Heard but not seen: comparing bat assemblages and study methods in a mosaic landscape in the Western Ghats of India
-
Published source details
Wordley C.F.R., Sankaran M., Mudappa D. & Altringham J.D. (2018) Heard but not seen: comparing bat assemblages and study methods in a mosaic landscape in the Western Ghats of India. Ecology & Evolution, 8, 3883-3894.
Published source details Wordley C.F.R., Sankaran M., Mudappa D. & Altringham J.D. (2018) Heard but not seen: comparing bat assemblages and study methods in a mosaic landscape in the Western Ghats of India. Ecology & Evolution, 8, 3883-3894.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
| Action | Category | |
|---|---|---|
|
Legally protect bat habitats Action Link |
 |
-
Legally protect bat habitats
A replicated, site comparison study in 2010–2013 of 10 rainforest sites in the Western Ghats, India (Wordley et al 2018) found that protected forest had a greater number of bats than unprotected forest fragments, but the number of bat species and species compositions were similar. The total number of bats captured and recorded was higher in protected forest (average 35 bats/site) than unprotected forest fragments (17 bats/site). However, the average number of bat species recorded did not differ significantly (protected forest: 8 bat species/site; unprotected forest fragments: 6 bat species/site), and nor did the composition of bat species (data reported as statistical model results). Seventeen bat species were recorded in total (see original paper for data for individual species). Five protected rainforest sites and five unprotected rainforest fragments (2–103 ha) were surveyed. At each of 10 sites, bats were captured with five mist nets and recorded with bat detectors at five sampling points during two nights between January and May in 2010–2013 and November–December 2014.
(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)
