The Barbastelle Bat ( Barbastella barbastellus ) By Joshua Humphries - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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The Barbastelle Bat ( Barbastella barbastellus ) By Joshua Humphries - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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ENVS 2102 Species Management of The Barbastelle Bat ( Barbastella barbastellus ) By Joshua Humphries What is the Barbastelle? Native UK Bat. Member of the Order Microchiroptera . (Waters & Waters, 2009: p.8) Distinctive

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Species Management of The Barbastelle Bat (Barbastella barbastellus)

By Joshua Humphries ENVS 2102

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What is the Barbastelle?

  • Native UK Bat.
  • Member of the Order

“Microchiroptera”.

(Waters & Waters, 2009: p.8)

  • Distinctive features:

(Wildscreen, 2013a) (JNCC, 2001)

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Previous Status/Distribution

Past Distribution: Sparsely recorded around England and Wales. Past Status: Population estimated to be around 5000 individuals.

Country Estimated Number of Barbastelles

England 4500 Wales 500 Scotland Northern Ireland Total 5000 Created from JNCC (2007).

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Current UK Distribution

Barbastelle Range and Distribution 1980-2006

(JNCC, 2007) (Bat Conservation Trust , 2014)

Woodland Survey 2006-2012

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Current UK Status

  • Overall Status: “Unknown”.

(JNCC, 2007: p.8)

  • Current Population Trend: “Unknown”.

(JNCC, 2007: p.8)

  • Listed as Priority Species under Biodiversity

Action Plan.

(JNCC, 2001)

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Current International Distribution

(Hutson et al, 2008)

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Life History Traits

  • Life History Strategies:

Hibernation and Torpor.

  • Hibernation Duration:

October to May.

  • Hibernacula:

Caves, trees, houses.

(Wildscreen, 2013a)

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Life Span and Breeding Strategy

  • Lifespan: 20-30

years.

  • Polygynous.
  • K-Strategists.

(Waters & Waters, 2009)

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Habitat Requirements

  • Roosting Habitat: Veteran/Dead trees of

Ancient Broadleaved woodland.

  • Foraging Habitat: Hedgerows and water

features e.g. streams.

(Greenaway, 2005a) (Hedgelink, 2007)

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  • “99%” of prey consists of Lepidoptera (Moths).

(Sierro & Arlettaz, 1997: p.1)

  • Catch prey by Aerial Hawking.
  • Locate prey using ultrasonic pulse, at “32kHz”.

(Bat Conservation Trust, 2010)

Feeding Habits

(JNCC, 2001)

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  • No confirmed records.

Assumed to be predated by:

  • Domestic Cats.
  • Various bird species.

Predators

Potential bird predators of bats

Hawks and Falcons Corvids Gulls and skuas Owls Adapted from Speakman (1991).

(Wildscreen, 2013b)

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Species Management Methods

Methods to manage Roosting Habitat: Method 1: Reinstate Pollarding within woodland. Method 2: Maintain Dead Wood. Method 3: Set aside Unmanaged areas of woodland.

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Reinstate Pollarding

  • Cut the top branches of veteran

trees.

  • Cut on rotation of around “20

years”. (Starr, 2005: p.140)

(Starr, 2005) Advantages Disadvantages Prolong trees life span. May kill veteran tree. Creation of cracks and crevices for barbastelle. Chance of destroying barbastelle roosts.

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Maintain Dead Wood

  • Maintain around 70m3 of

dead wood, per hectare of ancient woodland.

  • Preserves suitable

roosting habitat for barbastelles.

Adapted from (Greenaway, 2001).

Expected Roost selection Observed Roost selection

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Set aside unmanaged areas

  • Set aside 10 trees per

hectare of woodland, to be unmanaged.

  • Trees should be

connected by linear features.

Advantages Disadvantages Provides roosting habitat. Tree may become top-heavy and fall

  • ver.

Reduces disturbance during hibernation. (Forestry Commission, 2005)

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Methods to manage Flight Lines and Foraging Habitat: Method 1: Plant trees alongside hedgerows. Method 2: Fill-in gapped hedgerows. Method 3: Erect fencing around Water features.

Species Management Methods

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Plant trees alongside hedgerows

  • 10m hedgerows may be

more obvious as flight paths.

  • Planting of trees can

increase hedgerow width. However:

  • Observations from a study

reveal that hedgerows of varying widths were used by

  • ther bat species.

(Natural England, 2008)

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Fill-in Gapped Hedgerows

Fragmented Flight Paths Continuous Flight Paths

  • Gaps in hedgerows

increase risk of bat predation.

  • Planting up gaps would

increase the continuity of flight paths, thus connecting roosting and foraging habitats.

Adapted from Greenway (2005b).

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Erect Fencing around Water Features

  • Livestock can remove the

food-source of lepidoptera, thus limiting barbastelle prey abundance.

  • Fencing can effectively

exclude livestock.

Advantages Disadvantages Increases food abundance of barbastelle prey. Scrub encroachment . Provides barbastelle prey with shelter. (JNCC, 2001).

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Habitat Management Methods

Methods to manage Ancient Broadleaved Woodland: Method 1: Cull Deer Population. Method 2: Erect Deer Fencing. Method 3: Introduce Rotational Coppicing.

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Cull Deer Population

Threat: Deer browsing. Management: Around “20%”

(Mayle, 1999:p.10) of adult females

in a population must be culled, per year. Potential Benefits:

  • Promotes woodland

regeneration and expansion.

  • Increase in food abundance
  • f barbastelle prey.

(Forestry Commission, 2010).

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Erect Deer Fencing

Management: Erection of fencing. Potential Benefits: Can exclude the predominant number of deer from a woodland. However:

  • Can indirectly lead to

increased browsing of

  • ther woodland.

Grazed Un-Grazed

(Mayle, 1999).

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Species Mesh size (mm) Fence Height (m) Fallow 220 x 200 1.5 Roe 200 x 150 1.2 Muntjac 75 x 75 1.5

Erect Deer Fencing

Adapted from Mayle (1999).

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Introduce Rotational Coppicing

Threat: Dense tree canopy. Management: Rotationally cut trees, every “two or three years”. (Sutherland, 1995: p.336) Potential Benefits:

  • Increase woodland

regeneration.

  • Increase in food abundance
  • f barbastelle prey.

(Plantlife, 2010).

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Habitat Management Methods

Methods to manage Hedgerows and Water Features: Method 1: Rotationally Cut Hedgerow. Method 2: Create a Buffer Strip around hedgerows and water features.

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Rotationally Cut Hedgerow

Threat: Over-cutting of hedgerow. Management: Trim hedgerow every 2 or 3 years, instead of annually. Potential Benefits:

  • Prolonged hedgerow life-span.
  • Food for other wildlife.

Potential Negatives:

  • Clash with management of specific

BAP species.

(Natural England, 2007).

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Create a Buffer Strip

  • Threat: Pesticide spray and fertilizer run-off.

Management: Establish a buffer strip of around 6-12m, around hedgerows and water courses. Potential Benefits:

  • Hedgerow will be maintained.
  • Provides food for wildlife.
  • May lead to an increase in

lepidoptera, supporting barbastelles.

(RSPB, 2007).

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Conclusion

  • The Barbastelle is a very rare and severely

threatened species, throughout the UK.

  • To conserve the species, habitats must be

managed sympathetically and specifically, with barbastelle bats in mind.

  • However, each habitats own specific threats

must also be managed, to maintain each habitat at FCS.

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Any Questions?

(Wildscreen, 2013a)

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References

  • Bat Conservation Trust (2010) Barbastelle Bat:Barbastella
  • barbastellus. [Online] Available from

http://www.bats.org.uk/data/files/Species_Info_sheets/barbast elle_11.02.13.PDF [Accessed 12 April 2014].

  • Bat Conservation Trust (2013). The National Bat Monitoring
  • Programme. London, Bat Conservation Trust.
  • Bat Conservation Trust (2012) The state of the UK’s bats:

National bat monitoring programme population trends 2012. London, Bat Conservation Trust.

  • Bat Conservation Trust (2014). Woodland survey results
  • 2012. [Online] Available from:

http://www.bats.org.uk/pages/woodland_survey_results_2012 .html [Accessed 12 April 2014].

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  • Battersby, J. (2005) UK mammals: species status and

population trends. Peterborough, JNCC/Tracking mammals partnership.

  • Barkham J.P. (1992) The effects of management on the

ground flora of ancient woodland, Brigsteer Park Wood, Cumbria, England. Biological Conservation, 60 (3), 167-187.

  • Boughey, K.L., Lake, I.R., Haysom, K.A. & Dolman, P.M.

(2011) Improving the biodiversity benefits of hedgerows: how physical characteristics and the proximity of foraging habitat affect the use of linear features by bats. Biological Conservation, 144 (6), 1790–1798.

  • Chamberlain, D., Gough, S., Anderson, G., Macdonald, M.,

Grice, P. & Vickery, J. (2009) Bird use of cultivated fallow ‘Lapwing plots’ within English agri‐environment schemes. Bird Study, 56 (3), 289-297.

References

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  • Forestry Commission (2005) Woodland Management for bats.

West Yorkshire, Forestry Commission.

  • Forestry Commission (2010) Managing ancient and native

woodland in England. Bristol, Forestry Commission England.

  • Greenaway, F. (2005b) Advice for the management of

flightlines and foraging habitats of the barbastelle bat Barbastella barbastellus. Peterborough, English Nature.

  • Greenaway, F. (2008) Mammals of the british isles:
  • handbook. 4th edition. Southampton, The Mammal

Society.

