Where forest meets urbanization: foraging plasticity of aerial insectivorous bats in an anthropogenically altered environment

Given worldwide rapid human population growth resulting in degradation or loss of habitats. it is important to understand how antrhopogenic Factors affect species presence and activity. and consequently, how well species tolerate or adapt to anthropogenically altered environments This Study, conducted in Panama, focuses on aerial insectivorous hats, a highly mobile and ecologically important. bill largely understudied group Acoustic monitoring Was used to Investigate habitat use in a tropical forest-town interface and microhabitat use around streetlights differing, in wavelength (type of light) and accessibility (distance to vegetation). Plasticity in microhabitat use also was examined in relation to season and moonlight We recorded it total of 25 aerial insectivorous bat species in the Study area and found it subset of 20 species in town of which 18 frequently foraged around streetlights Bat activity (passes/min) was lowest at the forest site. highest at streetlights,. and Intermediate in the dark areas of town General bat activity at streetlights was concentrated at blush-white lights compared to vellow-white and orange lights However, bats revealed species-specit'ic inicrohabitats with regard to light type. distance to vegetation, and relative light intensity Season and moon phase affected microhabitat use around streetlights leading to microhabitat plasticity of individual species. Thus, in the forest-town interface most, but not all, aerial insectivorous bats were present in town and regularly foraged around streetlights, suggesting a species-specific tolerance for habitat alteration. Bats foraging at streetlights used microhabitats, and some species even changed microhabitats, according to season or moon phase. The indicates species-specific requirements for microhabitats and the importance of preserving habitat heterogeneity DOI.10.1644/08-MAMM-A-313R.1