Roosting behaviour of greater noctule bats (Nyctalus lasiopterus) in forests in Spain and implications for species conservation and forest management
The greater noctule (Nyctalus lasiopterus) is a threatened tree-roosting bat species with a fragmented distribution, possibly due to limited roosting habitat. Deforestation, tree disease and climate change are reducing forest and roost availability. Effective conservation action and forest managemen...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Royal Society
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.251266 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849397350865305600 |
|---|---|
| author | Detlev H. Kelm David Pastor-Bevia Jesús Nogueras Ana G. Popa-Lisseanu Íñigo Sánchez Carlos Ibáñez |
| author_facet | Detlev H. Kelm David Pastor-Bevia Jesús Nogueras Ana G. Popa-Lisseanu Íñigo Sánchez Carlos Ibáñez |
| author_sort | Detlev H. Kelm |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The greater noctule (Nyctalus lasiopterus) is a threatened tree-roosting bat species with a fragmented distribution, possibly due to limited roosting habitat. Deforestation, tree disease and climate change are reducing forest and roost availability. Effective conservation action and forest management require detailed knowledge of the bats’ roosting behaviour and requirements, which is lacking for this species, particularly in southern European forests. We studied the roosting behaviour of 25 radio-tagged females from three maternity colonies in the forest and the urban environment, as well as 11 males from a forest mating site in Spain. We found similar behaviour and roost group sizes (14–18 individuals) for both sexes in the forest, where bats mainly roosted in woodpecker holes in larger trees of abundant tree species. Bats switched between many roosts (0.2–0.3 roosts d−1) across large forest areas (up to 1300 ha). At the urban site, females rarely switched between four exotic palm tree roosts, with roost group sizes reaching 144 individuals. Despite its adaptability, N. lasiopterus may require large forest roosting areas that provide a greater roost diversity, aiding thermoregulation and predator avoidance. Conservation efforts should focus on protecting large forests with high woodpecker abundance to ensure roost availability, supported by artificial bat roosts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f79e36b0258d4f5ca7ae805a1bf6d1b1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-f79e36b0258d4f5ca7ae805a1bf6d1b12025-08-20T03:39:00ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032025-08-0112810.1098/rsos.251266Roosting behaviour of greater noctule bats (Nyctalus lasiopterus) in forests in Spain and implications for species conservation and forest managementDetlev H. Kelm0David Pastor-Bevia1Jesús Nogueras2Ana G. Popa-Lisseanu3Íñigo Sánchez4Carlos Ibáñez5Ecology and Evolution, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Sevilla, SpainEcology and Evolution, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Sevilla, SpainEcology and Evolution, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Sevilla, SpainEcology and Evolution, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Sevilla, SpainZoobotánico Jerez, Jerez de la Frontera, SpainEcology and Evolution, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Sevilla, SpainThe greater noctule (Nyctalus lasiopterus) is a threatened tree-roosting bat species with a fragmented distribution, possibly due to limited roosting habitat. Deforestation, tree disease and climate change are reducing forest and roost availability. Effective conservation action and forest management require detailed knowledge of the bats’ roosting behaviour and requirements, which is lacking for this species, particularly in southern European forests. We studied the roosting behaviour of 25 radio-tagged females from three maternity colonies in the forest and the urban environment, as well as 11 males from a forest mating site in Spain. We found similar behaviour and roost group sizes (14–18 individuals) for both sexes in the forest, where bats mainly roosted in woodpecker holes in larger trees of abundant tree species. Bats switched between many roosts (0.2–0.3 roosts d−1) across large forest areas (up to 1300 ha). At the urban site, females rarely switched between four exotic palm tree roosts, with roost group sizes reaching 144 individuals. Despite its adaptability, N. lasiopterus may require large forest roosting areas that provide a greater roost diversity, aiding thermoregulation and predator avoidance. Conservation efforts should focus on protecting large forests with high woodpecker abundance to ensure roost availability, supported by artificial bat roosts.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.251266roost-switchingfission–fusionroosting ecologybat conservationbat roostsroosting area |
| spellingShingle | Detlev H. Kelm David Pastor-Bevia Jesús Nogueras Ana G. Popa-Lisseanu Íñigo Sánchez Carlos Ibáñez Roosting behaviour of greater noctule bats (Nyctalus lasiopterus) in forests in Spain and implications for species conservation and forest management Royal Society Open Science roost-switching fission–fusion roosting ecology bat conservation bat roosts roosting area |
| title | Roosting behaviour of greater noctule bats (Nyctalus lasiopterus) in forests in Spain and implications for species conservation and forest management |
| title_full | Roosting behaviour of greater noctule bats (Nyctalus lasiopterus) in forests in Spain and implications for species conservation and forest management |
| title_fullStr | Roosting behaviour of greater noctule bats (Nyctalus lasiopterus) in forests in Spain and implications for species conservation and forest management |
| title_full_unstemmed | Roosting behaviour of greater noctule bats (Nyctalus lasiopterus) in forests in Spain and implications for species conservation and forest management |
| title_short | Roosting behaviour of greater noctule bats (Nyctalus lasiopterus) in forests in Spain and implications for species conservation and forest management |
| title_sort | roosting behaviour of greater noctule bats nyctalus lasiopterus in forests in spain and implications for species conservation and forest management |
| topic | roost-switching fission–fusion roosting ecology bat conservation bat roosts roosting area |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.251266 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT detlevhkelm roostingbehaviourofgreaternoctulebatsnyctaluslasiopterusinforestsinspainandimplicationsforspeciesconservationandforestmanagement AT davidpastorbevia roostingbehaviourofgreaternoctulebatsnyctaluslasiopterusinforestsinspainandimplicationsforspeciesconservationandforestmanagement AT jesusnogueras roostingbehaviourofgreaternoctulebatsnyctaluslasiopterusinforestsinspainandimplicationsforspeciesconservationandforestmanagement AT anagpopalisseanu roostingbehaviourofgreaternoctulebatsnyctaluslasiopterusinforestsinspainandimplicationsforspeciesconservationandforestmanagement AT inigosanchez roostingbehaviourofgreaternoctulebatsnyctaluslasiopterusinforestsinspainandimplicationsforspeciesconservationandforestmanagement AT carlosibanez roostingbehaviourofgreaternoctulebatsnyctaluslasiopterusinforestsinspainandimplicationsforspeciesconservationandforestmanagement |