Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
3.1
2.4
Journals
Diversity
Special Issues
Key Aspects in the Ecology and Diversity of Desert-Dwelling Bats
share announcement

Key Aspects in the Ecology and Diversity of Desert-Dwelling Bats

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 April 2023) | Viewed by 8224

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Carmi Korine

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva 84990, Israel
Interests: bats; consevation; desert; anthprpogenic effects; agro-ecology; physiological ecology
Dr. Fulgencio Lisón

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Lab, Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070386, Chile
Interests: bats; ecology; landscape; conservation; ecosystem services; agroecology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Approximately one-third of the earth’s surface is comprised of drylands, which are divided into hyper-arid, arid, and semi-arid regions. These regions—particularly hyper-arid regions—are characterized by a low precipitation to potential evapotranspiration ratio. Despite being occasionally perceived as simple ecosystems, many drylands are highly complex and diverse and are home to different arthropod taxa and their natural predators, including bats.

In arid regions, bats are an important component of the mammalian fauna due to their species richness, mobility, and geographical distribution. They provide important desert ecosystem services, ranging from pest control to pollination and seed dispersal. They are by far the most numerous nocturnal arthropod predators in these regions. However, as in other parts of the world, the exponential increase in the human population has led to rapid and extensive changes in dryland use, including road and railway construction and alterations to large, open natural areas that were initially designated for agriculture and are currently also being used for solar energy farms. In addition, sources of water—the most limiting factor in desert areas—are being polluted or appropriated for human use. These and other rapid changes have led to the loss of natural desert habitats and water sources, affecting humans (through the process of desertification), desert-dwelling bats, and their prey, as well as other desert wildlife.

The main aim of this Special Issue of Diversity is to pique the interest of the scientific community, governmental authorities, and NGOs regarding the importance of dryland regions to the ecology of desert-dwelling bats and their prey. Research studies involving key aspects of the bats’ role as top predators, community structures, possible bioindicators, and providers of ecological services, as well as aspects of the physiological ecology of bats in these regions, are all welcome.

Key-topics:

  • Ecological Services of desert-dwelling bats;
  • Physiological Ecology of desert-dwelling bats;
  • Anthropogenic effects on the behavior, ecology, physiology of bats in arid habitats;
  • Community ecology of bats in arid landscapes;
  • Conservation of desert-dwelling bats.

Prof. Dr. Carmi Korine
Dr. Fulgencio Lisón
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

