Hello Bioacoustics-L,
The following article can be downloaded by list subscribers at
http://www.uvm.edu/~bmitchel/Bioacoustics.html.
Flaquer, Carles, Ignacio Torre, and Antoni Arrizabalaga. 2007.
Comparison of sampling methods for inventory of bat communities. Journal
of Mammalogy 88(2):526-533.
ABSTRACT: From 1999 to 2005, we sampled the bat fauna of Catalonia
(northeastern Spain, Mediterranean region) using 3 methods (bat
detectors, mist nets, and roost surveys) and determined the total number
of bat species present (S = 22). Twelve bat species and 5 acoustic
groups (>= 5 different species) were identified using bat detectors, 17
species were found during roost inspections, and 13 species were trapped
using mist nets. However, mist nets yielded the highest species richness
per number of individuals sampled, as demonstrated by rarefaction. Some
species were always either over- or undersampled according to the
sampling method used. We also evaluated 3 guilds of bats defined by
summer roost preferences, documenting a significant correlation between
guild and detection method; cavity-roosting bats were underrepresented
when only bat detectors and mist-net surveys were used, whereas rock
crevices or man-made structure and tree guilds were underrepresented
when only roosts were surveyed. Different techniques should be used to
assess the richness of bat communities and we recommend combining all
the methods described above in future bat surveys.
Brian Mitchell
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