Influence of urbanization on demography of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) in the prairies of North America.

ABSTRACT:

Background

We address three key gaps in research on urban wildlife ecology: insufficient attention to (1) grassland biomes, (2) individual- and population-level effects, and (3) vertebrates other than birds. We hypothesized that urbanization in the North American Prairies, by increasing habitat complexity (via the proliferation of vertical structures such as trees and buildings), thereby enhancing the availability of day-roosts, tree cover, and insects, would benefit synanthropic bats, resulting in increased fitness among urban individuals.

Methodology/principal findings

Over three years, we captured more than 1,600 little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) in urban and non-urban riparian sites in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This species dominated bat assemblages through

SUBMITTER: Coleman JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3154510 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature