Changing with the times: Seasonal environmental gradients unveil dynamic bat assemblages and vulnerability

• Published in: Ecology and evolution Vol. 13; no. 7; pp. e10246 - n/a
• Main Authors: Raposeira, Helena, Horta, Pedro, Heleno, Ruben, Rebelo, Hugo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.07.2023; John Wiley and Sons Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: bat assemblages; Bats; Biodiversity; Chiroptera; Climate change; Community Ecology; Conservation; Conservation status; Discriminant analysis; ecological plasticity; Ecology; Environmental changes; Environmental conditions; Environmental effects; Environmental gradient; Habitats; mountains; Plastic properties; Plasticity; Seasonal variations; seasonality; Variables; vulnerability assessment; Portugal; mountains; bat assemblages; ecological plasticity; vulnerability assessment; seasonality; climate change
• ISSN: 2045-7758; 2045-7758
• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10246

Uncovering the temporal and spatial dynamics of biological communities in response to biotic and abiotic drivers is essential to predict the effects of environmental change on biodiversity. Similarly, estimating species vulnerability in the face of such dynamics is crucial for implementing effective conservation actions. We explored how bat diversity changes over the year across an altitudinal gradient and identified the environmental drivers that shape bat communities. By analysing species' marginality within the biophysical niche space, we evaluated bats' vulnerability to foreseeable environmental changes. Our results suggest that altitude, the proportion of forest cover and shrub cover are the main drivers shaping bat communities year‐round. Additionally, while some bat species are restricted to a single ecological assemblage (or ecological preferences group), others show greater plasticity throughout the year. Importantly, we found that although bats associated with highland habitats and forests could be particularly vulnerable to environmental changes (in particular Myotis mystacinus), this vulnerability correlates poorly with their national conservation status. We suggest that species' ecological plasticity is critical for the resilience of biological communities exposed to environmental changes and should be considered when planning tailored conservation strategies. We assessed bat vulnerability by their seasonal needs across altitudinal gradients. The altitudinal gradient, tree and shrub cover drove the bat community. Bats associated with highland habitats and forests are mainly vulnerable to climate change. Bats' ecological plasticity is critical for the resilience of communities under climate change. Studying vulnerability with ecological plasticity improves species risk assessment.