Effects of Habitat Management for Small Game Species on Bat Activity in Three French Mediterranean Scrublands

This study examines the impact of habitat management on the seasonal and spatial activities of bat species in Mediterranean scrublands of southern France. Three study sites, presenting managed and unmanaged scrublands, were sampled by acoustic recording to assess their ecological potential for bat conservation. General linear mixed models (GLMMs) were used to identify the key factors driving variation in activity patterns of these areas. A total of 16 bat species were recorded, and no significant differences in taxonomic composition were found between managed and unmanaged areas. Bats have an opportunistic tendency to explore different habitats over long distances. In addition to the strong seasonal dynamics observed in most species, we found evidence of a shift in activity rhythms suggesting species adaptation to seasonal thermal variations and prey availability. In this study, the impact of managed areas on activity patterns depends on the functional traits of each species. Level of activity differed considerably from one species to another, suggesting that the ‘management’ effect is not the only ecological parameter involved in conditioning bats’ preferred occupancy patterns.