Testing multichambered bat box designs in a habitat-offset area in eastern Australia: influence of material, colour, size and box host
Niels Rueegger
A C , Ross Goldingay A , Brad Law B and Leroy Gonsalves B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
B Forest Science, New South Wales Primary Industries, Parramatta, NSW 2150, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: niels_ruegger@hotmail.com
Pacific Conservation Biology 26(1) 13-21 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC18092
Submitted: 25 December 2018 Accepted: 3 March 2019 Published: 16 April 2019
Abstract
Bat boxes are frequently used as conservation and habitat-offset measures, yet their effectiveness is equivocal, particularly in Australia. Boxes used in Australia are largely voluminous-type boxes with Chalinolobus gouldii (Gould’s wattled bat) frequently dominating their use. We tested multichambered boxes comprising fissure-type cavities made from either plywood (~20 000 cm3) or woodcement (~7400 cm3). We investigated whether occupancy was influenced by box colour (white boxes facing morning sun versus black boxes facing afternoon sun), box material/size, chamber width (15 mm versus 20 mm) and box host (tree versus pole). Boxes were monitored over 1.8 years. Overall, 245 bat observations were recorded. Boxes were frequently used (15% of 1088 box checks) by Nyctophilus geoffroyi (lesser long-eared bat), a species uncommonly reported to use boxes, which used 50 of the 64 boxes (78%), including for maternity roosting (n = 6). In comparison, C. gouldii was rarely detected (1% of box checks). Two other species were also found in boxes at low frequencies. Modelling showed a preference by N. geoffroyi for black boxes, the larger plywood box and boxes installed on poles. Fissure-type boxes appear to meet the roost requirements of N. geoffroyi but not that of C. gouldii, the species principally detected in voluminous-type boxes and postulated to gain a competitive advantage. The black woodcement box was the second most frequently used design, demonstrating that this long-lasting box material can be a suitable alternative to the less durable plywood material. Given that just one species commonly used boxes, there is a need for further research on box designs.
Additional keywords: artificial hollows, biodiversity offset area, hollow-bearing tree offset, roost box, tree cavity-roosting bat.
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