Bat Occupancy Estimates and Species Richness at Cache River National Wildlife Refuge

Six bat species of special concern, threatened or endangered, may occur in one of Arkansas’ largest bottomland hardwood forests, the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge (CRNWR). However, inventory of bat species throughout the refuge has been lacking and management plans may not be adequate in promoting bat conservation. The objectives of this study were to inventory bat species in the CRNWR, and determine bat-habitat associations via occupancy estimates. From May–August 2014 and 2015, we mist-netted from sunset for 5 hours. We also deployed bioacoustic devices throughout 5 habitat types (cypress-tupelo [dominantly Taxodium distichum and Nyssa aquatica], emergent wetland, mature forest, hardwood reforestation, and managed hardwood). Mist-netting yielded 460 bat captures with Rafinesque’s big-eared bats (Corynorhinus rafinesquii; n = 156) being the most common capture, followed by eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis; n = 104), southeastern myotis (Myotis austroriparius; n = 91), evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis; n = 58), tri-colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus; n = 54), and a big-brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus; n = 1). Based on 3,896 calls identified with 85% certainty, evening bats and rarer big-brown bats tended to occupy managed hardwood forests more than any other habitat (occupancy probabilities ± SE: Ψ = 0.75 ± 0.13 and 0.38 ± 0.19, respectively). Tri-colored bats tended to be more present in mature forest habitats (Ψ = 0.91 ± 0.09), and Myotis species tended to have highest occupancy rates in cypress-tupelo stands (Ψ = 0.59 ± 0.15). Not all species were detected with both methods. Thus, we encourage future studies to combine mist-netting and acoustic surveying methods to minimize bias in species presence estimate. This would ensure management practices that would benefit all present species

Measuring the Elemental Composition of Phobos: The Mars‐moon Exploration with GAmma rays and NEutrons (MEGANE) Investigation for the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) Mission

The Mars‐moon Exploration with Gamma rays and NEutrons (MEGANE) investigation will use gamma‐ray and neutron spectroscopy to measure the elemental composition of Mars\u27 moon Phobos. MEGANE is part of the Japanese Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission that will make comprehensive remote sensing measurements of both of Mars\u27 moons Phobos and Deimos. MMX will also return to Earth regolith samples of Phobos. The science goals of the MEGANE investigation mirror those of the MMX mission. MEGANE will use elemental composition measurements to determine if Phobos is a captured asteroid or the end result of a giant impact event on Mars, study Phobos surface processes, provide reconnaissance to support the sample site selection, and supply compositional context for the returned samples. To accomplish its measurements, MEGANE will use a high‐purity Ge gamma‐ray spectrometer (GRS), and a neutron spectrometer (NS) that consists of two 3He gas proportional neutron sensors. The GRS derives heritage from similar instruments from NASA\u27s MESSENGER mission and the Psyche mission that is currently in development; the NS is based on similar instruments used for NASA\u27s Lunar Prospector and Psyche missions