Student Scholars

Special Recognitions: Thomas H. Kunz Innovation in Bat Research Honor, Conservation Evidence Badge

Cocoa agroforestry systems have proven effective in promoting greater bat diversity and providing valuable ecosystem services, such as pest control. However, most of these studies have focused on humid areas, leaving a gap in our understanding of bats’ roles in dry ecosystems. This project aims to assess the taxonomic and functional diversity of bats, as well as the pest control services they provide, in cocoa plantations under different shading conditions in seasonally dry areas of the Huila department, Colombia.

To achieve this, we will characterize bat assemblages in 12 cocoa plantations using mist nets and ultrasonic detectors, allowing us to compare bat diversity across varying levels of shade. Additionally, we will conduct exclusion experiments in six insecticide-free plantations to evaluate the pest control service provided by bats. These experiments will quantify the impact of bats on agricultural pest reduction, contributing to the sustainable management of cocoa plantations.

This study will not only expand our understanding of bats’ roles in Colombia’s dry ecosystems but also provide key insights for developing sustainable agricultural practices that balance biodiversity conservation with productivity in cocoa agroforestry systems. The findings could have significant implications for bat conservation in one of the most threatened ecosystems in Latin America.

This project investigates the habitat use and connectivity of bats in the critically endangered dry forests of Peru, focusing on how environmental changes and climate dynamics impact bat populations. This ecosystem, which hosts a variety of endemic and threatened species, has received increased protection over the last 10 years. However, its recovery is dependent on seed dispersal by bats. As a result, the suitability of these landscapes for future bat communities is dependent on the abundance and movement of common seed dispersing species present on the landscape today. Through extensive mist-net surveys across ten conservation areas, we captured over 5,000 bats from 66 species, including key frugivorous and nectivorous taxa. Using these results, we will develop species distribution models (SDMs) to predict bat diversity patterns and assess movement corridors for common species. We will integrate genetic data to refine predictions of range shifts under climate change scenarios using RADSeq. Finally, we will test the effectiveness of least-cost path analysis in predicting genetic connectivity. We hypothesize that bat richness will correlate positively with rainfall and habitat heterogeneity while revealing species-specific responses to environmental variables. We expect endemic species to be dependent on drier, more seasonal climates. Furthermore, we expect genomic analyses to identify adaptive traits relevant to climate resilience, improving our understanding of the ability of bats to adapt to extremely seasonal climates. This project directly addresses global bat conservation priorities by identifying areas suitable for habitat protection and restoration in the face of climate change and historical deforestation.

Special Recognitions: Conservation Evidence Badge

There are more than 650 disused tunnels across the UK, abandoned between 1960 and 1980 due to government reform to reduce the rail network. Since their abandonment, wildlife, including bats, have recolonised tunnels. However recent initiatives to reopen tunnels as cycle paths and pedestrian routes have led to increased human-wildlife conflict. Despite having the potential to support bats throughout their life cycle including commuting, swarming, mating, and rearing offspring, most studies of the ecology of bats and tunnels have focused on hibernation. I aim to investigate the ecology of bat populations within disused tunnels and the conservation challenges posed by the reopening of tunnels for public access. Using a variety of techniques, I will investigate how bats utilise tunnels in the Southwest of England and Wales. I will investigate the drivers of use of tunnels by bats and predict species occupancy. As many disused tunnels are being reopened across the country as cycle and pedestrian paths, I aim to address the conservation issues arising from human usage of repurposed tunnels with a focus on the effect of artificial lighting of tunnels on bats. I am conducting experiments in disused tunnels to determine how bats respond to a variety of different lighting regimes.

We are losing tropical forests at an alarming rate, affecting both the structural and functional integrity of these richly biodiverse areas. Forest fragmentation is a common outcome of land-use change, and understanding the long-term impacts of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity is crucial for effective conservation. This study leverages a unique longitudinal dataset to investigate changes in bat communities over a 20-year period in the land-bridge islands of Panama’s Gatún Lake. Between 2003-05 and 2013-15 bats were intensively sampled on the islands and mainland sites in the Barro Colorado Nature Monument. To date, this constitutes one of the richest tropical bat datasets in fragmented landscapes, offering a robust foundation for a follow-up study. The initial sampling of these areas indicates that fragment isolation greatly erodes bat diversity, particularly among specialist and forest-dependent species. This decline in species richness is associated with compositional shifts towards assemblages that are strongly dominated by frugivorous bats with greater dispersal abilities.  Our current study extends this work by incorporating data from a new survey (2024-2025), aiming to discern further trends in taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity.  Exploring this temporal dimension may provide greater insights into our understanding of how forest fragmentation translates to species loss over time, which in turn can shape policy and inform land managers of best practices to support biodiversity within human-modified landscapes.

