title: Phyllostomid bat occurrence in successional stages of neotropical dry forests.
abstract: Tropical dry forests (TDFs) are highly endangered tropical ecosystems being replaced by a complex mosaic of patches of different successional stages, agricultural fields and pasturelands. In this context, it is urgent to understand how taxa playing critical ecosystem roles respond to habitat modification. Because Phyllostomid bats provide important ecosystem services (e.g. facilitate gene flow among plant populations and promote forest regeneration), in this study we aimed to identify potential patterns on their response to TDF transformation in sites representing four different successional stages (initial, early, intermediate and late) in three Neotropical regions: México, Venezuela and Brazil. We evaluated bat occurrence at the species, ensemble (abundance) and assemblage level (species richness and composition, guild composition). We also evaluated how bat occurrence was modulated by the marked seasonality of TDFs. In general, we found high seasonal and regional specificities in phyllostomid occurrence, driven by specificities at species and guild levels. For example, highest frugivore abundance occurred in the early stage of the moistest TDF, while highest nectarivore abundance occurred in the same stage of the driest TDF. The high regional specificity of phyllostomid responses could arise from: (1) the distinctive environmental conditions of each region, (2) the specific behavior and ecological requirements of the regional bat species, (3) the composition, structure and phenological patterns of plant assemblages in the different stages, and (4) the regional landscape composition and configuration. We conclude that, in tropical seasonal environments, it is imperative to perform long-term studies considering seasonal variations in environmental conditions and plant phenology, as well as the role of landscape attributes. This approach will allow us to identify potential patterns in bat responses to habitat modification, which constitute an invaluable tool for not only bat biodiversity conservation but also for the conservation of the key ecological processes they provide.
authors.affiliation: Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, México ; Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, México.
authors.forename: Luis Daniel
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Avila-Cabadilla
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, México ; Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kathryn Elizabeth
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Stoner
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas Altos de Pipe, Caracas, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Jafet M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nassar
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mario M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Espírito-Santo
authors.affiliation: Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, México.
authors.forename: Mariana Yolotl
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Añorve
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas Altos de Pipe, Caracas, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Carla I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Aranguren
authors.affiliation: INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Site Agroparc, Avignon, France.
authors.forename: Mickael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas Altos de Pipe, Caracas, Venezuela.
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: González-Carcacía
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Dolabela Falcão
authors.affiliation: Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: Gerardo Arturo
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Azofeifa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D001938:Brazil; D002685:Chiroptera; D017753:Ecosystem; D008800:Mexico; D012621:Seasons; D014197:Trees; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014687:Venezuela