13 pages, 1529 KiB  
Article
Bats of the Tunisian Desert: Preliminary Data Using Acoustic Identification and First Record of Taphozous nudiventris in the Country
by Ridha Dalhoumi, Ridha El Mokni, Ridha Ouni, Hamouda Beyrem and Stéphane Aulagnier
Diversity 2023, 15(11), 1108; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d15111108 - 25 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1371
Abstract
Increasing aridity usually results in decreasing bat abundance and species richness, and the Saharan desert is an example of such impoverishment. Moreover, the harsh climatic and field conditions in this area restrict the feasibility of surveys. Therefore, the bat fauna of the Tunisian [...] Read more.
Increasing aridity usually results in decreasing bat abundance and species richness, and the Saharan desert is an example of such impoverishment. Moreover, the harsh climatic and field conditions in this area restrict the feasibility of surveys. Therefore, the bat fauna of the Tunisian Sahara was unstudied until an expedition was conducted in May 2021. A total of seven species were recorded using passive bat detectors set mainly at water bodies, which concentrate bat activity. Echolocation calls of these species did not depart from published records for the Mediterranean area. Our data failed to identify the two ecomorphotypes of Pipistrellus kuhlii but confirmed the adaptability of this species to local conditions. For the first time in Tunisia, we recorded echolocation calls of Taphozous nudiventris, a species that has been rarely reported in North Africa. The highest species richness was identified at the largest wetlands of Oued Daghsen (Oued Dkouk Nature Reserve) and at Bordj el Khadra (only six and four species, respectively). Most Mediterranean species were recorded in the northern locality, while desert species were more active in the most southern one. The importance of water bodies for bats was confirmed once more. No sign of competition among species was detected, as the Mediterranean and desert-dwelling bat species were active at the same time. Additional surveys should be planned in order to enlarge the list of seven species recorded in only one week. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Key Aspects in the Ecology and Diversity of Desert-Dwelling Bats)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1108 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Roost Type and Diet on Energy Expenditure in Bats
by Cynthia Marroquin, Thomas Gerth and Agustí Muñoz-Garcia
Diversity 2023, 15(5), 655; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d15050655 - 11 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1666
Abstract
Bats spend most of their lives resting, socializing, and raising their young in roosts. Roost conditions may affect the lifetime energy expenditure of bats, and this could, in turn, influence fitness of individuals. Different kinds of roosts impose different microclimatic conditions that can [...] Read more.
Bats spend most of their lives resting, socializing, and raising their young in roosts. Roost conditions may affect the lifetime energy expenditure of bats, and this could, in turn, influence fitness of individuals. Different kinds of roosts impose different microclimatic conditions that can affect the thermal balances of bats that use them. Bats thermoregulate by using both physiological mechanisms (such as changes in conductance) and behavioral responses (huddling or active search of certain microclimates). We hypothesized that the contribution of these thermoregulatory strategies would differ depending on the roost type that bats use. To test this idea, we collated data from the literature on metabolic rate (MR), body temperature (Tb), ambient temperature at which MR and Tb were collected, roost type, and diet for 43 species of bats spanning eleven families. From these data, we calculated, for each species, the wet conductance and the area of the thermoregulatory polygon (TRP) as a proxy for the physiological thermoregulatory capabilities of bats. We found that, after controlling for phylogeny, wet conductance and the area of the TRP were higher in bats that use more exposed roosts than in those bats who use roosts that can buffer environmental conditions. Our results suggest that energy expenditure is similar for all species, but in bats that live in more exposed roosts, the contribution of physiological responses was more important than behavior at the entire range of environmental temperatures, whereas bats in more protected roosts seem to rely more on behavioral responses to thermoregulate. Considering that roosts represent valuable resources, the availability of roosts with the proper microclimatic conditions could determine the patterns of distribution of bat populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Key Aspects in the Ecology and Diversity of Desert-Dwelling Bats)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1670 KiB  
Article
Constitutive Innate Immunity of Migrant and Resident Long-Nosed Bats (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) in the Drylands of Mexico
by David A. Rivera-Ruiz, José Juan Flores-Martínez, Carlos Rosales and Luis Gerardo Herrera Montalvo
Diversity 2023, 15(4), 530; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d15040530 - 06 Apr 2023
Viewed by 1527
Abstract
In contrast to birds, the relationship between migration and immunity has been scarcely studied in bats. We examined how the expression of the humoral portion of the constitutive immunity varied in a bat with partial, sex-biased migration: the lesser long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris [...] Read more.
In contrast to birds, the relationship between migration and immunity has been scarcely studied in bats. We examined how the expression of the humoral portion of the constitutive immunity varied in a bat with partial, sex-biased migration: the lesser long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae (Phyllostomidae)). The lesser long-nosed bat is a nectarivorous species distributed in the arid and semi-arid regions of North and Central America. We evaluated the bacteria-killing abilities (BKAs) of the plasma of male and female lesser long-nosed bats on the Pacific coast in different periods of the year. Because adult males are resident, they were used to explore the effect of reproductive activity on BKA, and we predicted higher values in mating males (i.e., individuals presenting scrotal testicles and a fresh dorsal patch). In contrast to males, most females migrate to cactus deserts in northern Mexico during pregnancy and lactation, and then return to the dry forests of west-central Mexico to mate. We predicted that the combined effect of breeding and migration would have an adverse effect on BKA; therefore, migratory pregnant and lactating females were expected to exhibit a lower BKA than mating females in west-central Mexico. We compared the BKAs of females captured in October and December in central Mexico, and we predicted that migratory females that had recently arrived in October should exhibit a lower BKA than females captured two months later. In addition, we compared the BKAs between lactating females and young in northern Mexico and predicted lower values in recently born individuals. We found that the BKAs of males were higher in reproductive individuals than in non-reproductive individuals. We found a significant difference in the BKAs between females at the two extremes of their migratory range: the values of pregnant females in Sonora and females in December were higher than those of females captured in October. Finally, we found no difference in BKAs between lactating females and young individuals. Our findings indicate that the basal levels of the innate humoral component are heightened in mating males, that this response is reduced in females that recently returned to their mating grounds, and that the constitutive immunity of young individuals matures early, probably in anticipation of the potential to encounter pathogens during their migration to west-central Mexico. