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--=====================_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> </x-tab>I have been catching up on the newspapers and just got around to reading the same article which David Webster mentioned, "Protect wildlife routes, biologist urges". Most of the article concerns the Isthmus of Chignecto, and states that "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." That wIldlife corridors ensure genetic diversity etc. is a familiar enough idea, but I too was surprised by the statement by Bob Bancroft that "even bats need such a link because research has shown that they will not fly over clearcuts." <br><br> <x-tab> </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. 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. However while clearcuts may provide good foraging areas, the absence of roosting sites makes them less attractive as breeding areas. So I can see that large clearcuts might be an impediment to wider species distribution and free movement of populations. <br><br> <x-tab> </x-tab>If you want to read more, there are a lot of articles on the web. 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> </x-tab>Cheers,<br> <br> <x-tab> </x-tab>Patricia L. Chalmers<br> <x-tab> </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, Nov 30, 2008<br> 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> <br> <font size=3D2> 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> <br> <font size=3D2> I recall having seen only one bat in woodland as opposed to thousands in habitats other than woodland; running water, meadows & lawns.</font></blockquote></body> </html> --=====================_4078421==.ALT--
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