FSD 2010 - Afribats

5th International Symposium-Workshop on Frugivores and Seed Dispersal (1985-2010)

African and other paleotropical bats

AfriBats – A new knowledge platform for biodiversity research on African Chiroptera by K. M. B. Herkt, G. Barnikel, E. K. V. Kalko, & J. Fahr. Presentation at ATBC-GTÖ joined annual meeting, Marburg, Germany, 27-31 July 2009. Abstract.

Which environmental factors drive diversity among African bat species? Where are centres of endemism and diversity hotspots? Where do they coincide with intensive human land-use? How might climate change affect these patterns?

To address such questions and to support the development of effective and efficient conservation strategies for African bats using e.g. species distribution models, species occurrence data are essential. While these are becoming increasingly available through data portals such as GBIF, data quality is frequently unknown or compromised, especially with respect to taxonomy, species identification, and georeferencing. We therefore developed AfriBats as a knowledge platform that integrates data and information from three principal sources: 1) natural history collections (NHC), 2) published literature, and 3) field capture data. Synthesizing these partly disparate and incongruent data sources requires extensive expert knowledge, but allows unparalleled cross-checks and plausibility tests. (Photo Epomophorus gambianus)

AfriBats currently holds ~ 136,000 occurrence records. About 30,000 of these were gleaned from ~ 2000 publications, 94,000 specimen data received from 31 European and North American NHCs, and 12,000 capture data were obtained through field surveys. This contribution discusses critical issues such as spatial and temporal collecting bias, georeferencing of localities, and challenges regarding an updated and consistent taxonomy.

Fig. Plot of all georeferenced localities contained in AfriBats suggesting considerable spatial variation in sampling density.

Brief History of Megachiroptera

There are over 4,000 mammal species in the world and almost one in four of them is a bat. All bats belong to the order Chiroptera. This order includes two major sub-orders, the Microchiroptera, or true bats, currently comprising 782 species, and the Megachiroptera, comprising 175 species (Neuweiler, 2000).

The Microchiroptera, without exception, possess a highly developed echolocation system (Neuweiler, 2000). Thanks to a combination of echolocation and flying skills most species have become skilful nocturnal hunters and the majority are insect feeders, although other food sources include fish, amphibians, small mammals (including bats), blood, fruit and flowers (e.g. Altringham, 1996). More

Overall, seeds dispersed by African bats are larger and rounder than in those dispersed by bats in America and Australia (Forget et al. 2007).

Some selected references for African Bats

Fahr, J. (in press). 36 chapters (Chiroptera: 3 genus accounts, 33 species accounts), in: The Mammals of Africa, Vol. 4: Hares and Rabbits, Hedgehogs, Shrews and Bats, (eds. Happold, M. & Happold, D. C. D.). Elsevier Science & Academic Press, Amsterdam & London.

Lamb, J. M., Ralph, T. M. C., Goodman, S. M., Bogdanowicz, W., Fahr, J., Gajewska, M., Bates, P. J. J., Eger, J., Benda, P. &. Taylor, P. J., 2008. Phylogeography and predicted distribution of African-Arabian and Malagasy populations of giant mastiff bats, Otomops spp. (Chiroptera: Molossidae). Acta Chiropterologica 10(1): 21-40.

Djossa, B. A., Fahr, J., Kalko, E. K. V. & Sinsin, B., 2008. Fruit selection and effects of seed handling by flying foxes on germination rates of shea trees, a key resource in northern Benin, West Africa. Ecotropica 14(1): 37-48.

Djossa, B. A., Sinsin, B., Kalko, E. K. V. & Fahr, J., 2008. Inventory of bat species of Niaouli Forest, Bénin, and its bearing on the significance of the Dahomey Gap as a zoogeographic barrier. African Bat Conservation News 15: 4-6.

Djossa, B. A., Fahr, J., Wiegand, T., Ayihouénou, B. E., Kalko, E. K. V. & Sinsin, B. A., 2008. Land use impact on Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaerten. stand structure and distribution patterns: A comparison of Biosphere Reserve of Pendjari in Atacora district in Benin. Agroforestry Systems 72(3): 205-220.

Weber, N. & Fahr, J., 2007. A rapid survey of small mammals from Atewa Range Forest Reserve, Eastern Region, Ghana, in: A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve, Eastern Ghana, (eds. McCullough, J., Alonso, L. E., Naskrecki, P., Wright, H. E. & Osei-Owusu, Y.), 90-98, 178-180. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment, Vol. 47. Conservation International, Arlington, Virginia. 194 pp.

More at Jakob Fahrs' website