Covered and Evaluation Bat Species Western Red Bat Townsend’s (Lasiurus blossevillii) Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii)
California Leaf-Nosed Bat (Macrotus californicus)
Western Yellow Bat (Lasiurus xanthinus) Background • Surveys started in 2007 at four habitat creation areas (exploratory) • A pilot survey began at 5 sites in 2008 • Survey methods were refined and four sites were selected, including CVCA in 2009 • PVER was added in 2010
• ‘Ahakhav was reestablished in 2011
• Beal was reestablished (exploratory) in 2012
• Yuma East was added (exploratory) in 2012 • Cibola NWR was planted in 1999 and 2005 • ‘Ahakhav was planted in 2001 • CVCA was planted in 2006 (Phase 1) • PVER was planted in 2007 (Phase 2) and 2008 (Phase 3) • Beal was planted between 2003‐2005 • Yuma East was planted in 2010 Cibola NWR Unit 1 Conservation Area (CIBO): Nature Trail and Mass Planting
‘Ahakhav Tribal Preserve (AKTP)
Beal Lake Conservation Area (BEAL)
Yuma East Wetlands (YEWE) Methods
• Each site was surveyed once per month from May‐September (exploratory sites surveyed less) • Surveys started at sunset and continued for 4.5 hours (weather permitting) • Three triple high mist‐nets (over 8 meters high) were used at all sites • Net length varied from 6‐18 meters Triple highs were usually set within potential flyways where bats would be “funneled” into a smaller area where the net(s) could cover the entire area. This example used 2 triples in an L‐formation Edges were also surveyed at PVER and CVCA Results ‘Ahakhav Tribal Preserve • Two corridors and one road were surveyed • 203 bats of 13 species were captured • 37% of all bats captured during July survey • Three MSCP species captured
California Leaf-Nosed Bat Western Red Bat Western Yellow Bat Species Composition ‘Ahakhav Tribal Preserve
Townsend's Big‐eared Bat 300 Pocketed Free‐tailed Bat Mexican Free‐tailed Bat 250 Hoary Bat Western Red Bat 200 California Myotis Canyon Bat 150 Western Yellow Bat Cave Myotis 100 California Leaf‐nosed Bat Yuma Myotis 50 Arizona Myotis Big Brown Bat 0 Pallid Bat 2009 2011 2012 Results Palo Verde Ecological Reserve • An edge, and a corridor (L‐formation) were surveyed • 124 bats of 9 species were captured • 43% of all bats captured during July survey • Three MSCP species captured
Western Red Bat Western Yellow Bat California Leaf-Nosed Bat Species Composition Palo Verde Ecological Reserve
Western Mastiff Bat 250 Pocketed Free‐tailed Bat California Myotis 200 California Leaf‐nosed Bat Mexican Free‐tailed Bat 150 Western Red Bat Yuma Myotis 100 Western Yellow Bat Pallid Bat 50 Cave Myotis Big Brown Bat 0 2010 2011 2012 Results Cibola Valley Conservation Area • An edge, and a corridor (L‐formation) were surveyed • 188 bats of 9 species were captured • 33% of all bats captured during August survey • Two MSCP species captured, and a tree‐roosting migrant!
Western Red Bat Western Yellow Bat Hoary Bat Species Composition Cibola Valley Conservation Area
Arizona Myotis 300 Canyon Bat Hoary Bat 250 California Leaf‐Nosed Bat
200 Mexican Free‐Tailed Bat Western Red Bat
150 California Myotis Western Yellow Bat 100 Cave Myotis Pallid Bat 50 Yuma Myotis Big Brown Bat 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 Results Cibola NWR Unit 1 (Nature Trail/Mass Planting) • One corridor and two parts of the trail surveyed • 125 bats of 10 species were captured • 38% of all bats captured during the August survey • Three MSCP species captured, first red bat ever!
California Leaf-Nosed Bat Western Red Bat Western Yellow Bat Species Composition Cibola NWR Unit 1 Conservation Area
Western Red Bat 180 Western Yellow Bat 160 Mexican Free‐Tailed Bat 140 Canyon Bat 120 Cave Myotis 100 Yuma Myotis
80 California Leaf‐Nosed Bat
60 Pallid Bat
40 California Myotis
20 Big Brown Bat
0 2009 2010 2011 2012 Results Beal Lake Conservation Area • One corridor and two areas of a road were surveyed • Only 3 surveys (May, July, September) were conducted • 70 bats of 9 species were captured (17 bats of 3 species captured from 2007‐2008) • 53% of all bats captured during July survey • One MSCP species and a tree‐roosting migrant captured California Leaf-Nosed Bat
Hoary Bat Species Composition Beal Lake Conservation Area
California Leaf‐nosed Bat 40 Hoary Bat 35 Mexican Free‐tailed Bat 30 California Myotis
25 Yuma Myotis
20 Cave Myotis
15 Pallid Bat
10 Canyon Bat Big Brown Bat 5
0 May July September Results Yuma East Wetlands • Two areas of road were surveyed; 1 triple and 1 L‐formation • Two USBR surveys and 3 AZGFD surveys • 85 bats of 6 species were captured • 53% of all bats captured during July survey • Two MSCP species captured
Western Red Bat
Western Yellow Bat Species Composition Yuma East Wetlands
40 Mexican Free‐Tailed Bat
35 Western Red Bat
30 Cave Myotis 25 Yuma Myotis 20 Western Yellow Bat 15
10 Big Brown Bat
5
0 May 16 May 21 June 18 July 16 September 12 Results All Sites • 28 survey nights across 6 sites • 795 bats of 13 species were captured • 16 California leaf‐nosed bats captured (4 sites) • 25 western yellow bats captured (5 sites) • 13 western red bats captured (5 sites) • No Townsend’s big‐eared bats captured Species Composition All Sites – 2012
Pocketed Free‐tailed Bat 250 Hoary Bat Mexican Free‐tailed Bat 200 Western Red Bat California Leaf‐nosed Bat Western Yellow Bat 150 California Myotis Canyon Bat 100 Arizona myotis Cave Myotis Yuma Myotis 50 Pallid Bat Big Brown Bat 0 AKTP PVER CVCA CIBO BEAL YEWE MSCP Species Occupancy Western Red Bat 8
6 Captures across years AKTP 4 PVER CVCA 2 CIBO 0 2009 2010 2011 2012
1
0.8 Occupancy across years AKTP 0.6 PVER (a proportion of survey nights per 0.4 CVCA year that at least one individual was captured) 0.2 CIBO 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 MSCP Species Occupancy Western Yellow Bat 15
Captures across years 10 AKTP PVER 5 CVCA CIBO
0 2009 2010 2011 2012
1
0.8 Occupancy across years AKTP 0.6 PVER (a proportion of survey nights per 0.4 CVCA year that at least one individual was captured) 0.2 CIBO 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 MSCP Species Occupancy California Leaf‐Nosed Bat
20
15 Captures across years AKTP 10 PVER CVCA 5 CIBO 0 2009 2010 2011 2012
1.2 1 Occupancy across years 0.8 AKTP 0.6 PVER (a proportion of survey nights per 0.4 CVCA year that at least one individual was captured) 0.2 CIBO 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 Species Diversity • Renyi profiles compare multiple diversity indices in a graphical representation using 100 permutations of the data • If any site overlaps with another site, there is no statistical difference in diversities between the sites • Main indices that the Renyi profile uses are: richness, Shannon, Simpson, and dominance Renyi Profiles
3
2012 data only: 2.5 2 AKTP 1.5 PVER CVCA 1 CIBO 0.5
0 0 0.25 0.5 1 2 4 8 Inf
3
2010‐2012 data 2.5 combined: 2 PVER 1.5 CVCA 1 CIBO
0.5
0 0 0.25 0.5 1 2 4 8 Inf Conclusions • In 2012, ‘Ahakhav was more diverse than the other sites. • Dominance of the big brown bat effects diversity the most between sites • First year that red and yellow bats were caught at all 4 sites • Occupancy may be a better indicator of site residency compared to total captures across a season What’s next? • The same six sites will be surveyed in 2013 • Full survey season for Beal and Yuma East • Potentially experiment with delaying start time • Your invited! Questions?