Habitat Associations Among Bats on Redstone Arsenal, Alabama

Abstract

As forests become more fragmented, more research about use of forests by bats at the landscape level is needed. I employed 2 methods to investigate use of forest by foraging bats; mist-net surveys and ultrasonic-detection surveys. I sampled at a total of 341 sites (248 mist-net sites and 93 ultrasonic-detection sites). I captured 185 bats in mist nets at 82 sites representing 7 species, and I ultrasonically detected bats at 45 sites representing 6 species. This study documented use of Redstone Arsenal as foraging habitat for one endangered species (Myotis grisescens) and two species of highest conservation concern (M. austroriparius and M. septentrionalis). I also compared number of species detected per night using the 2 methods. The ultrasonic-detection method detected more species per night. Unlike other studies, I detected more species overall using mist-net surveys (7 species) than ultrasonic detection (6 species). All species that I recorded using ultrasonic-detection were captured in mist nets.