Adoption of alternative habitats by a threatened, "obligate" forest-dwelling bat in a fragmented landscape.

摘要: While they are among the most ecologically important animals within forest ecosystems, little is known about how bats respond to habitat loss and fragmentation. The threatened lesser short-tailed bat (Mystacina tuberculata), considered be an obligate deep-forest species, one of only 2 extant land mammals endemic New Zealand; it plays a number roles native forests, including pollination seed dispersal, rarely occurs in modified forests. We used radiotelemetry study movements, roosting behavior, use M. tuberculata fragmented landscape comprised 3 main types: open space (harvested pastoral land), exotic pine plantations. found that had smaller home-range areas travelled shorter nightly distances than populations investigated previously from contiguous forest. Furthermore, occupied all types, with being preferred overall. However, individual variation selection was high, some preferring plantation over Roosting patterns were similar those observed forest; often switched between communal solitary roosts. Our findings indicate exhibit degree behavioral plasticity allows them adapt different mosaics exploit alternative habitats. To our knowledge, this first such documentation for species believed forest-dweller.