References

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  • Greenaway, F. (2001) The Barbastelle in Britain. British
  • Wildlife. 12 (5), 327-334.
  • Greenaway, F. (2005a) Woodland management advice for

Bechstein’s bat and barbastelle bat. Peterborough, English Nature.

  • Harris, S. Morris, P. Wray, S. & Yalden, D. (1995) A review of

British mammals: population estimates and conservation status of British mammals other than cetaceans. [Online] Available from: http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/pub03_areviewofbritishmammalsal l.pdf [Accessed 12 April 2014].

  • Hedgelink (2007) The hedgerow management cycle & scale

(HLNK03). [Online] Available from: http://www.ptes.org/files/1353_hedgemanagementcycle.pdf [Accessed 14 May 2014].

References

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  • Humphrey, J., Stevenson, A., Whitfield, P. & Swailes, J.

(2002) Life in the deadwood: a guide to managing deadwood in forestry commission forests. Edinburgh, Forestry Commission.

  • Hutson, A.M., Aulagnier, S. & Spitzenberger, F.

(2008) Barbastella barbastellus. [Online] Available from: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/2553/0 [Accessed 12 April 2014].

  • JNCC (2007) Conservation status assessment for

s1308: Barbastella barbastellus – barbastelle. [Online] Available from: http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/Article17/FCS2007-S1308- audit-Final.pdf [Accessed 12 April 2014].

References

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  • JNCC (2001) Habitat management for bats: a guide for land

managers, land owners and their advisers. Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

  • Mayle, B.A. (1990) A biological basis for bat conservation in

British woodlands–a review. Mammal Review, 20 (4), 159– 195.

  • Mayle, B. (1999) Managing deer in the countryside: practice
  • note. [Online] Available from:

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fcpn6.pdf/$FILE/fcpn6.pdf [Accessed 6 March 2014].

  • Natural England (2007) Hedge cutting: answers to 18

common questions. [Online] Available from: http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/39004?c ategory=9006 [Accessed 14 May 2014].

References

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  • Natural England (2008) Hedge planting: answers to 18

common questions. [Online] Available from: http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/39004?c ategory=9006 [Accessed 15 May 2014].

  • Natural England (2011) Protecting water from agricultural run-
  • ff: buffer strips. [Online] Available from:

http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/31003 [Accessed 15 May 2014].

  • Natural England (2000) Veteran trees: a guide to good
  • management. [Online] Available from:

http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/75035 [Accessed 14 May 2014].

References

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  • Pollard, E. & Cooke, A.S. (1994) Impact of muntjac deer

Muntiacus reevesi on egg-laying sites of the white admiral butterfly Ladoga camilla in a Cambridgeshire wood. Biological Conservation, 70 (2), 189–191.

  • Putman, R.J. & Moore, N.P. (1998) Impact of deer in lowland

Britain on agriculture, forestry and conservation habitats. Mammal Review, 28 (4), 141–164.

  • Rackham, O. (2008), Ancient woodlands: modern threats.

New Phytologist, 180 (3), 571–586.

  • RSPB (2007) Buffer strips on grassland. [Online] Available

from: http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/buffer_grass_england_tcm9- 207690.pdf [Accessed 19 April 2014].

References

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  • Russo, D., Cistrone, L., Jones, G. & Mazzoleni, S. (2004)

Roost selection by barbastelle bats (Barbastella barbastellus, Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in beech woodlands of central Italy: consequences for conservation. Biological Conservation, 117 (1), 73-81.

  • Scott, D., Welch, D., Thurlow, M. & Elston, D.A. (2000)

Regeneration of Pinus sylvestris in a natural pinewood in NE Scotland following reduction in grazing by Cervus elaphus. Forest Ecology and Management, 130 (1-3), 199-211.

  • Speakman, J.R. (1991) The impact of predation by birds on

bat populations in the British Isles. Mammal Review, 21 (3), 123–142.

  • Starr, C. (2005) Woodland management: a practical guide. 2nd
  • edition. Ramsbury, The Crowood Press Ltd.

References

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  • Sierro, A. & Arlettaz, R. (1997) Barbastelle bats (Barbastella spp.)

specialize in the predation of moths: implications for foraging tactics and conservation. Acta Oecologica. 18 (2), 91-106.

  • Sutherland, W.J. (1995) Managing habitats for conservation.

Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

  • Waters, D. & Waters, R. (2009) Bats. 2nd edition. Southampton, The

Mammal Society.

  • Wildscreen (2013a) Barbastelle bat (Barbastella barbastellus).

[Online] Available from: http://www.arkive.org/barbastelle- bat/barbastella-barbastellus/image-A24239.html [Accessed 12 April 2014].

  • Wildscreen (2013b) Tawny owl (Strix aluco). [Online] Available from:

http://www.arkive.org/tawny-owl/strix-aluco/ [Accessed 14 April 2014].

References