Obrist Martin K.
Forests suitable for Greater Mouse-eared Bat’s (Myotis myotis) foraging
Project Number: Parcs Data Center 50056 / 4D CH-7139
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Abstract:
Habitat shift caused by human impact on vegetation structure and composition poses a great threat to species like bats, since many of them are highly dependent on certain habitat types. Due to considerable population losses until the 1970s, Greater Mouse-eared Bats (Myotis myotis) are listed as vulnerable on the Swiss Red List and are protected under federal law. However, their habitat consisting of maternity roost, commuting corridors and foraging areas are still threatened by various impacts like renovations of old buildings, fragmentation of the habitat, light pollution or intensification of agriculture. Silvicultural practices altered Swiss forests over centuries, whereby today spruce monocultures and mixed forests are widespread. Since Greater Mouse-eared Bats are able to glean their prey from the ground, special requirements for their foraging habitat were assumed. To identify the important forest structures defining suitable foraging habitat, the activity of Greater Mouse-eared Bats was recorded in different types of forests (assumed suitable, less suitable and not suitable) and various forest variables based on LFI4 (Swiss National Forest Inventory) were listed. During three nights of recording at totally 216 sampling sites around 18 maternity roosts of M. myotis in Switzerland, a higher activity in foraging areas classified as suitable could be found. Characteristics indicating a higher bat activity were identified as single-layered pure deciduous or mixed forests, with a closed canopy, a free flight space, hardly any shrub layer and trees older than “young timber”. Surprisingly, the herbaceous layer did not predict Greater Mouse-eared Bat activity, though its influence should be further investigated; especially since the guidelines to substantiate the Forest Policy 2020 intend to promote light forests with a diverse herbaceous layer. With the insights of this study defining the preferred forest variables of Greater Mouse-eared Bats, the classification model based on LiDAR data (Airborne Light Detection and Ranging) to predict suitable foraging habitat can be refined. This enables a preservation of preferred forests throughout Switzerland and therefore the protection of an important part of Greater Mouse-eared Bat habitat.
Publications:
Rauchenstein, K. (2020): Forests suitable for Greater Mouse-eared Bat’s (Myotis myotis) foraging. Master Thesis, WSL/UZH.
PDF Masterarbeit
Last update: 8/11/22
Source of data: ProClim- Research InfoSystem (1993-2024)
Update the data of project: CH-7139
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