Skip to Main Content
U.S. Forest Service
Caring for the land and serving people

United States Department of Agriculture

Home > Search > Publication Information

  1. Observations of little myotis (myotis Lucifugus) habitat associations and activity in the Chugach National Forest, Alaska

    Share via EmailShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare on Twitter
    Dislike this pubLike this pub
    Author(s): Susan C. Loeb; Eric A. Winters; Marion E. Glaser; Marian L. Snively; Kevin S. Laves; Jessica K. Ilse
    Date: 2014
    Source: Northwestern Naturalist
    Publication Series: Scientific Journal (JRNL)
    Station: Southern Research Station
    PDF: Download Publication  (1.04 MB)

    Description

    Little is known about the ecological relationships of bats of Southcentral Alaska. We used AnaBat II bat detectors, mist-netting, and radio-telemetry to collect preliminary data on the distribution and status of bats on the Chugach National Forest (CNF), their activity patterns, and their roosting and foraging habitats. Myotis spp. were detected at 20 of 25 acoustic sampling sites. Bat activity tended to be higher at water sites than at road or trail sites, and higher in hardwood stands than in conifer stands, although these differences were not statistically significant. Based on data recorded at a maternity roost, the total activity period for bats during July was approximately 5 h per night; no bat activity was observed prior to sunset or after sunrise at any of the sites. Hourly activity was not related to temperature, but activity ended earlier on cooler nights. An adult male Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus) was tracked to a day-roost in a large Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) snag with sloughing bark. Most female Little Brown Myotis captured at a maternity roost were either lactating or post-lactating. These preliminary findings suggest that bats are common on the CNF, but more research is needed to determine their habitat associations and their responses to disturbances including forest management practices, fire, insect outbreaks, climate change , and disease.

    Publication Notes

    • You may send email to pubrequest@fs.fed.us to request a hard copy of this publication.
    • (Please specify exactly which publication you are requesting and your mailing address.)
    • We recommend that you also print this page and attach it to the printout of the article, to retain the full citation information.
    • This article was written and prepared by U.S. Government employees on official time, and is therefore in the public domain.

    Citation

    Loeb, Susan C.; Winters, Eric A.; Glaser, Marion E.; Snively, Marian L.; Laves, Kevin S.; Isle, Jessica K. 2014. Observations of little myotis (myotis Lucifugus) habitat associations and activity in the Chugach National Forest, Alaska. Northwester Naturalist 95:264-276 13 p.

    Keywords

    activity patterns, Alaska, Chugach National Forest, foraging habitat, habitat associations, Little Brown Myotis, maternity roost, Myotis lucifugus, snag roost

    Related Search

    XML: View XML
Show More
Show Fewer
Jump to Top of Page
https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/47446