New research indicates that bark beetle outbreaks in forests create several new roosting and foraging possibilities for the protected bat species Barbastella barbastellus.
New research indicates that bark beetle outbreaks in forests create several new roosting and foraging possibilities for the protected bat species Barbastella barbastellus.
For example, maternity colonies of B. barbastellus were found beneath bark of beetle-killed spruces. Also, hunting activity of B. barbastellus increased with more extensive canopy opening due to bark beetles.
The findings have important implications for forest management. The standard management response to natural disturbances such as windstorms and insect outbreaks is salvage logging, or the removal of affected trees; however, this may have detrimental effects on species of conservation concern.
“Bark beetle outbreaks transformed former production forests into a growing wilderness that offers great possibilities for the conservation of the barbastelle bat,” said Mareike Kortmann, lead author of the Animal Conservation study.
Additional Information
Link to Study: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acv.12359/full
About Journal
Animal Conservation provides a forum for rapid publication of novel, peer-reviewed research into the conservation of animal species and their habitats. The focus is on rigorous quantitative studies of an empirical or theoretical nature, which may relate to populations, species or communities and their conservation.
Penny Smith
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sciencenewsroom@wiley.com