Bat Assemblages Are Shaped by Land Cover Types and Forest Age: A Case Study from Eastern Ukraine

Eastern European broadleaved forests north of the 50th degree latitude serve as a core breeding area for most migratory bat species wintering in and Central Europe. The southern border this region has faced an increase clear-cutting intensity recent decades. We conducted standardized mist-netting survey on eleven heterogeneous oak forest plots order to assess how land cover types age affect abundance, diversity bats. found that abundance indices richness increased from upland surrounded by agricultural lands riverine or waterside with high cover. Particularly large mature older than 90 years positively affected activity bats, their overall richness. Regarding associations specific habitats, we Myotis brandtii, Nyctalus leisleri Pipistrellus pygmaeus were mainly deciduous stands, while Plecotus auritus appeared be only tolerating clearcuts young stands. Forest-dwelling such noctula nathusii additionally associated water habitats. Thus, combination sources is essential shaping assemblages species.