SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF SMALL-SCALE HABITAT DISTURBANCE ON ACTIVITY BY INSECTIVOROUS BATS

Forest harvesting alters habitat, which may affect bat activity. We ex perimentally tested the effect of small-scale disturbances (the creati on of small cutblocks [areas where trees have been harvested]) and an access road in a forest setting on habitat use by bats we monitored wi th ultrasonic detectors. Relative to the control year, bat activity in creased (P < 0.05) in the summer after cutblocks and the road were cre ated, but activity did not vary with cutblock size (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 ha). In contrast to bat activity, insect availability was unaffected b y harvesting activities. These results suggest small forest openings m ay offer opportunities for bats to forage and provide orientation poin ts for bats while navigating at a landscape level. However, the long-t erm effects of larger-scale habitat disturbances on bat ecology are st ill unclear, and caution should be exercised when applying these resul ts to forest management plans.