The Parkia biglobosa agroforestry parkland is one of the main agroforestry systems encountered in Benin. Populations of P. biglobosa are now endangered due to the overuse of its fruits and other products, inappropriate harvesting practices, agricultural practices, and cutting for and charcoal production. Bats are known as pollinators of Parkia biglobosa. The threats on P. biglobosa have reduced their abundance in parklands in southern Benin and this may affect the availability of roosting sites and feeding opportunities for bats. The specific objectives of the projects are to: (i) determine the diversity and abundance of nectarivorous and frugivorous bats according to structural characteristics of Parkia biglobosa agroforestry parklands in southern Benin and (ii) inventory the plant species dispersed by bats through Parkia biglobosa agroforestry parklands. Approximately 10 Parkia biglobosa parklands will be selected by taking into account the tree density and diversity of tree species present. The characteristics of the selected parklands will be recorded in 4 plots of 50 x 50 m. Bats will be captured using six mist nets the dry and rainy seasons (5 nights per site and season). Plastic sheets will be installed under mist nets during sampling nights, and seeds dispersed by bats will be collected from feces and fruit remains. Multiple stepwise linear regressions will be used to evaluate the relationships of the parkland characteristics with the abundance and richness of the most-captured frugivorous and nectarivorous bats. The disperser importance index and diversity indexes will be used to analyze data on seed dispersal. 

Roost site selection by the Hildegarde’s Tomb Bat (Taphozous hildegardeae) at the Kenyan Coast
Roost sites are an important habitat component for healthy bat populations. They serve as places for social interactions and the raising of young, as well as provide protection from predators and adverse weather. However, the lack in understanding of roost site selection for cavernicolous bats in Kenya hinders the creation of successful conservation initiatives for declining species. This study will investigate roost site selection by the endangered Hildegarde’s Tomb Bat (HTB; Taphozous hildegardeae.) in caves along the Kenyan coast. The study aims to compare the physical characteristics and microclimate (temperature and humidity) of active HTB roosts and non-roosts. Additionally, the external macro-habitats (e.g. Agricultural land, forested area and developed land.) of the roost caves will be described. These factors are important because they influence the choice of roost in bats. The study area includes caves at Watamu (north coast) and Shimoni (south coast) where the HTB has been recorded. The resulting data will be analyzed to find out HTB’s preferred humidity and temperature, the impact of physical characteristics, and the effect of macro-habitat heterogeneity on its choice of roost. Given the ecological and economic significance of bat species, this study is critical to the conservation of not only HTB but also bat species generally, as it is important for updating current Key Biodiversity Areas or proposing new ones. By offering insights into the variables influencing roost selection, it advances the expanding field of bat conservation and can help guide conservation initiatives in Kenya and beyond.

Special Recognitions: Verne & Marion Read Bat Conservation Honor

Wildlife populations face growing conservation challenges due to human-induced environmental pressures, which not only threaten habitats and destroy bat roosts, but also increase the potential for disease transmission across species. Understanding species’ responses to human-induced ecosystem changes is critical for designing effective conservation strategies. This project focuses on the bat community within a protected area in Mexico, where over 80 karstic caves have been reported, many of which remain unexplored. 

We aim to inform strategies to protect bats and their ecosystems in areas vulnerable to White-Nose Syndrome (WNS), by addressing the following objectives: 1) Identify and evaluate the conservation status of caves as bat roosts in a human-modified landscape within a protected area, and assess the diversity and composition of cave-roosting bat communities, and 2) Assess the susceptibility of these caves to contamination with Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus which causes WNS, and the potential threat to bats. We hypothesize that better-preserved caves will support a more diverse and abundant bat community, and that human and environmental changes enhance the risk of WNS by modifying bat habitats and increasing cave contamination. 

