ACOUSTIC SURVEY ON INSECTIVOROUS BATS ACTIVITY PATTERN AT CONTRASTING ELEVATION IN KUBAH NATIONAL PARK

EMY, JINGGONG (2022) ACOUSTIC SURVEY ON INSECTIVOROUS BATS ACTIVITY PATTERN AT CONTRASTING ELEVATION IN KUBAH NATIONAL PARK. Masters thesis, UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK.

PDF (Please get the password by email to repository@unimas.my, or call ext: 3914/ 3942/ 3933) Emy ft.pdf Restricted to Registered users only Download (2MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Bat monitoring mostly done by using mist nets and harp traps but species that fly high still to be missed out. Additional methods such as acoustic sampling would be able to monitor echolocating bats the tend to avoid the nets. Acoustic sampling gives a better perspective for bat activity monitoring including study their habitat use. Bats activity may vary spatially and temporally. In an area with elevational gradient, it is possible to study the activity of bats simultaneously at different elevation by acoustic monitoring. But first, bat echolocation call libraries are needed as a reference to identify the calls of free-flying species. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to build echolocation call library of Kubah National Park for the purpose of species identification of insectivorous bats through echolocation call; compare the activity pattern of insectivorous bats at contrasting elevation by acoustic monitoring; and identify the other factors affecting activity of bats at contrasting elevation in Kubah National Park. Between November 2018 and February 2019, insectivorous bats were trapped at lower elevation (100-250m a.s.l.) and higher elevation (700-800m a.s.l.) in Kubah National Park and echolocation calls were recorded from a total of 68 individuals, representing 13 species from 4 families. The discriminant function analysis indicated that constant frequency (CF) bats comprised of Families Hipposideridae and Rhinolophidae could be easily distinguished from their calls recorded in the detectors. Acoustic survey on their activity was conducted from November 2018 to August 2019 at lower elevation covered with mixed dipterocarp forests, and at higher elevation covered with Kerangas forests, scrub forests and lower-montane forest. The activity of insectivorous bats at higher elevation is higher compared to lower elevation with 69% of the total bat passes counted from both elevations. In addition, more species were recorded at higher elevation compared to lower elevation. The result was related with iv insect biomass at each elevation but not significantly affected by temperature and moon phase. This study showed that elevational gradient does affect the activity of bats, considering the availability of their food abundance and the habitat use. Overall, acoustic monitoring does provide better way to document species occurrence and ecology information of insectivorous bats. Further investigations on species-specific in response to elevations and climate variables are needed and may increase the power of understanding on factors that influence the bat activity.

Actions (For repository members only: login required)

View Item