The Milieu Souterrain Superficiel as hibernation habitat for bats: implications for white-nose syndrome.

ABSTRACT: Recent studies have revealed that western populations of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) in North America exhibit different hibernation behavior than their eastern counterparts. Understanding these differences is essential for assessing the risk white-nose syndrome (WNS) poses to western bat populations. We used acoustic monitoring and radiotelemetry to study the overwintering behavior of little brown bats near Juneau, Alaska during 2011-2014. Our objectives were to identify the structures they use for hibernation, measure the microclimates within those structures, and determine the timing of immergence and emergence and the length of the hibernation season. We radiotracked 10 little brown bats to underground hibernacula dispersed along two ridge systems. All hibernacula were ≤

SUBMITTER: Blejwas KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8357076 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature