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Animals
Special Issues
Conservation, Ecology and Health Issues of Forest Bats
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Conservation, Ecology and Health Issues of Forest Bats

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Ecology and Conservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 2303

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ricardo Bovendorp

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Biological Sciences Department, Santa Cruz State University, Bahia CEP 45662-900, Brazil
Interests: forest mammals; bats; brazil; rainforest; biodiversity conservation; population ecology; habitat fragmentation; agroforestry systems; wildlife monitoring; anthropogenic impacts on wildlife
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bats play a crucial role in maintaining forest ecosystems, contributing to seed dispersal, pollination, and insect population control; however, habitat fragmentation, deforestation, climate change, and other anthropogenic disturbances threaten their populations worldwide. Understanding the ecological and behavioral responses of bats to these threats is essential for effective conservation strategies.

This Special Issue aims to advance our knowledge of the ecology, behavior, health issues,and conservation of forest bats, particularly in tropical ecosystems. We invite contributions that explore the impacts of habitat loss, land use changes, and environmental variability on bat populations, as well as studies on species interactions, ecological functions, and conservation strategies. Research using field surveys, bioacoustics, ecological modeling, and interdisciplinary approaches is welcome.

By gathering cutting-edge studies, this Special Issue seeks to support evidence-based conservation efforts and sustainable management practices that ensure the long-term survival of forest bats and the ecosystem services they provide.

We look forward to your contributions.

Dr. Ricardo Bovendorp
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • forest mammals
  • bats
  • Brazil
  • rainforest
  • biodiversity conservation
  • population ecology
  • habitat fragmentation
  • agroforestry systems
  • wildlife monitoring
  • anthropogenic impacts on wildlife

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2335 KB  
Article
Insight into the Skin Mycobiota of Myotis myotis: How Age, Sex, and Biometric Traits Correlate with Fungal Diversity
by Justyna Borzęcka, Jakub Suchodolski, Magdalena Cal-Smok, Joanna Furmankiewicz and Rafał Ogórek
Animals 2025, 15(20), 3020; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15203020 - 17 Oct 2025
Viewed by 313
Abstract
This study examines fungal diversity on the wing and tail membranes of the Greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) in autumn, focusing on age, sex, forearm length, and weight. Samples from 15 bats in the Połom caves (Poland) were cultured at 5 [...] Read more.
This study examines fungal diversity on the wing and tail membranes of the Greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) in autumn, focusing on age, sex, forearm length, and weight. Samples from 15 bats in the Połom caves (Poland) were cultured at 5 °C, 24 °C, and 37 °C. A total of 39 fungal species were identified, with higher diversity on wing membranes. The highest species count occurred at 24 °C (35 species), followed by 5 °C (19 species), and 37 °C (11 species), indicating most isolates were psychrotolerant or mesophilic. The number of fungal species increased with the number of males (rS = 0.181, p = 0.518) and with bat age (rS = 0.190, p = 0.497), particularly in males (rS = 0.455, p = 0.186), and female age showed a negative correlation (rS = −0.363, p = 0.548). In turn, the length of the female forearm as well as their body weight negatively affected the number of species occurring on their wing and tail membranes (rS = −0.667, p = 0.219, and rS = −0.975, p = 0.004, respectively). In the case of M. myotis males, positive effects of forearm length (rS = 0.341, p = 0.334) and body weight (rS = 0.210, p = 0.559) on the number of fungal species inhabiting them were noted. The most frequently isolated species was Apiospora arundinis. The absence of Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) suggests caves, rather than bats, are the primary Pd reservoirs. The observed fungal diversity and its correlation with biometric traits may have implications for the health and ecology of M. myotis. The study establishes a baseline for understanding fungal-bat interactions, with potential relevance for disease surveillance and conservation strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conservation, Ecology and Health Issues of Forest Bats)
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13 pages, 3118 KB  
Article
Landscape Composition and Forest Structure Shape Phyllostomid Bat Assemblages in the Atlantic Forest Remnants
by Ricardo Bovendorp, Eduardo Mariano-Neto, Albérico Queiroz and Deborah Faria
Animals 2025, 15(14), 2082; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15142082 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 1523
Abstract
Habitat loss and land-use intensification are major threats to biodiversity in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, particularly for bat assemblages that provide key ecosystem services. In this study, we examined how landscape composition (forest and pasture cover) and local forest structure influence the richness [...] Read more.
Habitat loss and land-use intensification are major threats to biodiversity in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, particularly for bat assemblages that provide key ecosystem services. In this study, we examined how landscape composition (forest and pasture cover) and local forest structure influence the richness and abundance of phyllostomid bats across 20 forest fragments in southern Bahia. Bat sampling was conducted using mist nets, and forest structure was quantified using tree measurements and vertical foliage stratification. We applied structural equation modeling to test the direct and indirect effects of landscape and local variables. Our results show that forest cover has both direct and indirect positive effects on bat diversity, mediated by improved forest structure. In contrast, increased pasture cover negatively affected forest structure and was weakly associated with bat diversity. The most abundant species were generalist frugivores, such as Carollia perspicillata and Rhinophylla pumilio. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining forest cover and structural complexity to support bat diversity in agroforestry-dominated landscapes. Conservation strategies that integrate habitat protection with sustainable land-use practices are crucial to maintaining biodiversity and the ecological functions provided by bats in this globally threatened biome. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conservation, Ecology and Health Issues of Forest Bats)
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