Structure of summer bat assemblages in forests in European Russia

Abstract

We used mist-netting to study summer bat assemblages in 3 state nature biosphere reserves in the European part of Russia from 26 June to 29 July 2013: Oksky, Ryazan region (54°44′N, 40°54′E); Voronezhsky, Voronezh region (51°55′N, 39°38′E); and “Bryansky Les”, Bryansk region (52°27′N, 33°53′E). The main research efforts were in locations where Nyctalus lasiopterus had been captured in the past. In total, 1229 specimens of 12 bat species (Myotis daubentonii, M. dasycneme, M. brandtii, M. mystacinus, Nyctalus noctula, N. lasiopterus, N. leisleri, Eptesicus serotinus, Pipistrellus nathusii, P. pygmaeus, Vespertilio murinus, and Plecotus auritus) were caught. N. lasiopterus (a female subadult) was confirmed only in the Voronezhsky Reserve. The bat assemblages could be classified as forestdwelling and dominated by long-distance migratory species (genera Nyctalus, Pipistrellus, and Vespertilio). Females also dominated and breeding was recorded for most of the species. The highest bat abundance (b/h index: 4.54) was in the Voronezhsky Reserve (the most southeasterly location) and the lowest (b/h index: 1.75) was in “Bryansky Les” (the most southwesterly location). The Shannon-Wiener index was higher in the Voronezhsky and Oksky Reserves but the evenness index was similar for all reserves. Bat assemblage structure in strictly protected forest areas (such as the Voronezhsky Reserve) has been stable for decades.