individual values ranging from 36.9 ha to 565.9 ha. Mean 95% MCP home-range size was 118.5 ± 29.5 ha, with individual values ranging from 33.6-456.2 ha. Home-range sizes did not differ between males and females (P = 0.35), but were larger in August (P = 0.004) than in June and July. Evening Bat home-range sizes on our study area were similar to previously documented home ranges in forested and rural landscapes. Although Evening Bats may be habitat generalists relative to foraging activity at the scale of habitat patches, multiple core areas of activity indicate selection within this scale that may be related to prey and roost availability.