Temporal patterns of bat activity on the High Plains of Texas
Texas is home to more wind turbines and more bat species than any other state in the United States. Insectivorous bats provide an important economical ecosystem service in this region through agricultural pest regulation. Unfortunately, bats can be impacted negatively by wind turbines, and migrat...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Museum of Texas Tech University
2019
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/35667/1/bat1.pdf http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/35667/ https://www.academia.edu/40611219/Temporal_patterns_of_bat_activity_on_the_High_Plains_of_Texas |
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| Summary: | Texas is home to more wind turbines and more bat species than any other state
in the United States. Insectivorous bats provide an important economical ecosystem
service in this region through agricultural pest regulation. Unfortunately, bats can be
impacted negatively by wind turbines, and migratory bat species particularly so. To
understand how bat activity changes throughout the year in western Texas, activity
was monitored through echolocation calls and opportunistic mist-netting efforts over a
period of four years (2012–2015). Peaks in activity were observed from March through
April, and again in September, which coincides with previously documented migratory periods for many species native to the High Plains of Texas. Findings presented
herein suggest that urban habitats are preferred stopover sites for migratory bat species
while traversing arid regions such as those occurring in western Texas. In addition to
human-made structures, urban habitats harbor non-native trees that provide suitable
roost sites, aggregations of insect prey swarming outdoor light sources, and artificial
water sources. It is important to understand bat activity in western Texas, not only for
the benefit of agricultural pest suppression, but also to predict how the expansion of
wind energy may affect bat populations in this region. |
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