Abstract

URQUIZO, José H; BRACAMONTE, Julio C  and  VAIRA, Marcos. Bat diversity in riparian environments of Selva Pedemontana in the Yungas of Jujuy province, Argentina. Mastozool. neotrop. [online]. 2018, vol.25, n.2, pp.439-453. ISSN 0327-9383.

Riparian environments are important to conserve the fauna that lives in these environments or uses them as corridors between fragmented areas. Bats exploit landscape elements differentially, and among them riparian environments are useful to meet various ecological requirements. We evaluated the diversity of insectivorous and frugivorous bats in riparian environments of the Selva Pedemontana in the Jujuy Province, Argentina, adjacent tonative forest (ARB) or crops (ARC), and compared to the availability of food resources in each type of environment. Between October 2014 and January 2015, 10 mist nets were used to capture bats, 40 sticky traps were used to estimate the richness and abundance of flying insects, and eight transects were carried out to account for chiropterophilic fruits. Ninety-four bats of eight species were captured. Completeness was greater than 90% in both environments (Chao1). Richness was similar in ARB and ARC, but species composition differed (SP: 50%). ARB registered a marked dominance of the frugivorous species Sturnira lilium. In contrast, the most common species in ARC was the insectivorous species Molossops temminckii and the abundances of individuals were lower than in ARB. The availability of food resources was lower in ARC, resulting in a change in the composition and structure of bat assembly. In addition to protecting riparian environments, it is necessary to preserve fragments of adjacent native forest.

Keywords : Assemblage; Bats; Riparian environments; Soil use.

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