Habitat selection and roosting ranges of northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis) in an experimental hardwood forest system

摘要

This study presents the findings of a field study examining roost tree selection androosting ranges of the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) in an experimentalecosystem of two southern Indiana state forests comprised of differing timber harvestingtreatments. The northern long-eared bat is anticipated to be added to the Endangered Species listin the fall of 2014, so understanding its habitat selection is important to aid in minimizing theirpopulation decline. Northern long-eared bats were captured in Morgan-Monroe andYellowwood state forests, and females were fitted with transmitters. We tracked these bats totheir maternity roost trees during the day, and measured vegetation characteristics around thosetrees. Roost tree locations were plotted in ArcMap (ArcGIS 10.2) to find roosting ranges, andthe roosting range size for this species was found to average 5.4 ha. Bats roosted in theunharvested forest more often than in trees within the harvested areas, and selected areascontaining more vegetation obstruction, or clutter, in both areas. However, northern long-earedbats are roost generalists when compared to other species for many vegetative characteristics, and may tolerate smaller forest harvests as long as adequate roost trees remain available on thelandscape.