Variation in catchment areas of Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) hibernacula inferred from stable hydrogen (δ²H) isotope analysis

Authors: Britzke, E.R.¹; Loeb, S.C.²; Romanek, C.S.³; Hobson, K.A.⁴; Vonhof, M.J.⁵

Source: Canadian Journal of Zoology, Volume 90, Number 10, September 2012 , pp. 1243-1250(8)

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Abstract:

Understanding seasonal movements of bats is important for effective conservation efforts. Although female Indiana bats (<named-content content-type="species" xlink:type="simple">Myotis sodalis</named-content> Miller and Allen, 1928) have been documented to migrate >500 km, knowledge of their migratory patterns is still extremely limited. We used the relationship between latitude and stable hydrogen isotope ratio in bat hair (δ²H_hair) to estimate the north-south extent of the summer range (catchment area) of bats hibernating in 14 Indiana bat hibernacula in eight states throughout its range. Range of δ²H_hair values varied substantially among hibernacula, suggesting large differences among sites in the north-south distance travelled by bats between summer and winter habitats. In particular, hibernacula in the southern portion of the range had greater catchment areas than those in the central and northern portions of the range. Variability in movement distances among sites was not associated with the number of hair samples analyzed or colony size. Significant year-to-year variation (2007-2008 to 2008-2009) in the distribution of δ²H_hair for two sites in Tennessee was observed. Currently, hibernacula considered important for species conservation are largely determined by population size, but our results suggest that migratory diversity should also be considered.

Keywords: catchment area; deuterium; hibernacula; Indiana bat; Myotis sodalis; migration; stable isotope analysis; aire de recrutement; deutérium; hibernaculum; chauve-souris de l'Indiana; Myotis sodalis; migration; analyse des isotopes stables

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z2012-093

Affiliations: 1: US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180, USA. 2: US Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA. 3: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA. 4: Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5, Canada. 5: Department of Biological Sciences and Environmental Studies Program, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, USA.

Publication date: 2012-09-19

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Published since 1929, this monthly journal reports on primary research contributed by respected international scientists in the broad field of zoology, including behaviour, biochemistry and physiology, developmental biology, ecology, genetics, morphology and ultrastructure, parasitology and pathology, and systematics and evolution. It also invites experts to submit review articles on topics of current interest.
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