Bat and cave monitoring will be carried out over two seasons using mist nets, ultrasonic detection and environmental and physical variables of the caves and surroundings to assess their conservation status. We seek to understand how bats are using these habitats and what pressures are acting over them in the context of the current spread of WNS towards Mexico, thus giving insights that are crucial to design appropriate conservation strategies.

Special Recognitions: Conservation Evidence Badge

Vilcanota River is a vital watershed for corn crops in the region, as it provides the appropriate temporal conditions for this type of seasonal crop. In this area, bats play an important role in the ecosystem, using the airspace of impacted areas, such as agricultural systems, to search for food. Since this watershed is located in the Meso-Andean ecoregion, it is unknown how the availability of food resources for bats varies in this environment. To address this question, a study on bat assemblage using mist nets and bioacoustics will be carried out. These methods will allow us to understand how bats use the different microhabitats in the study area. In addition, the analysis will be complemented with the evaluation of the diversity of arthropods and the species of chiropterophilous flora present. This will allow us to describe the food items available to bats in both seasons, to understand the trophic ecology and how they take advantage of resources in situations of abundance and scarcity. A significant aspect of the study will be determining the association of bats with corn crops. This information will be essential for proposing conservation plans that take advantage of this relationship and promote sustainable practices for the benefit of both biodiversity and farmers in the region. Ultimately, understanding the interaction between bats and crops will help preserve the ecological balance and ecosystem health in this crucial area.

Insectivorous bats, as predators, play a fundamental role in regulating insect populations, including species harmful to crops. The presence of bats in agricultural landscapes benefits crop productivity. However, the behaviour of farmers through the use of insecticides is reducing the insect community that bats feed on. This research project will study the conservation of insectivorous bats in agricultural landscapes, focusing on the influence of the bat community on the regulation of insect pests in the Amoron’i Onilahy protected area. The objectives of this study are to inventory the species of chiropterans present in agricultural environments, to examine their feeding behaviour in relation to populations of insect pests, to determine the impact of agricultural practices on bat populations and to assess the cultivation methods that are favourable to the bat community and their role in pest control. The species inventory will be carried out using harp traps and Japanese traps, combined with surveys of village populations. Pest species will be inventoried using chiropteran faeces and a light trap. The expected results will provide a better understanding of the interactions between chiropterans, insect pests and agro-ecosystems, and will help to conserve biodiversity and local agricultural productivity by allowing bat communities and populations to coexist.

Although most species of the genus Corynorhinus, including those with distribution in the United States of America and Canada, face conservation challenges at local or regional scales, the Mexican Corynorhinus species remain largely understudied, with no well-established conservation strategies. Corynorhinus leonpaniaguae is an insectivorous bat species endemic to northeastern Mexico. It was previously classified under Corynorhinus mexicanus and considered Near Threatened by the IUCN, with a high possibility of being listed as Threatened in the near future. Given the recent taxonomic updates, it is probable that both C. leonpaniaguae and C. mexicanus will be reclassified in any threatened category. However, for C. leonpaniaguae, the lack of biological data hinders accurate classification of its risk category and complicates the planning and execution of conservation plans. As a result, although C. leonpaniaguae has not be evaluated by the IUCN, it is a de facto Data Deficient species, with an urgent need for research in order to known and understand its biological processes. In this context, this project aims to generate essential information on the biology of C. leonpaniaguae. Particularly, the project pretends abord three key aspects of bat research that significantly contribute to bat conservation: i) describe diet composition and variation, ii) analyze population genetics, and iii) describe roost selection requirements. The data generated will not only have the potential to guide conservation strategies for C. leonpaniaguae, but may also be beneficial to other bat species from northeastern Mexico.

