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UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Roosting Ecology and Landscape Genetics of Prairie Bats by Cori L. Lausen A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES CALGARY, ALBERTA December, 2007 © Cori L. Lausen 2007 UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY ISBN: 978-0-494-38224-0 ii ABSTRACT I characterized various aspects of bat ecology in a prairie landscape. I used radio- telemetry, acoustic monitoring and molecular genetics to address questions of roosting ecology and landscape genetics at fine and large scales. Additionally, I used a population genetics approach to address a question of systematics that arose due to a discrepancy between mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. I compared the roosting ecology of female western small-footed bats, Myotis ciliolabrum, and big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus in SE Alberta. Despite substantial differences in physical attributes of roosts, roosts were similar in microclimate. Unlike E. fuscus, M. ciliolabrum roosted more inconspicuously, did not change roost structure during reproduction, and roosted with few individuals. M. ciliolabrum was geographically clustered by relatedness on a small scale, unlike female E. fuscus who roosted in unrelated groups over a larger area. I acoustically monitored along the Red Deer River for year-round bat activity. I determined that bats are active in all months at three locations, flying at unexpectedly cold temperatures. Using radiotelemetry, I located and described the first natural rock- crevice hibernacula for E. fuscus in the Canadian prairies. Acoustically I also determined that species composition and activity patterns along the river change seasonally, suggesting use of rivers as movement corridors. I tested the hypothesis that bats vary in genetic population structure according to their mobility and habitat specificity. I compared three species of bats in a prairie environment where river valleys were the dominant landscape feature. Greater flight iii ability corresponded to less genetic structure, and roost specificity may have caused greater dependency on rivers as movement corridors. I used population genetics to assess the systematics of little brown bats, M. lucifugus. Using nuclear microsatellites, I found that two groups differing substantially in mtDNA sequence (putative subspecies), were fully interbreeding. Sympatry occurs across western North America, making intact gene pools for each group unlikely. This, together with a lack of morphological and ecological distinction, suggests no biological basis for taxonomic distinction. Although recently proposed to be cryptic species based on mtDNA, my results suggest no taxonomic distinction is biologically warranted. I highlight the importance of investigating nuclear gene flow in widely sympatric animals suspected of being cryptic species. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are many people I would like to thank, as this research could not have been possible without them. For assistance in the field I thank Erin Baerwald, Krista Patriquin, James Minifie, Troy Pretzlaw, Angelique Myles, Dora Alampi, Lydia Hollis, Marc Obert, Terri Whitehead, Sandi Robertson, Kim Hughes, Michael Proctor, Susan Sanford, Mai-Linh Huynh, and many other volunteers; in particular I thank Troy Pretzlaw for the key role he played in collecting M. ciliolabrum roost data. I also thank Krista Patriquin and Lisa Crampton for additional forearm measurement data; Tanya Luszcz, Donald Solick, Craig Willis and Jeff Gruver for additional genetic samples; and Gillian Sanders for administrative support. For logistical support and assistance in the laboratory I thank Corey Davis, Chris Kyle, Dr. Curt Strobeck and other members of the University of Alberta Lab; in particular, I thank Jen Bonneville for additional microsatellite laboratory work. For mtDNA sequencing, I thank Dr. Isabelle Delisle (University of Alberta), Dr. Jan Zinck (Portland University), Dr. Tanya Dewey (University of Michigan) and Dr. Maarten Vonhof (University of Western Michigan). For logistical support in the field, I thank S. and E. Jensen, A. Newman, E. Courtnage, G. and J. Mattheis, and the staffs at Onefour Agricultural Substation, Pinhorn Grazing Reserve (C. Stryker), Bow Island Grazing Reserve (B. and S. Schmidt), Havre Agricultural Research Station, McClelland Ferry Crossing, Big Knife Provincial Park (especially V. Hulbert), Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park, Dinosaur Provincial Park (especially P. Hofer, R. Hugill, and M. Macdonald), Writing on Stone Provinical v Park (especially B. Moffet), Midland Provincial Park (G. Martin), Flowserve (M. Hildebrand), City of Drumheller, Cypress Hills County, Village of Donalda, Village of Empress, Bindloss/Empress Agricultural Society (especially D. Martin), and Special Areas Municipal Offices. For access to bats I thank many landowners, including B. Herman, L. Fowlie, L. Fowlie, R. Howe, D. Clements, L. and D. Bell, D. Wallwork, A. and K. Reece, D. Sorenson, S. Knox, E. and C. Alderdice, R. and L. Gillespie, Hargrave’s Ranching, L. Shagnon, L. Adams, L. and T. Fryberger, G. Eide, B. Vanderloh, A. and S. Pollom, Content Bridge Campground, Pinter’s Campground, T. Van Dellen, D. Harvey, and Forks Prairie Orchard (C. Cocks). My research was funded in part by scholarships/research allowances from NSERC (Postgraduate Scholarhip), Alberta Ingenuity, and Izaak Walton Killam Memorial awards; by grants from Alberta Sport, Parks, Recreation, and Wildlife Foundation (Community Development Initiative), Alberta Conservation Association (Biodiversity Challenge grant), University of Calgary (Thesis Research Grant) and Mountain Equipment Co-op (Studentship); and a Discovery grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada to Dr. Robert Barclay. I’d like to especially thank several very special people whose support I valued tremendously; I thank my supervisor, Robert Barclay, for guidance, support, patience, editing, and more editing, and the surprising willness to let me hang around the lab for yet another degree! I thank my family for their support throughout my university career, and their endless understanding of the missed family events and the paucity of visits. And to my husband, Michael Proctor, I can’t possibly list all that I’d like to thank him for, but his support has been keystone in the completion of this thesis: our late night vi discussions, endless walks together by the lake, and working side-by-side provided me with invaluable motivation and inspiration. For constructive comments on, and editing of, this thesis, I thank Dr. Curt Strobeck, Dr. Isabelle Delisle, Dr. Robert M.R. Barclay, and Dr. Michael Proctor. I would also like to thank my committee members, Dr. Curt Strobeck (Univeristy of Alberta), Dr. Robin Owen (Mount Royal College), Dr. Dave Coltman (Univeristy of Alberta), Dr. Shelley Alexander (Department of Geography), and Dr. John Post (Department of Biological Sciences) for their reviews and constructive comments. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract..............................................................................................................................iii Acknowledgements............................................................................................................. v Table of Contents.............................................................................................................viii List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... xi List of Figures................................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER 1: General Introduction................................................................................. 13 CHAPTER 2: Roosting Ecology of Western Small-Footed (Myotis ciliolabrum) and Big Brown (Eptesicus fuscus) Bats in the Canadian Prairies ............................................. 28 Introduction................................................................................................................... 28 Materials and Methods.................................................................................................. 32 Study Site.................................................................................................................. 32 Study Species............................................................................................................ 33 Capture...................................................................................................................... 34 Radio-telemetry and Roost Characterization............................................................ 35 Molecular Genetics ................................................................................................... 37 mtDNA Sequences................................................................................................. 37 Microsatellite Genotyping .................................................................................... 37 Statistical Analyses ................................................................................................... 38 Results........................................................................................................................... 39 Captures .................................................................................................................... 39 Radio-tracking..........................................................................................................