Tropical secondary forest management influences frugivorous bat composition, abundance and fruit consumption in Chiapas, Mexico

PLoS One. 2013 Oct 11;8(10):e77584. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077584. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Most studies on frugivorous bat assemblages in secondary forests have concentrated on differences among successional stages, and have disregarded the effect of forest management. Secondary forest management practices alter the vegetation structure and fruit availability, important factors associated with differences in frugivorous bat assemblage structure, and fruit consumption and can therefore modify forest succession. Our objective was to elucidate factors (forest structural variables and fruit availability) determining bat diversity, abundance, composition and species-specific abundance of bats in (i) secondary forests managed by Lacandon farmers dominated by Ochroma pyramidale, in (ii) secondary forests without management, and in (iii) mature rain forests in Chiapas, Southern Mexico. Frugivorous bat species diversity (Shannon H') was similar between forest types. However, bat abundance was highest in rain forest and O. pyramidale forests. Bat species composition was different among forest types with more Carollia sowelli and Sturnira lilium captures in O. pyramidale forests. Overall, bat fruit consumption was dominated by early-successional shrubs, highest late-successional fruit consumption was found in rain forests and more bats consumed early-successional shrub fruits in O. pyramidale forests. Ochroma pyramidale forests presented a higher canopy openness, tree height, lower tree density and diversity of fruit than secondary forests. Tree density and canopy openness were negatively correlated with bat species diversity and bat abundance, but bat abundance increased with fruit abundance and tree height. Hence, secondary forest management alters forests' structural characteristics and resource availability, and shapes the frugivorous bat community structure, and thereby the fruit consumption by bats.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biodiversity
  • Chiroptera*
  • Ecosystem*
  • Feeding Behavior
  • Fruit*
  • Mexico
  • Population Density
  • Population Dynamics
  • Predatory Behavior
  • Trees*
  • Tropical Climate*

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Etnobiología para la Conservación A.C. and by a doctoral scholarship awarded to the first author by CONACyT-Mexico (Reg. 239503). Idea Wild and Fondo Institucional de Fomento Regional para el Desarrollo Científico, Tecnológico y de Innovación (FORDECYT) (Agreement 116306) provided mist nets. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.