Bat Ensembles Differ in Response to Use Zones in a Tropical Biosphere Reserve

Biosphere reserves, designated under The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) Man and Biosphere Programme, aim to sustainably integrate protected areas into the biological and economic landscape around them by buffering strictly protected habitats with zones of limited use. However, the effectiveness of biosphere reserves and the contribution of the different zones of use to protection is poorly known. We assessed the diversity and activity of bats in the Crocker Range Biosphere Reserve (CRBR) in Sabah, Malaysia, using harp traps, mist nets and acoustic surveys in each zone-core, buffer, transition and in agricultural plots outside of the reserve. We captured 30 species, bringing the known bat fauna of CRBR to 50 species, half of Borneo's bat species. Species composition and acoustic activity varied among zones and by foraging ensemble, with the core and buffer showing particular importance for conserving forest-dependent insectivorous bats. Frugivorous bats were found in all zones but were the most abundant and most species-rich ensemble within agricultural sites. Although sampling was limited, bat diversity and activity was low in the transition zone compared to other zones, indicating potential for management practices that increase food availability and enhance biodiversity value. We conclude that, collectively, the zones of the CRBR effectively protect diversity, but the value of the transition zone can be improved

Seasonal variations in the diet of Myotis velifer using a molecular approach

Insectivorous bats worldwide play an essential role as predators in ecosystems and serve as pest control for agriculture businesses. Characterizing diets of specific bat species is difficult using conventional methods that cannot capture detailed dietary information. New technologies have progressed to overcome these challenges, such as high-throughput sequencing. In this study, we used metabarcoding of the cytochrome oxidase I mitochondrial gene to analyze fecal samples of Myotis velifer and provide insight into the seasonal variation of diet from a known colony located at Fort Leaton State Historic Site in Presidio, Texas. After filtering sequence reads, we recovered and analyzed 706 unique diet items (UDI) in the diet of M. velifer. We found 483 taxa (species and genus level) belonging to 11 insect orders in fecal samples from 66 bats collected from March to October 2021. Based on our analyses, M. velifer experienced seasonal variation in diet. The orders containing the most unique diet items were Diptera (n= 353), Lepidoptera (n=160), and Blattodea (n=59). We identified important insect crop pests in their diet and substantial consumption of mosquitoes. Bats captured in June experienced the highest diversity of orders in their diet during the peak maternity season. Females were more abundant than males, indicating that the historic fort may serve as an essential maternity colony