Niche partitioning in similar, closely related sympatric bat species? A mechanical approach. Doctoral thesis for obtaining the academic degree Doctor of Natural Sciences (Dr. rer. nat.) submitted by Daniela Anna Schmieder at the Faculty of Sciences Department of Biology Konstanzer Online-Publikations-System (KOPS) URL: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:352-0-415277 Date of oral examination: July 22nd 2015 1. Reviewer: Prof. Dr. Martin Wikelski 2. Reviewer : Prof. Dr. Tigga Kingston* th *initial supervisor PD Dr. Björn Siemers † deceased May 23 2012 Table of contents 1. Summary / Zusammenfassung ...................................................................... 1 Summary ............................................................................................................. 1 Zusammenfassung .............................................................................................. 4 2. General introduction ....................................................................................... 9 General aim ....................................................................................................... 12 3. Manoeuvrability in mouse-eared bats ......................................................... 17 Abstract ............................................................................................................. 18 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 18 Material and methods ........................................................................................ 22 Animals ........................................................................................................ 22 Morphology .................................................................................................. 23 Manoeuvrability ............................................................................................ 24 Differences in manoeuvrability between the species .................................... 26 Incorporating morphometric variables into the basic GLMM ........................ 27 Forward selection modelling procedure with morphological variables ........... 27 Comparison of individuals with injured wings ............................................... 28 Results ............................................................................................................... 28 Morphology .................................................................................................. 28 Manoeuvrability ............................................................................................ 30 Differences in manoeuvrability between the species .................................... 31 Incorporating morphometric variables into the basic GLMM ........................ 32 Forward selection modelling procedure with morphological variables ........... 33 Comparison of individuals with injured wings ............................................... 34 Discussion ......................................................................................................... 36 Morphology .................................................................................................. 36 Differences in manoeuvrability between the species .................................... 37 Incorporating morphometric variables into the basic GLMM ........................ 38 Forward selection modelling procedure with morphological variables ........... 38 Comparison of individuals with injured wings ............................................... 40 Conclusions ................................................................................................. 41 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................ 42 Supplementary material ..................................................................................... 43 4. Manoeuvrability in horseshoe bats ............................................................ 49 Abstract ............................................................................................................. 50 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 51 Material and methods ........................................................................................ 53 Animals ........................................................................................................ 53 Wing morphology ........................................................................................ 54 Manoeuvrability experiments ........................................................................ 55 Differences in manoeuvrability ..................................................................... 58 Differences in transition time ....................................................................... 58 Relationship between morphology and flight performance: single variable ... 59 Relationship between morphology and flight performance: multi variables .. 59 Results ...............................................................................................................60 Wing morphology .........................................................................................60 Manoeuvrability experiments .........................................................................60 Differences in manoeuvrability ......................................................................63 Differences in transition time .........................................................................6 5 Relationship between morphology and flight performance: single variable ... 66 Relationship between morphology and flight performance: multi variables ... 67 Discussion ..........................................................................................................68 Wing morphology .........................................................................................68 Differences in manoeuvrability and transition time ........................................ 68 Relationship between morphology and flight performance ........................... 69 Conclusions ................................................................................................. 71 Acknowledgements.............................................................................................7 2 Supplementary material ......................................................................................7 2 5. External morphology in horseshoe bats ..................................................... 81 Abstract ..............................................................................................................8 2 Introduction .........................................................................................................8 2 Material and methods .........................................................................................85 Ethics statement ...........................................................................................8 5 Animals .........................................................................................................8 5 Wing pictures ................................................................................................8 5 Measurements .............................................................................................. 86 Comparison of morphometric methods in species discrimination .................. 88 Geometric morphometrics – testing and visualizing differences .................... 89 Results ...............................................................................................................90 Comparison of morphometric methods in species discrimination ................. 90 Geometric morphometrics – testing and visualizing differences ................... 92 Discussion ..........................................................................................................94 Acknowledgements.............................................................................................97 Supplementary material ......................................................................................97 6. General discussion ..................................................................................... 101 Perspectives .....................................................................................................10 6 7. Record of achievements ............................................................................. 107 8. References ................................................................................................... 109 9. Acknowledgements .................................................................................... 125 10. List of presentations ................................................................................. 129 11. Index of abbreviations .............................................................................. 131 1. Summary / Zusammenfassung 1 1. Summary / Zusammenfassung SUMMARY Niche partitioning is an important process that enables different species to coexist in the same areas. The partitioning of niches can prevent out-competition of one species by another species and therefore stabilizes coexistence. Famous examples of niche partitioning among closely related species are the Darwin finches and the cichlid fishes. In many bat species, adaptations for niche partitioning have been found, e.g., clear differences in habitat use, foraging modes, foraging activity patterns, echolocation,