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Habitat selection in sympatric Rhinolophus mehelyi and R. euryale (Mammalia: Chiroptera)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2005

Danilo Russo ,
David Almenar ,
Joserra Aihartza ,
Urtzi Goiti ,
Egoitz Salsamendi  and
Inazio Garin
Danilo Russo
Affiliation:
Laboratorio di Ecologia Applicata, Dipartimento AR.BO.PA.VE., Facoltà di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, via Università, 100, I-80055, Portici, Napoli, Italy School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, BS8 1UG, Bristol, U.K.
David Almenar
Affiliation:
Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Avda María Luisa s/n, Pabellón del Perú 41013 Sevilla, Spain
Joserra Aihartza
Affiliation:
Zoologia Saila, UPV/EHU, 644 PK, 48080 Bilbao, Basque Country Spain
Urtzi Goiti
Affiliation:
Zoologia Saila, UPV/EHU, 644 PK, 48080 Bilbao, Basque Country Spain
Egoitz Salsamendi
Affiliation:
Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Avda María Luisa s/n, Pabellón del Perú 41013 Sevilla, Spain Zoologia Saila, UPV/EHU, 644 PK, 48080 Bilbao, Basque Country Spain
Inazio Garin
Affiliation:
Zoologia Saila, UPV/EHU, 644 PK, 48080 Bilbao, Basque Country Spain
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Abstract

Habitat selection was studied in two rhinolophid (Chiroptera) species, Rhinolophus mehelyi and R. euryale, breeding in the same roost in south-west Spain. The first analysis of habitat selection by R. mehelyi is provided, and the hypothesis explored that despite their close relatedness, in sympatry the two bat species showed different habitat preferences. For both species, the least preferred habitats were open habitats such as scrubland, grassland and arable land. As found elsewhere, R. euryale preferred broadleaved woodland. In addition, R. mehelyi also foraged in habitats characterized by loose trees, such as the ‘dehesa’, a semi-natural oak savanna. The progressive disappearance of the dehesa, jeopardized by land-use change, may not harm R. euryale, but could represent a threat to R. mehelyi, which would then be restricted to dense woodland, possibly competing with other bat species, including R. euryale. To conserve both species, the maintenance of a variety of wooded habitats of differing density is recommended.

Keywords

conservationdehesahabitat selectionland-use changeRhinolophidaeRhinolophus
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Zoology , Volume 266 , Issue 3 , July 2005 , pp. 327 - 332
Copyright
2005 The Zoological Society of London

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