Big city bats: Species-specific effects of the urban matrix on forearm length and fat stores of bats in the West Midlands, United Kingdom (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Pages	75–82
DOI	10.37520/lynx.2023.005
Keywords	Chiroptera, urban ecology, morphometrics, urban-rural gradient
Citation	HUGHES, Morgan, BROWN, Scott K., FOSTER-PLUME, Denise, LEE, David, REDFERN, Tamar, MADDOCK, Simon a YOUNG, Christopher H.. Big city bats: Species-specific effects of the urban matrix on forearm length and fat stores of bats in the West Midlands, United Kingdom (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Lynx, new series. Prague: National Museum, 2023, 54(1), 75–82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37520/lynx.2023.005. ISSN 0024-7774 (print), 1804-6460 (online). Also available from: https://publikace.nm.cz/en/periodicals/lynx-new-series/54-1/big-city-bats-species-specific-effects-of-the-urban-matrix-on-forearm-length-and-fat-stores-of-bats-in-the-west-midlands-united-kingdom-chiroptera-vespertilionidae

Lynx, new series | 2023/54/1

The effect of urbanisation on size and fat stores in bats has been poorly studied. We compare morphometric data in bats from two areas in the West Midlands, UK: one predominantly agricultural and one built-up. We examined forearm length and fat stores in 1,102 bats of five species (Myotis daubentonii, M. nattereri, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, P. pygmaeus, Plecotus auritus). All except M. daubentoniid were significantly larger in the urban area; fat stores were greater in rural M. nattereri and P. auritus, and in urban M. daubentonii and P. pygmaeus. For P. auritus, the differences were only significant in males.

Full Text of the Article