Special Recognitions: Conservation Evidence Badge

Bats are mammals which participate in pollination and seed dispersal of plant species. However, their habitats are under anthropogenic pressures and they are poached for several purposes. This leads to a loss of bat diversity and ecosystem services that are very important for the community and for the conservation of global biodiversity. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of anthropogenic activities and habitats disturbances on the diversity of bats in the Dogo classified forest in Kétou in southern Benin.To reach this goal, the first activity consists in determining the different micro-habitats in the studied forest by using SIG tools and proofs of hunting, tree cutting, wood carbonization, agriculture. The forest will be classified into different micro-habitats depending on the level of disturbances. The second activity will consist in accessing the bat diversity in each micro-habitat by capturing bats with mist nets and recording ultrasonic calls with recorders SM2bat. Data such as species, sex, the weight and the length forearm, tail, ear, foot, third and fifth finger will be collected twice a week and for two months for the rainy season and the dry seasons. Data collected will be used to appreciate each micro-habitat and the global habitat by determining the alpha and beta diversity indices.Results of this study will help to make suitable suggestions to the studied forest managers. A scientific paper will be written and published to share results of this study.

In a world where ecosystems are increasingly threatened by human activities, understanding the resilience of species is crucial. Forests meet the essential needs of local populations and represent the future of present and future generations. On the other hand, the majority of Malagasy animal species depend on the forest or vegetation for food, shelter and reproduction (Soarimalala, 2003). The aim of this research project is to analyse the impact of human activities on fruit bat populations and their habitat in the Morombe and Manja regions of Madagascar. The specific objectives are to : (i) identify the bat species present ; (ii) locate their roosting sites and count the individuals in the colony ; (iii) study the threats and evaluate the habitat conditions of the species ; and (iv) analyse the perceptions of the local population. An inventory of bats will be carried out by sampling, using mist nets and harp traps. Qualitative and quantitative surveys will be carried out in parallel with field observations. Following this study, data on the resilience of fruit bats in the study sites will be updated. The pressures exerted on them and their habitat will be brought to light. And the local population’s environmental knowledge and perceptions of these animals will be known. The information obtained will contribute to conservation strategies aimed at mitigating conflicts between humans and bats.

Special Recognitions: Equitable Conservation Award
Land use change constitutes a significant driving force behind the global biodiversity crisis, and a particularly serious threat to tropical biodiversity. The negative effects of land use change on bats, causing their population declines lead to the losses of ecosystem services provided by bats. But there is a lack of research on these topics in Burkina Faso. This project aims to understand the effects of land use change on bat assemblage structure and composition in and around the National Park of Nazinga which will involve local communities and park rangers to protect bats and their roosting habitats. The bat survey will be undertaken in three different land use types (agriculture area, protected forest, and human settlement). With mist netting and acoustic monitoring, we will capture and record bats to assess their diversity in these land use types. These acoustic surveys will represent the first echolocation-based studies in Burkina Faso. To characterize potential ecosystems services provided by bats, we will investigate bat diet by collecting their feces and analyzing contents using next-generation genetic metabarcoding, which will represent the first effort to describe bat diets in Burkina Faso. We will also capture insects with light traps to assess the diversity of available food resources and to compare it with insects eaten by bats. Raising general awareness, building capacity and educating local people about bats via workshops and presentations will play an additional role in this project to contribute to bat conservation in Burkina Faso.

Special Recognition: Women in Science Award, Conservation Evidence Badge
The Bajgora region in Kosovo, characterized by rich biodiversity, has recently introduced a wind farm, marking a significant milestone in the country’s transition towards renewable energy. This project aims to assess the initial impacts of wind farm operation on the local bat populations, using Bajgora as a case study. Bats play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem balance, acting as natural pest controllers and contributing to biodiversity. However, they are also highly susceptible to wind turbine activity, which can disrupt their habitats, feeding patterns, and migratory routes. By conducting detailed surveys and monitoring bat activity near the wind farm, this study will provide valuable baseline data to understand how the presence of turbines affects these populations. The results of this project will inform future conservation strategies and help establish guidelines for sustainable wind energy development in Kosovo. As Bajgora represents one of the first wind farms in the country, the insights gained here are essential for setting a national precedent on balancing renewable energy growth with biodiversity conservation. Findings will provide a detailed inventory of bat species and insights into their behavior at the Bajgora Wind Farm, informing effective post-construction mitigation measures such as turbine curtailment strategies to reduce fatalities. This research will not only support local biodiversity conservation efforts but also offer critical guidance for developing future legislation and regulatory frameworks in Kosovo, aligning renewable energy development with wildlife protection.