Seasonal activity patterns of bats in North Sydney, New South Wales: implications for urban bat monitoring programs
Leroy Gonsalves A B and Bradley Law A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Forest Science, NSW Department of Industry, Lands and Forestry, Locked Bag 5123, Parramatta, NSW 2124, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: leroy.gonsalves@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Australian Mammalogy 40(2) 220-229 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM17031
Submitted: 29 May 2017 Accepted: 24 August 2017 Published: 14 September 2017
Abstract
Behavioural and physiological traits of bats may influence seasonal bat activity in urban areas. To examine this, we used acoustic surveys to monitor insectivorous bat activity in urban bushland and at two day-roosts of Miniopterus orianae oceanensis between September 2013 and August 2014. Day-roosts were also assessed for potential as swarming sites and monthly estimates of colony size were made at one of these, while radio-tracking was used to identify additional roosts. Acoustic surveys identified seven species, with Mi. o. oceanensis and Chalinolobus gouldii most commonly recorded. Nightly species richness was lower in winter than in other seasons, while total bat activity was greatest in autumn, reflecting increased activity by C. gouldii and Mi. o. oceanensis in this season. One Mi. o. oceanensis day-roost was used from autumn to early spring, with numbers of bats increasing from ~50 to 300 and high fidelity shown to this site by radio-tagged bats in autumn, while nightly activity at another day-roost was suggestive of swarming. Seasonal differences in bat activity were species-specific and, for Mi. o. oceanensis, corresponded to changes in population size as bats migrated to and from Sydney to meet reproductive and overwintering requirements. We recommend urban bat monitoring programs sample multiple seasons to adequately document trends in activity for all bat species.
Additional keywords: bat activity, roost fidelity, swarming.
References
Adams, M. D., Law, B. S., and French, K. O. (2005). Effect of lights on activity levels of forest bats: increasing the efficiency of surveys and species identification. Wildlife Research 32, 173–182.| Effect of lights on activity levels of forest bats: increasing the efficiency of surveys and species identification.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Adams, M. D., Law, B. S., and French, K. O. (2009). Vegetation structure influences the vertical stratification of open-and edge-space aerial-foraging bats in harvested forests. Forest Ecology and Management 258, 2090–2100.
| Vegetation structure influences the vertical stratification of open-and edge-space aerial-foraging bats in harvested forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Adams, M. D., Law, B. S., and Gibson, M. S. (2010). Reliable automation of bat call identification for eastern New South Wales, Australia, using classification trees and AnaScheme software. Acta Chiropterologica 12, 231–245.
| Reliable automation of bat call identification for eastern New South Wales, Australia, using classification trees and AnaScheme software.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Australian Museum Business Services (1995). Fauna Impact Statement for proposed demolition of disused Balmain Power Station – “A” station. Report to Pacific Power.
Barlow, K. E., Briggs, P. A., Haysom, K. A., Hutson, A. M., Lechiara, N. L., Racey, P. A., Walsh, A. L., and Langton, S. D. (2015). Citizen science reveals trends in bat populations: the National Bat Monitoring Programme in Great Britain. Biological Conservation 182, 14–26.
| Citizen science reveals trends in bat populations: the National Bat Monitoring Programme in Great Britain.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Basham, R., Law, B., and Banks, P. (2011). Microbats in a ‘leafy’ urban landscape: are they persisting, and what factors influence their presence? Austral Ecology 36, 663–678.
| Microbats in a ‘leafy’ urban landscape: are they persisting, and what factors influence their presence?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Benson, D., and Howell, J. (1995). ‘Taken for Granted: The Bushland of Sydney and its Suburbs.’ (Kangaroo Press, The Royal Botanic Gardens: Sydney.)
Bonsen, G. (2012). Resource selection patterns in microbats as a response to noise pollution and urban development. B.Sc.(Honours) Thesis, University of Technology, Sydney.
