Effect of water quality on species richness and activity of desert-dwelling bats

Published source details Korine C., Adams A.M., Shamir U. & Gross A. (2015) Effect of water quality on species richness and activity of desert-dwelling bats. Mammalian Biology, 80, 185-190.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

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	Create artificial water sources Action Link

Create artificial water sources

A replicated, site comparison study in 2005 of 33 natural and artificial water sources in the Negev Desert, Israel (Korine et al 2015) found that artificial water sources had similar or higher activity for eight of 12 bat species than natural water sources. Six bat species had higher activity at artificial water sources (average 6–71 bat passes/night) than natural water sources (average 1–20 bat passes/night). The activity of two bat species was similar at artificial (average 39–208 bat passes/night) and natural water sources (average 38–189 bat passes/night). Three bat species had lower activity at artificial water sources (average 0.5–2 bat passes/night) than natural water sources (average 11–19 bat passes/night). One bat species was recorded only at natural water sources (0.4 bat passes/night). See original paper for data for individual species. Surveys were carried out at 17 artificial water sources (water reservoirs or waste water treatment pools) and 16 natural water sources (natural springs and pools). At each of 33 sites, one bat detector recorded bat activity at the waters edge for one full night in May–June 2005.

(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)