A global review of landscape-scale analyses in bats reveals geographic and taxonomic biases and opportunities for novel research

Abstract

Landscape-scale analysis is an evolving approach to quantify the effects of landscape structure (composition and configuration) on focal species. Bats—a remarkably rich and diverse group—use habitat from fine (< 0.5 km) to broad (> 4 km) scales, and thus identifying their responses to changing landscapes can highlight a variety of management implications. We conducted a literature review of >170 peer-reviewed studies from five continents of landscape-scale studies in bats. We used cluster analysis to highlight study trends and identify biases and knowledge gaps in landscape-scale studies of bats. Species in the families Vespertilionidae and Phyllostomidae, which represent 51 % of extant bat diversity, were the focus of two thirds of studies; other families were underrepresented. Tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia, notable for their high bat species richness, were underrepresented in studies. Although considered by few studies, context-dependent demographic data, including temporal and behavioral parameters (e.g., age, season) were important for explaining bat-landscape interactions. No one-size-fits-all set of variables or scales exists for bats, and even closely related species vary in their responses to variable-scale combinations. However, variables that quantify habitat size and presence of patch edges were often strong predictors of bat use. Based on this review, researchers should consider a range of scales including broad scales (>5 km), landscape and bioclimatic variables, and archiving data for future studies across temporal scales. We provide a list of recommendations that can help researchers and conservationists improve inferences in determining the landscape associations of bats species and other taxa.