Tree Cover Mediates the Effect of Artificial Light on Urban Bats
The response of bats to ALAN ranges from some opportunistic species taking advantage of insect aggregations around street lamps, particularly those emitting ultraviolet (UV) light, to others avoiding lit areas at all. Here, we investigated the effect of tree cover on the relationship between ALAN and bats in Berlin, Germany. Published 2019 in: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.
Conservation leadership must account for cultural differences
Effective leaders are critical in determining successful outcomes of conservation programs. In this review we asked the question whether, and how, the influence of cultural context was acknowledged when describing successful leadership attributes of conservation leadership. Published 2018 in: Journal for Nature Conservation and a short summary can be found here: https://spark.adobe.com/page/zjWyU5qMSpAm8/?fbclid=IwAR3clPKiuOTvNWHCqVSOs80QumWQNTksmBMBn0RCRUGdSgkz-z6tja_sE-4
Importance of Wetlands to Bats on a Dry Continent: a Review and Meta-Analysis
Australia has diverse landscapes ranging from wet tropical regions in the North to temperate regions in the South and a vast arid interior. Our aim was to determine whether wetlands were important for Australia’s bat communities, identify the environmental gradients influencing this importance, and review the threats to wetland bat communities combining a review and meta-analysis. Published 2018 in: Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy.
Differential use of Highway Underpasses by Bats
Roads can form barriers to movement for many species, and may reduce the ability of individuals to access foraging and breeding habitat. In this study, we investigated whether the flight patterns of insectivorous bats influenced their use of underpasses. Published 2017 in: Biological Conservation.
When Ecological Information Meets High Wildlife Value Orientations: Influencing Preferences of Nearby Residents for Urban Wetlands
Here, we investigated the mediating role of wildlife value orientations in influencing preferences for urban wetlands through the provision of ecological information (based on insectivorous bats).We found that preferences for landscapes can be influenced by providing information that is consistent with value orientations. Published 2016 in: Human Dimensions of Wildlife
Urban bat communities are affected by wetland size, quality, and pollution levels
In this study, we investigated the role of wetlands in urban bat conservation and examine local and landscape factors driving bat species richness and activity. We found that wetlands form critical habitats for insectivorous bats in urban environments and that large, unlit, and unpolluted wetlands flanked by high tree cover in close proximity to bushland contribute most to the richness of the bat community. Published 2016 in: Ecology and Evolution.
The Shared Habitat: Understanding and Linking the Needs of Insectivorous Bats and People at Urban Wetlands (PhD thesis, 2015)
Urban wetlands can be hotspots for biodiversity but are often managed for human benefits. Understanding and linking the potentially conflicting needs of people and wildlife in urban wetlands will allow us to create and manage wetlands that maintain biodiversity in human-dominated areas. Biodiverse urban wetlands may also encourage human contact with nature contributing to people’s health and well-being. However, for many faunal taxa, little is known about the role that wetlands play in supporting urban biodiversity. For example, insectivorous bats often occur in urban areas, but the importance of urban wetlands as a source of food, and the characteristics of ‘bat-friendly’ wetlands are largely unknown. The aims of this interdisciplinary PhD research were to i) understand the role of wetlands for insectivorous bats in an urban environment, ii) identify the landscape- and local-scale attributes of wetlands that drive the occurrence of insectivorous bats and noturnal flying insects, and iii) determine the aesthetic preferences of local residents for wetlands and the effect of ecological information on these preferences.