[NatureNS] Bats and Clearcuts

Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:21:56 -0400
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
From: "P.L. Chalmers" <plchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca>
References: <72E1D1F4116343C8AC4E9380BB40E704@D58WQPH1>
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects


--=====================_4078421==.ALT
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Hi there,

         I have been catching up on the=20
newspapers and just got around to reading the=20
same article which David Webster mentioned,=20
"Protect wildlife routes, biologist=20
urges".   Most of the article concerns the=20
Isthmus of Chignecto, and states that "Nova=20
Scotia wildlife could become genetically=20
endangered unless animals can continue to migrate=20
through the Isthmus of Chignecto and mix with=20
their New Brunswick counterparts."  That wIldlife=20
corridors ensure genetic diversity etc. is a=20
familiar enough idea, but  I too was surprised by=20
the statement by Bob Bancroft that "even bats=20
need such a link because research has shown that=20
they will not fly over clearcuts."

         My curiosity was piqued by David's=20
earlier remark, so I did a little digging and=20
found there is a growing interest in studies that=20
compare habitat selection by bats in various=20
forest types, and how bats may be affected by=20
timber management practices.  Partial thinning in=20
forests doesn't seem to diminish bat numbers, and=20
is in fact attractive; insect abundance and=20
diversity increases in the open patches, and it=20
easier for the bats to manoeuvre through the=20
trees.  However while clearcuts may provide good=20
foraging areas, the absence of roosting sites=20
makes them less attractive as breeding areas.  So=20
I can see  that large clearcuts might be an=20
impediment to wider species distribution and free movement of populations.

         If you want to read more, there are a=20
lot of articles on the web.  The proceedings of a=20
conference sponsored by the British Columbia=20
Ministry of Forests, Bats and Forests Symposium =AD=20
October 19=9621, 1995, online at=20
http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/Wp/Wp23.htm , is quite wide-ranging.

         Cheers,

         Patricia L. Chalmers
         Halifax



At 08:59 PM 30/11/2008, Dave Webster wrote:
>Dear All,            Nov 30, 2008
>     According to an aside in a newspaper=20
> article (Protect wildlife...urges; Chr. Hrld.,=20
> Nov 30, p. A3) bats...will not fly over clearcuts.
>
>     Really ? I wonder if these are recent=20
> clearcuts and thus relatively insect free as=20
> opposed to clearcuts with significant rotting wood and associated Diptera.
>
>     I recall having seen only one bat in=20
> woodland as opposed to thousands in habitats=20
> other than woodland; running water, meadows & lawns.

--=====================_4078421==.ALT
Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<html>
<body>
Hi there,<br><br>
<x-tab>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</x-tab>I have
been catching up on the newspapers and just got around to reading the
same article which David Webster mentioned, &quot;Protect wildlife
routes, biologist urges&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp; Most of the article concerns
the Isthmus of Chignecto, and states that &quot;Nova Scotia wildlife
could become genetically endangered unless animals can continue to
migrate through the Isthmus of Chignecto and mix with their New Brunswick
counterparts.&quot;&nbsp; That wIldlife corridors ensure genetic
diversity etc. is a familiar enough idea, but&nbsp; I too was surprised
by the statement by Bob Bancroft that &quot;even bats need such a link
because research has shown that they will not fly over
clearcuts.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br><br>
<x-tab>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</x-tab>My
curiosity was piqued by David's earlier remark, so I did a little digging
and found there is a growing interest in studies that compare habitat
selection by bats in various forest types, and how bats may be affected
by timber management practices.&nbsp; Partial thinning in forests doesn't
seem to diminish bat numbers, and is in fact attractive; insect abundance
and diversity increases in the open patches, and it easier for the bats
to manoeuvre through the trees.&nbsp; However while clearcuts may provide
good foraging areas, the absence of roosting sites makes them less
attractive as breeding areas.&nbsp; So I can see&nbsp; that large
clearcuts might be an impediment to wider species distribution and free
movement of populations. <br><br>
<x-tab>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</x-tab>If you
want to read more, there are a lot of articles on the web.&nbsp; The
proceedings of a conference sponsored by the British Columbia Ministry of
Forests, <u>Bats and Forests Symposium =AD October 19=9621, 1995</u>, online
at
<a href=3D"http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/Wp/Wp23.htm" eudora=3D"aut=
ourl">
http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/Docs/Wp/Wp23.htm</a> , is quite
wide-ranging.<br><br>
<x-tab>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</x-tab>Cheers,<br>
<br>
<x-tab>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</x-tab>Patricia
L. Chalmers<br>
<x-tab>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</x-tab>Halifax<br>
<br>
<br><br>
At 08:59 PM 30/11/2008, <font size=3D2>Dave Webster</font> wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=3Dcite class=3Dcite cite=3D""><font size=3D2>Dear
All,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Nov 30, 2008<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; According to an aside in a newspaper article (Protect
wildlife...urges; Chr. Hrld., Nov 30, p. A3) bats...will not fly over
clearcuts.<br>
</font>&nbsp;<br>
<font size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Really ? I wonder if these are recent
clearcuts and thus relatively insect free as opposed to clearcuts with
significant rotting wood and associated Diptera. <br>
</font>&nbsp;<br>
<font size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I recall having seen only one bat in
woodland as opposed to thousands in habitats other than woodland; running
water, meadows &amp; lawns.</font></blockquote></body>
</html>

--=====================_4078421==.ALT--

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects