…well, we were informed it was to be published in the August 2017 issue of Acta Chiropterologica…then December, and while we now have the proofs, it’s looking like 2018. Nous verrons…
Todd & Waters (2017): Small scale habitat preferences of Myotis daubentonii, Pipistrellus pipistellus and potential aerial prey in an upland river valley (Todd and Waters, 2017)
One of OSC’s directors, Victoria Todd, was the lead author on this publication.
This study focused on a 27 km stretch of u-shaped glacial valley in Wharfedale (North Yorkshire, UK). Focusing on 10 different habitat combinations along the river, it was determined that smooth river sections with bankside trees were favoured, whilst rapid and cluttered waters were avoided. Unexpectedly, there was no evidence of a correlation between M.daubentonii & P.pipistellus presence and aerial insect presence; however, both datasets correlated with night-time temperatures.
In conclusion, the study has shown that clutter on the water surface is likely to influence habitat selection because it causes echolocation and energetic constraints that reduce the foraging capabilities of M.daubentonii and P.pipistellus. In addition, promoting prime habitats for both species relies on carrying out essential river maintenance.
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