Habitat loss resulting from land use change is among the greatest threats to biodiversity. Yet, in some cases, imperiled wildlife species may benefit from anthropogenic disturbance. The expansion of urbanization, agriculture, renewable energy, and mining practices impact conservation efforts for threatened and endangered bat species, and particularly species that are affected by white nose syndrome (WNS). The federally endangered gray bat (Myotis grisescens) is a cavernicolous species that is susceptible to WNS. Due to their unique roosting and foraging requirements, gray bats inhabit a small portion of the accessible caves within their geographic range. As habitat loss persists, gray bats have been documented using anthropogenic structures in the absence of suitable, naturally occurring roosts. To better understand why gray bats select certain anthropogenic structures we examined the population dynamics of a gray bat colony and their use of microclimate characteristics inside a stormwater system in southeast Kansas. We described changes in temperature and relative humidity inside the roost and performed capture-mark-recapture surveys to estimate within-season population dynamics. Temperatures within the primary roost sites were on average warmer than outside temperatures, and relative humidity was We also used acoustic surveys and occupancy models to evaluate the effects of landscape composition, vegetation structure, and food availability on gray bat habitat use. The best-supported occupancy models showed a negative association with percent agriculture cover and distance from the roost site, and a positive association with canopy density, percent developed and forest cover. The stable microclimate inside the stormwater system likely provided the energetic benefits necessary for female gray bats to produce offspring. The anthropogenically altered landscape, including disturbance from surface mining, likely created the roosting and foraging habitat required for gray bats. The value of abandoned mined lands and other disturbed ecosystems should be considered when developing conservation strategies for imperiled species
