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Variation in abundance and body condition of the Meletse bat assemblage, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Dissertation (MSc (Wildlife Management))--University of Pretoria, 2020.

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Other Authors: Keith, Mark
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2020
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Keith, Mark
author_browse Keith, Mark
author_facet Keith, Mark
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2019 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MSc (Wildlife Management))--University of Pretoria, 2020.
format Thesis
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:37:23.306Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2020
publishDateRange 2020
publishDateSort 2020
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
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source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/76620 Variation in abundance and body condition of the Meletse bat assemblage, Limpopo Province, South Africa Keith, Mark u29184933@tuks.co.za Seamark, Ernest Shanahan, Monique Wildlife Management Ecology UCTD Dissertation (MSc (Wildlife Management))--University of Pretoria, 2020. More studies are needed to understand how bat assemblages vary temporally in conjunction with environmental factors. This study investigated the temporal variations in relative abundance and body condition of a bat species assemblage in relation to with temperature and rainfall variations. Bats were captured and recorded using passive (echolocation recordings) and active monitoring (mist net and harp trap captures). The temporal variation in relative abundance, activity and body condition as temperatures and rainfall changed. Temperature was the main factor that correlated with variations in relative abundance and activity for Rhinolophus blasii, Miniopterus natalensis, Scotophilus dinganii and Neoromicia zuluensis. Relative activity peaked from spring to summer and reduced from autumn to winter. Body condition was positively correlated with both temperature and rainfall for Hipposideros caffer, R. simulator, R. smithersi, Nycteris thebaica, Min. natalensis and S. dinganii. These results indicate that Forearm Mass Index (FMI) changes in autumn to winter for H. caffer, Min. natalensis and N. capensis, and in spring to summer for R. blasii, Ny. thebaica, Min natalensis, Myotis tricolor, S. dinganii, N. capensis, N. zuluensis and Pipistrellus rusticus. These variations are important when developing management systems in the Meletse mountains to monitor important seasonal changes. Monitoring should consider breeding seasons and key species such as Min. natalensis, R. blasii and R. simulator which were strongly correlated with temperature and rainfall variations. This study can serve as a baseline for long-term monitoring programmes to assess high-risk species and develop early warning systems for conservation. This information is also critical for national and international reporting programmes and illustrates the importance of incorporating multiple monitoring techniques in developing temporal monitoring programmes to accurately assess bat assemblages. National Research Foundation (NRF) Ref: SFH160720180270 The Rufford Foundation Ref: 23603-1 Zoology and Entomology MSc (Wildlife Management) Unrestricted 2020-10-27T13:17:25Z 2020-10-27T13:17:25Z 2020 2020 Dissertation Shanahan, M 2020, Variation in abundance and body condition of the Meletse bat assemblage, Limpopo Province, South Africa., MSc (Wildlife Management) Dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/76620> A2021 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/76620 en © 2019 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Wildlife Management
Ecology
UCTD
Variation in abundance and body condition of the Meletse bat assemblage, Limpopo Province, South Africa
title Variation in abundance and body condition of the Meletse bat assemblage, Limpopo Province, South Africa
title_full Variation in abundance and body condition of the Meletse bat assemblage, Limpopo Province, South Africa
title_fullStr Variation in abundance and body condition of the Meletse bat assemblage, Limpopo Province, South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Variation in abundance and body condition of the Meletse bat assemblage, Limpopo Province, South Africa
title_short Variation in abundance and body condition of the Meletse bat assemblage, Limpopo Province, South Africa
title_sort variation in abundance and body condition of the meletse bat assemblage limpopo province south africa
topic Wildlife Management
Ecology
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/76620