Fréquence de quelques chiroptères durant l’Holocène

Abstract

One aim of the project described herein was to identify the temporal occurrence of several forest- dwelling bat species considered markers of warm and cold periods and to investigate possible relations to vegetational development during the Holocene. For this purpose, bat skulls were collected in caves in southern and northern Switzerland and 14C dated. The results show that species, such as Myotis bechsteinii mesothermophile) and Myotis brandtii psychrophile), occupied these areas during a long period, whereas Occurrence of bat species during the Holocene One aim of the project described herein was to identify the temporal occurrence of several forest-dwelling bat spedes considered markers of warm and cold periods and to investigate possible relations to veg-etational development during the Holocene. For this purpose, bat skulls were collected in caves in southern and northern Switzerland and 14C dated. The results show that spedes, such as Myotis bechsteinii (meso-thermophile) and Myotis brandtii (psychrophile), occupied these areas during a long period, whereas occurrence of Myotis blythii (a thermophile Mediterranean species) is restricted to a relatively short time period. The abundance of the species observed can be at least partially explained by vegetational development and deforestation. Moreover, the results suggest a link between the presence of rare mesothermophile species, such as Myotis bechsteinii, and warm Holocene climatic conditions. © Author(s) 2008. This work is distributed.