Summer Ecology of Indiana Bats in Ohio

Summer Ecology of Indiana Bats in Ohio
Author: Andrew Broni Kniowski
Publisher:
Total Pages: 154
Release: 2011
Genre: Endangered species
ISBN:

The Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) is a tree roosting species found throughout the eastern United States that is federally listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A more detailed understanding of summer roosting and foraging habitat for Indiana bats is needed for effective conservation and management. The objectives of this research included identifying and describing aspects of the summer ecology of this species, especially selection of tree roosts and foraging habitat in the Big Darby Creek area in Ohio. During the 2008-2010 seasons, we captured 55 Indiana bats and radiotracked 51 individuals. We tracked bats to 56 roost trees 474 times (bat roost days). Roosts were largely clustered in riparian woodland habitat along the Big Darby Creek. Roost trees were of 11 different species but two of the trees could not be identified. Eight of the trees were alive, two were declining, and the rest were dead or in a greater stage of decay. Roost trees were found relatively close to water, and tended to be dead or decaying, a high percentage of loose bark, and a dominant canopy class, when compared to other available trees. We calculated 33 home ranges. Average home range size was 210.5 ± 130.6 SD ha (0.84 ± 0.52 SD mi2) for fixed kernel and 374.2 ± 359.6 SD ha (1.49 ± 1.44 SD mi2) for minimum convex polygon. Bats selected for woodland and water habitats, and avoided cropland at multiple spatial scales. Although most foraging flights occurred within the riparian corridor, bats also moved outside the corridor to upland areas.

Summer Ecology of the Indiana Bat

Summer Ecology of the Indiana Bat
Author: Andrew Broni Kniowski
Publisher:
Total Pages: 124
Release: 2011
Genre:
ISBN:

The Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) is a tree roosting species found throughout the eastern United States that is federally listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A more detailed understanding of summer roosting and foraging habitat for Indiana bats is needed for effective conservation and management. The objectives of this research included identifying and describing aspects of the summer ecology of this species, especially selection of tree roosts and foraging habitat in the Big Darby Creek area in Ohio. During the 2008-2010 seasons, we captured 55 Indiana bats and radiotracked 51 individuals.

Summer Ecology of the Indiana Bat (Myotis Sodalis) in an Agricultural Landscape

Summer Ecology of the Indiana Bat (Myotis Sodalis) in an Agricultural Landscape
Author: Andrew Broni Kniowski
Publisher:
Total Pages: 95
Release: 2011
Genre:
ISBN:

Abstract: The majority of the summer range of the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) is within agricultural areas, yet despite known negative effects of agriculture, few studies have examined the ecology of the Indiana bat within a highly agricultural landscape. To evaluate the effects of agriculture on Indiana bats I asked the following questions: 1. Do Indiana bats selectively use habitat within an agriculturally-dominated landscape? 2. Do Indiana bats select habitat differently at different spatial scales within an agricultural landscape? And 3. Do Indiana bats select and use habitat within an agricultural landscape differently than other areas of their range? From a study area along Big Darby Creek in Pickaway Co. Ohio USA, I captured 60 Indiana bats (including five recaptured bats) July-September 2008, April-September 2009, and April-September 2010. I calculated home ranges of 32 individuals that had an average area of 210.5 ha ± 130.6 SD. I used distance based analysis to evaluate habitat selection within the home range, and at 1200 m and 4000 m spatial scales. At each scale, bats selected areas closer to forest and open water and farther from cropland than was expected by chance. The bats heavily used the wooded creek corridor, but also utilized wooded patches in upland areas. I tracked 51 bats to 56 roost trees 474 times. The bats used roost trees in a variety of locations and across a broad area. Most roost trees were located within the wooded creek corridor, but seven were more than 1 km from open water. I evaluated the location of roost trees within the landscape at 1200 m and 4000 m spatial scales. Roost trees were not located randomly at either spatial scale. The only significant factor in both cases was the distance to open water. There was also was a significant difference in physical characteristics of used and available roost trees (A = 0.257, P = 0.025) and primary and secondary roost trees (A = 0.032, P = 0.013). Widely scattered roosts suggest Indiana bat colonies use a broad area within the context of an agricultural landscape. The selection of habitats in a highly agricultural landscape appears similar to other landscapes and the selection is consistent over a broad range of spatial scales. Preserving forested areas with ample supplies of snags within agricultural landscapes, including smaller patches and especially along waterways, should be a conservation priority for the Indiana bat.

Mammals of Ohio

Mammals of Ohio
Author: John D. Harder
Publisher: Ohio University Press
Total Pages: 551
Release: 2022-03-18
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0821447491

An updated, informative review of the status and biology of the fifty-five species of mammals living wild in Ohio, richly illustrated with photographs, maps, drawings, and original artwork. This comprehensive reference illustrates how species within each of the seven orders of mammals in Ohio share modes of reproduction, locomotion, and nutrition, providing a framework for understanding the fascinating world of mammalian biology. Presentations of natural history in each account of the various species are enhanced with descriptions of intriguing adaptations for avoiding demise from predators, food shortages, and the frigid conditions of Ohio winters. The book is richly illustrated with range maps, exquisite skull drawings, beautiful photography, and engaging artwork. Challenges to wildlife conservation are considerable in Ohio, with its vast industrialized urban centers distributed across a largely agricultural landscape. With frequent citations of scientific reports and conservation efforts of the Ohio Division of Wildlife and of other public and private entities, this book instills an appreciation for the rich mammalian fauna of Ohio, as well as knowledge on how to join efforts to protect it. Covering all of the state’s mammals, from tiny, obscure shrews to the magnificent white-tailed deer, Mammals of Ohio is a definitive resource for professional biologists and students. The narrative style throughout the book is accessible, providing the general reader with an appreciation for the full scope of the rich mammalian diversity in the state.