Roger W. Perry U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station Hot Springs, Arkansas

1. Bat Research at SRS Roger W. Perry U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station Hot Springs, Arkansas

2. Why should foresters care about bats: • Federal legal requirements • The Multiple Use and Sustained Yield Act of 1960: Requires USFS to consider wildlife and timber equally. • The endangered species act of 1973: Requires any action carried out (or funded) by USFS will not jeopardize endangered species or adversely modify their critical habitat. • Ecological • The primary nocturnal • consumer of flying insects • (single bat can consume • 6000 mosquitos/night). • Large impact on forest • and agriculture pest • management.

3. Recent study: bats save 3.7 billion/year in agricultural losses due to insect consumption

4. 19 species or subspecies of bats in the eastern US. Currently endangered (21% of species) Indiana bat Gray bat Ozark big-eared bat Virginia big-eared bat Currently under review/rapidly declining (42%) Northern long-eared bat Eastern small-footed bat Little brown bat Eastern pipistrelle (tri-colored)

5. Why are bat populations so easy to perturbed? • Life history: • One pup per year • Up to 25 yr lifespan • Populations are slow to recover

6. Recent causes of declines/threats Wind turbines Red, silver-haired, hoary White-nose syndrome

7. White-nose syndrome (WNS) has the potential to eliminate entire populations of some species

8. Little brown bat Potential regional extinction in the northeast U.S. in 16 years due to WNS

9. WNS caused by fungus (Geomyces destructans). • Thrives in the cold, moist environs of caves during winter. • Common in Europe, but does not cause wide mortality. • Invades tissues of hibernating bats during winter.

11. SRS bat research program Goal: To provide forest managers with information on how their activities affect bats and how they can reduce stresses to populations. Other goals: Multiagency efforts to combat emerging threats such as white-nose syndrome.

12. How do we accomplish those goals? • Conduct research investigating effects of forest management on bats. • Providing literature synthesis and reviews for managers and other researchers. • Consultation with district and regional managers. • Cooperation with other federal and state agencies, universities, and private entities to combat complex issues.

13. Some current and recent efforts. • Effects of forest management on summer and winter roosting. • Effects of forest management on foraging. • Effects of controlled burning on bat habitat. • Potential direct effects of winter burning on litter-hibernating bats. • Bats and fire synthesis. • Developing nation-wide, interagency monitoring design for population changes.

14. Summer roost locations of bats in relation to timber management

15. Thinning and burning increases the suitability of pine stands for bat foraging.

16. Bats in leaf litter during winter

17. Expected energy use by hibernating red bats over a 24-hour period under leaf litter during winter Metabolic rate (O2 mL/Hr) Time

18. Questions