Acoustic methods for sampling chiropteran diversity at the Sevilleta National Wildlife

Refuge

Presentation and Photographs by Ariana Ananda

UC San Diego

Myths debunked • Bats are NOT flying rodents• They are NOT blind• Tangled in hair? NO!• They don’t all suck blood• Rabies? More people die annually from household pets than have died from contact with bats in all recorded history!!

Say what?!

http://batworld.org/myths_facts_page

Bats: What are they?The facts

• Order: Chiroptera – “hand wing”• Only mammals capable of true flight• 2nd largest order of mammals• Extremely diverse• Found on all continents except Antarctica

There’s more!

• Bats are incredibly ecologically important

funnyasduck.net

Bats: Why are they important?• Pollinators• Seed dispersers

Bats: Why are they important?

• Insect regulators– Most bats insectivorous– Ecosystem services– Disease control

Diversity at the Sevilleta NWR?• What species are present at the Sevilleta?• Does this vary between habitat types?• Is there a difference between species present

15 years ago and today?• What could this mean?• Does it matter? (YES)

Bats of New Mexico

Bat Conservation InternationalPhotos by Merlin Tuttle

Diversity sampling

• Traditional methods– Mist netting– Opportunity for physical evidence of potential

species present– Allows opportunity to gather data on individuals– Not without its limitations (time, space, presence)

Diversity sampling

• Mist netting

http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hts/risc/pubs/tebiodiv/bats/batsml20-04.htm

Diversity sampling

• Acoustics– Sonar detection– Records calls of various bat species which can later

be identified– Still has its limitations

http://www.anabattraining.co.uk/http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=17076547

Why Acoustics?

–Allows us to fill in many of the gaps that traditional netting leaves us with–Broader range of detection–Mobility–Passive data collection

www.quiddlebee.com

The game plan

• In order to assess diversity at the Sevilleta, we want to sample a few sites of varying habitat to see what is out there– Artificial wells?– Natural springs?– Riparian edge?

The game plan• Leave devices at sites for 1-2 week increments• Sample diversity based on habitat sites• Various sites depending on water sources– Nunn well– Cibola springs– The Mesa trail

The key players: Anabat™ technology

• What is Anabat?• Analook?

www.nhbs.com

Deploying a mobile system

Secondary UnitThe age of the Dinosaur…computer

• DOS and laptop monitoring– Real time data, visualizations– Tripod set up

What does it look like?• DOS monitor

What does it look like?

• Viewing in Analook

Is that what I sound like?

It’s Complicated…• Anabat technology has a pretty steep learning

curve• Technological malfunctions, difficult setup• Hence, not a lot of data…yet• Extending my stay • Good things on the horizon?

Comparing data• Comparing data collected at the Sevilleta 15

years ago with current data• Species present: if significantly different,

explore potential factors– El Nino events– Habitat changes

earthobservatory.nasa.gov

Long Term goals• Establish a permanent system that passively

records calls and can be accessed remotely on Sevilleta WIFI!!!

http://home.earthlink.net/~nevadabat/LongTermFab/LTFab.html

Acknowledgements

• Amaris Swann• Bill Gannon• National Science Foundation• Sevilleta LTER• US Fish and Wildlife• Mike O’Farrell• Chris Corbin of Titley Scientific

Questions?