The landscape used by eight bat species in the Nipigon District, Ontario

Abstract

Emergent diseases such as white nose syndrome (WNS) and habitat loss are negatively affecting the populations of Ontario bat species. There are eight bat species native to Ontario: Estesicus fuscus, Lasiurus cinereus, L. borealis, Myotis leibii, M. lucifugus, M. septentrionalis, Perimyotis subflavus, and Lasionycteris noctivagans. Of the native species, M. lucifugus, M. septentrionalis, and P. subflavus are listed as endangered in 2014 by the federal Species at Risk Act due to sudden population declines. In order to prevent any further decline in bat populations, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry adopts acoustic monitoring as a non-invasive alternative to collect data on presence of native bats. Using data from this venture, I describe how presence of landscape features such as water, mature forest, and talus slopes to predict bat diversity hot spots in the Nipigon District.