The importance of distance to resources in the spatial modelling of bat foraging habitat.

ABSTRACT: Many bats are threatened by habitat loss, but opportunities to manage their habitats are now increasing. Success of management depends greatly on the capacity to determine where and how interventions should take place, so models predicting how animals use landscapes are important to plan them. Bats are quite distinctive in the way they use space for foraging because (i) most are colonial central-place foragers and (ii) exploit scattered and distant resources, although this increases flying costs. To evaluate how important distances to resources are in modelling foraging bat habitat suitability, we radio-tracked two cave-dwelling species of conservation concern (Rhinolophus mehelyi and Miniopterus schreibersii) in a Mediterranean landscape. Habitat and distance variables were evaluated usin

SUBMITTER: Rainho A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3081845 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature