The heat is on: Thermoregulatory and evaporative cooling patterns of desert-dwelling bats

Abstract

For small endotherms inhabiting desert ecosystems, defending body temperatures (T_b) is challenging as they contend with extremely high ambient temperatures (T_a) and limited standing water. In the arid zone, bats may thermoconform whereby T_b varies with T_a, or may evaporatively cool themselves to maintain T_b < T_a. We used an integrative approach that combined both temperature telemetry and flow through respirometry to investigate the ecological and physiological strategies of lesser long-eared bats (Nyctophilus geoffroyi) in Australia's arid zone. We predicted individuals would exhibit desert-adapted thermoregulatory patterns (i.e., thermoconform to prioritise water conservation), and that females would be more conservative with their water reserves for evaporative cooling compared to males. Temperature telemetry data indicated that free-ranging N. geoffroyi were heterothermic (T_skin = 18.9–44.9 °C) during summer and thermoconformed over a wide range of temperatures, likely to conserve water and energy during the day. Experimentally, at high T_as, females maintained significantly lower T_b and resting metabolic rates, despite lower evaporative water loss (EWL) rates compared to males. Females only increased EWL at experimental T_a = 42.5 °C, significantly higher than males (40.7 °C), and higher than any bat species yet recorded. During the hottest day of this study, our estimates suggest the water required for evaporative cooling ranged from 18.3% (females) and 25.5% (males) of body mass. However, if we extrapolate these results to a recent heatwave these values increase to 36.5% and 47.3%, which are likely beyond lethal limits. It appears this population is under selective pressures to conserve water reserves and that these pressures are more pronounced in females than males. Bats in arid ecosystems are threatened by both current and future heatwaves and we recommend future conservation efforts focus on protecting current roost trees and creating artificial standing water sites near vulnerable populations.