Woodland study reveals batty secrets
A study led by Stirling University has produced evidence of the characteristics of planted woodlands that are likely to benefit bats and other wildlife.
The research is part of the Woodland Creation and Ecological Networks (WrEN) project between the university, Forest Research and Natural England, which is using a large-scale natural experiment to assess the impact of 160 years of woodland creation on current biodiversity.
The results, published in the journal‘Ecological Applications’, show species of bat respond differently to local woodland attributes and surrounding landscapes, depending on their mobility.
The study also shows that landscape characteristics are most important for bats in intensively farmed landscapes where woodland loss and fragmentation have been more severe.
Lead author Dr Elisa FuentesMontemayor, Research Fellow at the university, said:“These findings suggest that increasing the amount of woodland in a landscape would be a valuable conservation strategy for species which are highly mobile, such as Natterer’s bats.
“However, our study also suggests specifically targeted planting to improve woodland connectivity is particularly important for less mobile species.”
Researchers hope this study will help inform conservation actions and policies focused on the creation and restoration of habitats in landscapes where they have become fragmented.