Bat point counts: a novel bat sampling method shines light on flying bat
communities
- Kevin Felix Arno Darras,
- Ellena Yusti,
- Joe Chun-Chia Huang,
- Delphine-Clara Zemp,
- Agus Priyono Kartono,
- Thomas Cherico Wanger
Joe Chun-Chia Huang
Southeast Asian Bat Conservation and Research Unit
Author ProfileAbstract
Emerging technologies based on the detection of electro-magnetic energy
offer promising opportunities for sampling biodiversity. We exploit
their potential bye showing here how they can be used in bat point
counts - a novel method to sample flying bats - to overcome shortcomings
of traditional sampling methods, and to maximise sampling coverage and
taxonomic resolution of this elusive taxon with minimal sampling bias.
We conducted bat point counts with a sampling rig combining a thermal
scope to detect bats, an ultrasound recorder to obtain echolocation
calls, and a near-infrared camera to capture bat morphology. We
identified bats with the first dedicated identification key combining
acoustic and morphological features, and compared bat point counts to
the standard bat sampling methods of mist netting and automated
ultrasound recording in three oil palm plantation sites in Indonesia,
over nine survey nights. Based on rarefaction and extrapolation sampling
curves, we show that bat point counts were the most time-efficient and
effective method for sampling the oil palm species pool. Point counts
sampled species that tend to avoid nets and those that are not
echolocating, and thus cannot be detected acoustically. We identified
some bat sonotypes with near-infrared imagery, and bat point counts
revealed strong sampling biases in previous studies using capture-based
methods, suggesting similar biases in other regions might exist. While
capture-based methods allow to identify bats with absolute and internal
morphometry, and unattended ultrasound recorders can effectively sample
echolocating bats, bat point counts are a promising, and potentially
competitive new tool for sampling all flying bats without bias and
observing their behavior in the wild.10 Jul 2021Submitted to Ecology and Evolution 12 Jul 2021Submission Checks Completed
12 Jul 2021Assigned to Editor
20 Jul 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
31 Aug 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
15 Sep 20211st Revision Received
15 Sep 2021Submission Checks Completed
15 Sep 2021Assigned to Editor
15 Sep 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
18 Oct 2021Editorial Decision: Accept
Dec 2021Published in Ecology and Evolution volume 11 issue 23 on pages 17179-17190. 10.1002/ece3.8356