Frugivorous bat (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) community structure and trophic relations in Atlantic Forest fragments

We evaluated the structure of a community of frugivorous bats using composition and abundance patterns, niche amplitude and food overlap of these animals in four Atlantic Forest fragments, each one exposed to different conservation realities. For twelve months, we captured six bat species and found the seeds of 13 species of pioneering plants in 158 fecal samples. The most abundant bat species were Artibeus planirostris (25.4%), Artibeus lituratus (24.1%) and Carollia perspicillata(23.9%). Only one fragment (Fazenda Unida), the most conserved area, exhibited a significantly different composition and abundance of species. We found low trophic niche amplitude values (<0.60), associated to high food overlaps. Our results suggest that bats can adjust their foraging strategy to deal with food availability variations. By favoring pioneering plant species, the fragmentation process noted of the studied areas creates an attractive environment for bats more tolerant to this type of disturbance. The sampled areas represent important secondary forest remnants in southern Brazil that require attention to avoid an even greater loss of bat diversity.

Frugivorous bat (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) community structure and trophic relations in Atlantic Forest fragments

We evaluated the structure of a community of frugivorous bats using composition and abundance patterns, niche amplitude and food overlap of these animals in four Atlantic Forest fragments, each one exposed to different conservation realities. For twelve months, we captured six bat species and found the seeds of 13 species of pioneering plants in 158 fecal samples. The most abundant bat species were Artibeus planirostris (25.4%), Artibeus lituratus (24.1%) and Carollia perspicillata(23.9%). Only one fragment (Fazenda Unida), the most conserved area, exhibited a significantly different composition and abundance of species. We found low trophic niche amplitude values (<0.60), associated to high food overlaps. Our results suggest that bats can adjust their foraging strategy to deal with food availability variations. By favoring pioneering plant species, the fragmentation process noted of the studied areas creates an attractive environment for bats more tolerant to this type of disturbance. The sampled areas represent important secondary forest remnants in southern Brazil that require attention to avoid an even greater loss of bat diversity.(AU)

Ectoparasitismo em uma assembléia de morcegos em um fragmento florestal no estado do Acre, Brasil / Ectoparasitism in a bats assembly from forest fragment at the Acre State, Brazil

A abundância de ectoparasitos em morcegos pode ser influenciada através de características associadas ao hospedeiro, tal como abrigo, tamanho do corpo, sexo, idade, ou sistema social. Estudos sobre o tema na Amazônia, especialmente a brasileira, são escassos. A área de estudo foi o Parque Zoobotânico (PZ), com tamanho aproximado de 150ha, localizado na cidade de Rio Branco-Ac. Os morcegos foram capturados com o auxílio de redes de neblina, as quais ficavam abertas das 18h00min às 22h00min, durante três dias/mês, ao longo de um ano. Os animais capturados foram colocados em sacos de pano e levados ao laboratório para coleta e identificação de ectoparasitos. Foram capturados 61 indivíduos de 11 espécies de morcegos. Dos morcegos capturados, 33 apresentaram pelo menos uma espécie de díptero ectoparasita. O morcego com o maior número de ectoparasitas coletados foi um indivíduo macho da espécie Phyllostomus elongatus, com 13 moscas ectoparasitas da espécie Trichobius costalimai. O grau de parasitismo parece estar sendo influenciado pelo microclima e pelos hábitos de cada espécie, tais como o tipo de abrigo utilizado e a formação de colônias.

The abundance of ectoparasites in bats can be influenced through characteristics associated to the host, just as shelter, size of the body, sex, age, or social system. Studies on thetheme in the Amazonian, especially the Brazilian rainforest, they are scarce. The study area was at the Zoobotanical Park (ZP), with approximate 150ha size, located in the Rio Branco city ­Acre/Brazil. The bats were captured with the mist-nets, which wereopen of the 6p.m.at 10p.m., during three days/months, along one year. The captured animals were put in cloth sacks and taken to the laboratory for collection and identification of ectoparasites batflies. Sixty one individuals of 11 species of bats were captured. Of the captured bats, 33 presented at least one type of ectoparasites batfly. The bat with the largest number of collected ectoparasites was a male individual of the Phyllostomus elongatusspecies, with 13 ectoparasites batflies of the species Trichobius costalimai. The degree of parasitism seems to be being influenced by the microclimate and for the habits of each species, such as the type of used shelter and the formation of colonies.