Jenkins EV, Laine T, Morgan SE, Cole KR, Speakman JR
Department of Zoology, University of Aberdeen
Anim Behav. 1998 Oct;56(4):909-917. doi: 10.1006/anbe.1998.0858.
Availability of suitable roost sites may limit bat distribution and abundance. We compared nine internal and 26 external features of 21 known roost buildings with those of 17 random buildings in northeast Scotland, U.K. (57 degreesN) to assess whether pipistrelle bats, Pipistrellus pipistrellus (55-kHz phonotype) are selective in their use of roosts. Bats did not select roosts with specific structural attributes. Compared with random buildings, roosts were closer to a tree over 10 m tall and had a greater percentage cover (of trees over 10 m tall) within a radius of 50 m. Trees may provide benefits by providing shelter and thus ameliorating the microclimate of the roost. Cover may also provide protection from predators so that bats are able to emerge earlier, thus increasing foraging time. Bats in the present study emerged 11 min earlier from roosts with 29% cover than from roosts with 3% cover, potentially gaining as much as 10% of their daily energy requirements in this extra time. Roosts were also more likely to have linear vegetation elements leading away from them. These features may be important for navigation, foraging or predator avoidance. Compared with random buildings roosts were closer to and surrounded by a greater area of deciduous woodland within a radius of 0.5 km, had a greater area of coniferous woodland within a radius of 0.5 km, and were more likely to be found within 0.5 km of a major river. All these factors are likely to be beneficial for foraging. A logistic regression model indicated that percentage cover within 50 m of the building was the best predictor of the presence or absence of bats roosting in a building. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
合适栖息地点的可用性可能会限制蝙蝠的分布和数量。我们将英国苏格兰东北部（北纬57度）21座已知蝙蝠栖息建筑的9个内部特征和26个外部特征与17座随机建筑的特征进行了比较，以评估伏翼蝙蝠（Pipistrellus pipistrellus，55千赫声型）在选择栖息处时是否具有选择性。蝙蝠不会选择具有特定结构属性的栖息处。与随机建筑相比，蝙蝠栖息处更靠近一棵超过10米高的树，并且在50米半径范围内有更大比例（超过10米高的树）的覆盖面积。树木可能通过提供庇护所来改善栖息处的小气候，从而带来益处。覆盖物还可以提供免受捕食者侵害的保护，使蝙蝠能够更早出巢，从而增加觅食时间。在本研究中，覆盖度为29%的栖息处的蝙蝠比覆盖度为3%的栖息处的蝙蝠早11分钟出巢，在这段额外时间内可能获得高达其每日能量需求10%的能量。蝙蝠栖息处也更有可能有线性植被元素通向远处。这些特征可能对导航、觅食或躲避捕食者很重要。与随机建筑相比，蝙蝠栖息处更靠近0.5公里半径范围内更大面积的落叶林地且被其环绕，在0.5公里半径范围内有更大面积的针叶林地，并且更有可能在距离一条主要河流0.5公里范围内被发现。所有这些因素可能都有利于觅食。一个逻辑回归模型表明，建筑物50米范围内的覆盖百分比是预测建筑物中是否有蝙蝠栖息的最佳指标。版权所有1998动物行为研究协会。