Bonsen, G., Law, B., and Ramp, D. (2015). Foraging strategies determine the effect of traffic noise on bats. Acta Chiropterologica 17, 347–357.
| Foraging strategies determine the effect of traffic noise on bats.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bush, A., Lumsden, L., Ingeme, Y., Beckmann, C., and Biro, P. (2017). Disturbance caused to cave-roosting bats during ecological monitoring: implications for researchers and cavers. In ‘Proceedings of the 17th International Congress of Speleology, Sydney’. (Eds K. Moore and S. White.) pp. 57–58. (Australian Speleological Federation Inc.: Sydney.)
Campbell, S., Lumsden, L. F., Kirkwood, R., and Coulson, G. (2005). Day roost selection by female little forest bats (Vespadelus vulturnus) within remnant woodland on Phillip Island, Victoria. Wildlife Research 32, 183–191.
| Day roost selection by female little forest bats (Vespadelus vulturnus) within remnant woodland on Phillip Island, Victoria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Churchill, S. (2009). ‘Australian Bats.’ 2nd edn (Allen & Unwin: Sydney.)
Dixon, J. M. (1983). Gould’s wattled bat. In ‘The Australian Museum Complete Book of Australian Mammals’. (Ed. R. Strahan.) p. 340. (Cornstalk Publishing: Sydney.)
Dixon, J. M., and Huxley, L. (1989). Observations on a maternity colony of Gould’s wattled bat Chalinolobus gouldii (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Mammalia 53, 395–414.
| Observations on a maternity colony of Gould’s wattled bat Chalinolobus gouldii (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Doty, A. (2016). The Effects of Fire and Environmental Variables on the Ecophysiology, Ecology and Behaviour of Insectivorous Bats. Ph.D. thesis. University of New England, Armidale.
Dwyer, P. D. (1963). The breeding biology of Miniopterus schreibersi blepotis (Termminck) (Chiroptera) in north-eastern NSW. Australian Journal of Zoology 11, 219–240.
| The breeding biology of Miniopterus schreibersi blepotis (Termminck) (Chiroptera) in north-eastern NSW.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Garden, J., McAlpine, C., Peterson, A. N. N., Jones, D., and Possingham, H. (2006). Review of the ecology of Australian urban fauna: a focus on spatially explicit processes. Austral Ecology 31, 126–148.
| Review of the ecology of Australian urban fauna: a focus on spatially explicit processes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Geiser, F. (2004). The role of torpor in the life of Australian arid zone mammals. Australian Mammalogy 26, 125–134.
Goldingay, R. L., and Stevens, J. R. (2009). Use of artificial tree hollows by Australian birds and bats. Wildlife Research 36, 81–97.
| Use of artificial tree hollows by Australian birds and bats.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gonsalves, L., and Law, B. (2014). North Sydney microbat survey 2013–14. Report prepared for North Sydney Council. NSW Department of Primary Industry, Sydney.
Gonsalves, L., Lamb, S., Webb, C., Law, B., and Monamy, V. (2013). Do mosquitoes influence bat activity in coastal habitats? Wildlife Research 40, 10–24.
| Do mosquitoes influence bat activity in coastal habitats?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Grabham, C. (2004). Bats in fragmented rural landscapes: use of remnant and revegetated habitats. B.Sc.(Honours) Thesis, Charles Sturt University, Albury.
Hourigan, C. L., Johnson, C., and Robson, S. K. (2006). The structure of a micro-bat community in relation to gradients of environmental variation in a tropical urban area. Urban Ecosystems 9, 67–82.
| The structure of a micro-bat community in relation to gradients of environmental variation in a tropical urban area.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hourigan, C. L., Catterall, C. P., Jones, D., and Rhodes, M. (2010). The diversity of insectivorous bat assemblages among habitats within a subtropical urban landscape. Austral Ecology 35, 849–857.
| The diversity of insectivorous bat assemblages among habitats within a subtropical urban landscape.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
How, R. A., and Dell, J. (1994). The zoogeographic significance of urban bushland remnants to reptiles in the Perth region, Western Australia. Pacific Conservation Biology 1, 132–140.
| The zoogeographic significance of urban bushland remnants to reptiles in the Perth region, Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hoye, G. (2000). Fauna and flora assessment Waverton Peninsula. Report prepared for North Sydney Council. Fly By Night Bat Surveys Pty Ltd, Belmont.
