Diversity and Abundance of Roadkilled Bats in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Lucas Damásio,
Laís Amorim Ferreira,
Vinícius Teixeira Pimenta,
Greiciane Gaburro Paneto,
Alexandre Rosa dos Santos,
Albert David Ditchfield,
Helena Godoy Bergallo,
Aureo Banhos
Affiliations
Lucas Damásio
Centro de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e da Saúde, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Alto Universitário, s/nº, Guararema, Alegre 29500-000, ES, Brazil
Laís Amorim Ferreira
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Animal), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Prédio Bárbara Weinberg, Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
Vinícius Teixeira Pimenta
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Animal), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Prédio Bárbara Weinberg, Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
Greiciane Gaburro Paneto
Centro de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e da Saúde, Departamento de Farmácia e Nutrição, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Alto Universitário, s/nº, Guararema, Alegre 29500-000, ES, Brazil
Alexandre Rosa dos Santos
Centro de Ciências Agrárias e Engenharias, Departamento de Engenharia Rural, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Alto Universitário, s/nº, Guararema, Alegre 29500-000, ES, Brazil
Albert David Ditchfield
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Animal), Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Prédio Bárbara Weinberg, Vitória 29075-910, ES, Brazil
Helena Godoy Bergallo
Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, RJ, Brazil
Aureo Banhos
Centro de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e da Saúde, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Alto Universitário, s/nº, Guararema, Alegre 29500-000, ES, Brazil
Faunal mortality from roadkill has a negative impact on global biodiversity, and bats are among the roadkilled animals. In South America, the Atlantic Forest covers southeastern Brazil, a region which sustains a large bat diversity. In this biome, the Sooretama reserves are crossed by the federal highway BR-101, one of the busiest in Brazil. We analyzed bats roadkilled along the 25 km stretch of highway that crosses the Sooretama reserves. Data were collected between the years 2010 and 2015. In total, 773 individuals distributed among 47 bat species were roadkilled during this period. The insectivorous feeding guild was the most affected, accounting for 25 species and 74% of the recorded roadkill, and those flying in the open area were the most frequently roadkilled (41.9%). Bat mortality rates did not differ between months of the year. However, the relation between rainy days and roadkill was negative. Monitoring by foot was more efficient than by car for detection of bat carcasses. Radars with a speed limit below 60 km/h reduced the rates of roadkill. The diversity of deceased bats found in this study represents 40% of the known species in the Atlantic Forest, and is the largest among current studies of species killed on highways globally. The present study raises concerns about the high diversity and abundance of roadkilled insectivorous bats and the conservation of these animals in the Neotropical region.
