The importance of woodland for Rhinolophus hipposideros (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae) in Austria
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Guido Reiter
Earlier radio tracking studies have shown that woodlands are key foraging habitats of the endangered lesser horseshoe bat. Hence, the location of maternity roosts should be influenced by the availability of woodland. I studied the distribution of maternity roosts in Austria with respect to the availability of woodland at different scales. Based on digital maps I compared the percentage of woodland cover within a radius of 0.5 and 2.5 km around maternity roosts with that of randomly selected churches and castles. I also measured the distance from maternity roosts to the nearest patch of woodland.
Comparing different Austrian provinces, the relative number of maternity roosts tended to be greater in provinces with greater woodland cover. Woodland was more abundant around existing maternity roosts than around randomly selected churches and castles. These patterns were found within 0.5 km in both Carinthia and Salzburg, and within 2.5 km in Salzburg only. Furthermore, the distance to the nearest patch of woodland was shorter at existing maternity roosts than at randomly selected churches and castles in Salzburg. Colony size increased with the proportion of surrounding woodland: small areas of woodland supported only small colonies, while bigger colonies were only located in the vicinity of larger proportions of woodland. I conclude that woodland is an important factor explaining the distribution and selection of maternity roosts and should therefore strongly be considered when conservation measures for this species are required, designed and put into action.
Copyright 2004, Walter de Gruyter
Articles in the same Issue
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- Morphometrics and ecology of Myotis cf. punicus (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in Corsica
- Ecomorphometry of Myotis daubentonii and M. lucifugus (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) – a Palearctic-Nearctic comparison
- Postnatal growth in Myotis blythii (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae)
- Body mass changes in male Daubenton's bats Myotis daubentonii (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) during the seasonal activity period
- Subspecific structure of Myotis daubentonii (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) and composition of the "daubentonii" species group
- Variability in echolocation call design of 26 Swiss bat species: consequences, limits and options for automated field identification with a synergetic pattern recognition approach
- Reproductive cycle in Pipistrellus kuhlii (Chiroptera,Vespertilionidae) in western Iran
- The roost preference of Nyctalus noctula (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in summer and the ecological background of their urbanization
- Bats, climate, and air microorganisms in a Romanian cave
- The importance of small cellars to bat hibernation in Poland
- Effect of barn conversion on bat roost sites in Hertfordshire, England
- Flight activity and habitat use of Pipistrellus pygmaeus in a floodplain forest
- Summer distribution of the Pond bat Myotis dasycneme (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in the west of Flanders (Belgium) with regard to water quality
- Radiotracking of Myotis myotis (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in South Tyrol and implications for its conservation
- Diet and prey selection in the Mediterranean horseshoe bat Rhinolophus euryale (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae) during the pre-breeding season
- The importance of woodland for Rhinolophus hipposideros (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae) in Austria
- Tunnels as a possibility to connect bat habitats
- Control region variability of the mitochondrial DNA of Pipistrellus nathusii (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae): First results of a population genetic study
- Bat species and conservation issues in the castle Grad na Goričkem (NE Slovenia)
- Aerial deposition of cadmium before and after the closure of an oil-fired power station in the vicinity of two nursery roosts of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae)
- Bat activity in coniferous forest areas and the impact of air pollution
Articles in the same Issue
- Le Havre 2002: the IXth European Bat Research Symposium
- Morphometrics and ecology of Myotis cf. punicus (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in Corsica
- Ecomorphometry of Myotis daubentonii and M. lucifugus (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) – a Palearctic-Nearctic comparison
- Postnatal growth in Myotis blythii (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae)
- Body mass changes in male Daubenton's bats Myotis daubentonii (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) during the seasonal activity period
- Subspecific structure of Myotis daubentonii (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) and composition of the "daubentonii" species group
- Variability in echolocation call design of 26 Swiss bat species: consequences, limits and options for automated field identification with a synergetic pattern recognition approach
- Reproductive cycle in Pipistrellus kuhlii (Chiroptera,Vespertilionidae) in western Iran
- The roost preference of Nyctalus noctula (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in summer and the ecological background of their urbanization
- Bats, climate, and air microorganisms in a Romanian cave
- The importance of small cellars to bat hibernation in Poland
- Effect of barn conversion on bat roost sites in Hertfordshire, England
- Flight activity and habitat use of Pipistrellus pygmaeus in a floodplain forest
- Summer distribution of the Pond bat Myotis dasycneme (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in the west of Flanders (Belgium) with regard to water quality
- Radiotracking of Myotis myotis (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in South Tyrol and implications for its conservation
- Diet and prey selection in the Mediterranean horseshoe bat Rhinolophus euryale (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae) during the pre-breeding season
- The importance of woodland for Rhinolophus hipposideros (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae) in Austria
- Tunnels as a possibility to connect bat habitats
- Control region variability of the mitochondrial DNA of Pipistrellus nathusii (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae): First results of a population genetic study
- Bat species and conservation issues in the castle Grad na Goričkem (NE Slovenia)
- Aerial deposition of cadmium before and after the closure of an oil-fired power station in the vicinity of two nursery roosts of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae)
- Bat activity in coniferous forest areas and the impact of air pollution