Hoye, G., and Spence, J. (2004). The large bent-wing bat Miniopterus schreibersii in urban environments: a survivor? In ‘Urban Wildlife: More Than Meets the Eye’. (Eds D. Lunney and S. Burgin.) pp. 138–147. (Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales: Sydney.)
Kirsten, I., and Klomp, N. I. (1998). Microchiroptera in urban, rural and forest areas of southern NSW. Australasian Bat Society Newsletter 11, 28–30.
Law, B. S., Gonsalves, L., Tap, P., Penman, T., and Chidel, M. (2015). Optimising ultrasonic sampling effort for monitoring forest bats. Austral Ecology 40, 886–897.
| Optimising ultrasonic sampling effort for monitoring forest bats.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Luck, G. W., Smallbone, L., Threlfall, C., and Law, B. (2013). Patterns in bat functional guilds across multiple urban centres in south-eastern Australia. Landscape Ecology 28, 455–469.
| Patterns in bat functional guilds across multiple urban centres in south-eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lumsden, L. F., Bennett, A. F., and Silins, J. E. (2002). Selection of roost sites by the lesser long-eared bat (Nyctophilus geoffroyi) and Gould’s wattled bat (Chalinolobus gouldii) in south-eastern Australia. Journal of Zoology 257, 207–218.
| Selection of roost sites by the lesser long-eared bat (Nyctophilus geoffroyi) and Gould’s wattled bat (Chalinolobus gouldii) in south-eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McConville, A., Law, B., Penman, T., and Mahony, M. (2014). Contrasting habitat use of morphologically similar bat species with differing conservation status in south‐eastern Australia. Austral Ecology 39, 83–94.
| Contrasting habitat use of morphologically similar bat species with differing conservation status in south‐eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McKenzie, N. L., and Muir, W. P. (2000). Bats of the southern Carnarvon basin, Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum 61, 465–477.
| Bats of the southern Carnarvon basin, Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mohajerani, A., Bakaric, J., and Jeffrey-Bailey, T. (2017). The urban heat island effect, its causes, and mitigation, with reference to the thermal properties of asphalt concrete. Journal of Environmental Management 197, 522–538.
| The urban heat island effect, its causes, and mitigation, with reference to the thermal properties of asphalt concrete.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
New, T. R., and Sands, D. P. A. (2002). Conservation concerns for butterflies in urban areas of Australia. Journal of Insect Conservation 6, 207–215.
| Conservation concerns for butterflies in urban areas of Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
North Sydney Council (2013). North Sydney Development Control Plan 2013.
North Sydney Council (2015). Snapshot of North Sydney. Available at: http://www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/Community_Services/About_North_Sydney/Snapshot_of_North_Sydney [accessed January 2015].
Parsons, H., French, K., and Major, R. E. (2003a). The influence of remnant bushland on the composition of suburban bird assemblages in Australia. Landscape and Urban Planning 66, 43–56.
| The influence of remnant bushland on the composition of suburban bird assemblages in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Parsons, K. N., Jones, G., Davidson-Watts, I., and Greenaway, F. (2003b). Swarming of bats at underground sites in Britain – implications for conservation. Biological Conservation 111, 63–70.
| Swarming of bats at underground sites in Britain – implications for conservation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rhodes, M. (2007). Roost fidelity and fission–fusion dynamics of white-striped free-tailed bats (Tadarida australis). Journal of Mammalogy 88, 1252–1260.