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Key Aspects in the Ecology and Diversity of Desert-Dwelling Bats)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 1478 KiB  
Article
The Contribution of Desert-Dwelling Bats to Pest Control in Hyper-Arid Date Agriculture
by Jessica Schäckermann, Evie J. Morris, Antton Alberdi, Orly Razgour and Carmi Korine
Diversity 2022, 14(12), 1034; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14121034 - 26 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1544
Abstract
Over 40% of the Earth’s surface has been converted to agricultural use and agroecosystems have become important habitats for wildlife. In arid regions, intensive agriculture creates artificial oasis-like habitats due to their high irrigation inputs. Date production is one of the primary agricultural [...] Read more.
Over 40% of the Earth’s surface has been converted to agricultural use and agroecosystems have become important habitats for wildlife. In arid regions, intensive agriculture creates artificial oasis-like habitats due to their high irrigation inputs. Date production is one of the primary agricultural practices in the deserts of the Middle East and North Africa. Insectivorous bats are known to use agricultural areas, but the role of date plantations as their foraging habits and the importance of insectivorous bats as date bio-pest control agents are still unknown. We assessed the role of date plantations as foraging habitats for local desert bat species by acoustically recording bat activity in conventional and organic date plantations in the southern Arava Valley, Israel. In addition, we captured bats in the plantations and collected feces for DNA metabarcoding analysis to investigate the presence of pest species in their diets. We found that 12 out of the 16 known species of bats in this region frequently used both conventional and organic date plantations as foraging habitats. Species richness was highest in the organic plantation with complex ground vegetation cover. Foraging activity was not affected by plantation type or management. However, bat species richness and activity increased in all plantations during summer date harvesting. Molecular analysis confirmed that bats feed on a variety of important date pests, but the particular pests consumed and the extent of consumption varied among bat species. Our results highlight a win–win situation, whereby date plantations are an important foraging habitat for desert bats, while bats provide bio-pest control services that benefit the date plantations. Therefore, date farmers interested in bio-pest control should manage their plantations to support local desert bat populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Key Aspects in the Ecology and Diversity of Desert-Dwelling Bats)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 2589 KiB  
Article
Physiological and Ecological Correlates of the Cellular and Humoral Innate Immune Responses in an Insular Desert Bat: The Fish-Eating Myotis (Myotis vivesi)
by Aída Otálora-Ardila, José Juan Flores-Martínez, Carlos Rosales, Arturo Salame-Méndez and L. Gerardo Herrera Montalvo.
Diversity 2022, 14(10), 781; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d14100781 - 21 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1506
Abstract
The immune response is affected by aridity, but it has been rarely examined in desert-dwelling bats. For two consecutive years, we examined the seasonal variation in the innate immune response of an insular desert bat, the fish-eating myotis (Myotis vivesi), in [...] Read more.
The immune response is affected by aridity, but it has been rarely examined in desert-dwelling bats. For two consecutive years, we examined the seasonal variation in the innate immune response of an insular desert bat, the fish-eating myotis (Myotis vivesi), in relation to its reproductive activity and ectoparasite load. We evaluated the reproductive activity based on external morphological traits and testosterone levels in the plasma for males and progesterone and estradiol for females. We injected phytohemagglutinin (PHA) into the footpads of the bats to estimate the innate cellular response, and we measured the bacterial killing ability (BKA) of the blood plasma to determine the innate humoral response. Both the external morphological traits and hormone levels indicate that the females were pregnant in spring and lactating in summer, and that the males were reproductively active in autumn, when mating probably occurred. The swelling response of the female and male bats was lower in spring. The BKA in the males did not vary seasonally; the BKA in the females varied seasonally but only in the first year of the study, with lower values in spring and summer. The BKA in spring was lower in the first year of the study, when the females appeared to be in early pregnancy, compared to the second year, when the females were in advanced pregnancy. The swelling increased as the body mass and body conditions of the males increased, but the BKA was not correlated with body mass or body condition in either sex. Ectoparasite abundance and prevalence did not vary among seasons. Ectoparasite abundance was not correlated with the PHA response in both sexes; it was not correlated with the BKA in females, but it was inversely correlated in males. Of the three hormones measured, only estradiol was correlated with the immune response: females with higher estradiol levels had a higher PHA response and BKA. Our findings indicate that the cellular and humoral innate immune responses of the fish-eating myotis varied throughout the year, following the seasonal reproductive pattern of the species. Our evaluation of the proximal factors affecting the expression of the immune response points to the potential immunoregulatory role of sex hormones and body mass. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Key Aspects in the Ecology and Diversity of Desert-Dwelling Bats)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop