Evaluating the potential of urban areas for bat conservation with citizen science data. (15th March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lewanzik, Daniel; Straka, Tanja M.; Lorenz, Julia; Marggraf, Lara; Voigt-Heucke, Silke; Schumann, Anke; Brandt, Miriam; Voigt, Christian C.
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 297(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-03-15
• Subjects: ALAN -- Bats -- Light pollution -- Urban ecosystem -- Urban greening -- Urbanisation; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118785
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Global change, including urbanisation, threatens many of the >1400 bat species. Nevertheless, certain areas within highly urbanised cities may be suitable to harbour bat populations. Thus, managing urban habitats could contribute to bat conservation. Here, we wanted to establish evidence-based recommendations on how to improve urban spaces for the protection of bats. In a team effort with >200 citizen scientists, we recorded bat vocalisations up to six times over the course of 2 years at each of 600 predefined sites in the Berlin metropolitan area. For each species we identified the preferred and non-preferred landscape features. Our results show that artificial light at night (ALAN) had a negative impact on all species. For soprano pipistrelles and mouse-eared bats ALAN had the largest effect sizes among all environmental predictors. Canopy cover and open water were especially important for bat species that forage along vegetation edges and for trawling bats, respectively. Occurrence probability of species foraging in open space decreased with increasing distance to water bodies. On a larger scale, impervious surfaces tended to have positive effects on some species that are specialised on foraging along edge structures. Our study constitutes an important contribution to the growing body of literature showing that despite the many negative impacts of urbanisation on wildlife, urban environments can harbour bat populations if certain conditions are met, such as access to vegetation and water bodies and low levels of ALAN. Our findings are of high relevance for urban planners and conservationists, as they allow inferences on how to manage urban spaces in a bat-friendly way. We recommend limiting ALAN to the minimum necessary and maintaining and creating uninterrupted vegetated corridors between areas with high levels of canopy cover and water bodies, in which ALAN should be entirely avoided. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Artificial light at night had negative impacts on all bat species investigated. Canopy cover did not substantially mitigate negative effects of ALAN in urban areas. Nonetheless, urban canopy cover favoured occurrence of most bat species. Urban greening initiatives could benefit both humans and bats in urban ecosystems.