| Roost fidelity and fission–fusion dynamics of white-striped free-tailed bats (Tadarida australis).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rhodes, M., and Catterall, C. (2008). Spatial foraging behavior and use of an urban landscape by a fast-flying bat, the molossid Tadarida australis. Journal of Mammalogy 89, 34–42.
| Spatial foraging behavior and use of an urban landscape by a fast-flying bat, the molossid Tadarida australis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rivers, N. M., Butlin, R. K., and Altringham, J. D. (2006). Autumn swarming behaviour of Natterer’s bats in the UK: population size, catchment area and dispersal. Biological Conservation 127, 215–226.
| Autumn swarming behaviour of Natterer’s bats in the UK: population size, catchment area and dispersal.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rueegger, N. (2016). Bat boxes – a review of their use and application, past, present and future. Acta Chiropterologica 18, 279–299.
| Bat boxes – a review of their use and application, past, present and future.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Scanlon, A. T., and Petit, S. (2008). Effects of site, time, weather and light on urban bat activity and richness: considerations for survey effort. Wildlife Research 35, 821–834.
| Effects of site, time, weather and light on urban bat activity and richness: considerations for survey effort.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Slade, C., and Law, B. (2007). Seasonal changes in bats at a derelict mine in southern New South Wales. Australian Zoologist 34, 173–180.
| Seasonal changes in bats at a derelict mine in southern New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Smith, P., and Smith, J. (2010). North Sydney Council natural area survey. Report prepared for North Sydney Council.
Stawski, C., and Currie, S. E. (2016). Effect of roost choice on winter torpor patterns of a free-ranging insectivorous bat. Australian Journal of Zoology 64, 132–137.
| Effect of roost choice on winter torpor patterns of a free-ranging insectivorous bat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Stenhouse, R. N. (2004). Fragmentation and internal disturbance of native vegetation reserves in the Perth metropolitan area, Western Australia. Landscape and Urban Planning 68, 389–401.
| Fragmentation and internal disturbance of native vegetation reserves in the Perth metropolitan area, Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Straka, T. M., Lentini, P. E., Lumsden, L. F., Wintle, B. A., and van der Ree, R. (2016). Urban bat communities are affected by wetland size, quality, and pollution levels. Ecology and Evolution 6, 4761–4774.
| Urban bat communities are affected by wetland size, quality, and pollution levels.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Threlfall, C., Law, B., Penman, T., and Banks, P. B. (2011). Ecological processes in urban landscapes: mechanisms influencing the distribution and activity of insectivorous bats. Ecography 34, 814–826.
| Ecological processes in urban landscapes: mechanisms influencing the distribution and activity of insectivorous bats.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Threlfall, C. G., Law, B., and Banks, P. B. (2012). Sensitivity of insectivorous bats to urbanization: implications for suburban conservation planning. Biological Conservation 146, 41–52.
| Sensitivity of insectivorous bats to urbanization: implications for suburban conservation planning.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Threlfall, C. G., Law, B., and Banks, P. B. (2013). The urban matrix and artificial light restricts the nightly ranging behaviour of Gould’s long‐eared bat (Nyctophilus gouldi). Austral Ecology 38, 921–930.
| The urban matrix and artificial light restricts the nightly ranging behaviour of Gould’s long‐eared bat (Nyctophilus gouldi).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Turbill, C. (2008). Winter activity of Australian tree-roosting bats: influence of temperature and climatic patterns. Journal of Zoology 276, 285–290.
| Winter activity of Australian tree-roosting bats: influence of temperature and climatic patterns.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
van der Ree, R., and McCarthy, M. A. (2005). Inferring persistence of indigenous mammals in response to urbanisation. Animal Conservation 8, 309–319.
| Inferring persistence of indigenous mammals in response to urbanisation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
White, A. W. (2011). Roosting dynamics of Eastern Bent-wing Bats Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis in disused military areas in eastern Sydney. In “The Biology and Conservation of Australasian Bats”. (Eds B. Law, P. Eby, D. Lunney and L. Lumsden.) pp. 471–480. (Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales: Sydney.)
