Date of Award
2019
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Biology
Abstract
Insectivorous bats in the Midwest rely on agricultural land and adjacent forest for foraging, travel, and roosting, but how they use this landscape is not well understood. Here, I report the results of a study designed to investigate how the size and isolation of agricultural fields, and insect density, affects bat activity. I hypothesize that overall bat activity decreases with distance from the tree line, but the rate of decrease varies among species; that is to say, some species will stay near trees while others will utilize the entire field due to habitat preferences and ecomorphology. I collected insect samples and sonogram recordings in Vigo, Vermillion, Owen, and Sullivan counties, Indiana from mid-June until mid-September. I developed generalized linear mixed models with bat acoustic activity as the response variable and a spread of landscape, abiotic, and insect related explanatory variables. My results show that distance from the nearest tree significantly influenced bat activity. As predicted, low, mid and Myotis bat phonic groups significantly favored the tree line, which reflects total insect trends. My results suggest that the fields with more surrounding vegetation receive more pest control benefits. If my results are representative, then bat foraging patterns could directly influence how field owners in the Midwest manage their field boundaries to promote natural pest control. The re-establishment of fencerow vegetation could be necessary if homogenous landscape owners wish to benefit from their natural predators.
Recommended Citation
Chaney, Morgan L., "Use Of Agricultural Fields By Bats, And Its Implications For Pest Control" (2019). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2178.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/2178