Effects of range, habitat and roosting ecology in patterns of group association in bats

Abstract

There is a wide variety of ecological factors that can potentially act as selective pressures driving the evolution of social behavior in bats. For instance, many behavioral ecologists recognize a relationship between social behavior, geographic distribution, and variation in resource abundance and distribution. Moreover, some bat species can use preexisting roosts such as tree cavities and caves, while others are able to modify nests, burrows, or foliage to create their own shelters. Thus, it is not surprising that the diverse social interactions found in bats have also been attributed to lifespan, availability, and distribution of roost sites. Here, I aim to determine if roost lifespan, number of roosts used and/or range size are important determinants of group stability. I conducted a literature review to collect information on group stability, roost lifespan, number or roosts used and range size, and I tested for correlated evolution between these variables. I found that roost lifespan, number of roosts and range size did not predict group stability. However, there was an association between range size and number of roosts used. Species with wider ranges encounter diverse habitats, environmental conditions, and roost types with different lifespans. Thus, it is not surprising that bats modify their social structure to adapt to these specific local conditions. Studying how different ecological characteristics interact to produce differences in group stability, provide the basis for understanding the complex route to sociality.