Do riparian forest strips in modified forest landscapes aid in conserving bat diversity?

ABSTRACT: Agricultural practices lead to losses of natural resources and biodiversity. Maintaining forests alongside streams (riparian forest strips) has been used as a mechanism to minimize the impact of clearing for agriculture on biodiversity. To test the contribution of riparian forest strips to conserve biodiversity in production landscapes, we selected bats as a biodiversity model system and examined two dimensions of diversity: taxonomic and functional. We compared bat diversity and composition in forest, with and without stream habitat, and in narrow forest riparian strips surrounded by areas cleared for agriculture. We tested the hypothesis that riparian forest strips provide potential conservation value by providing habitat and serving as movement corridors for forest bat species. Riparian

SUBMITTER: Carrasco-Rueda F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6467860 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature