Bat Behavior
Project Summary
Anthropogenic change is dramatically altering Earth’s ecosystems. With the substantial rise in urbanization worldwide, natural habitats are fragmenting and disappearing at a rapid pace. The remaining habitats are exposed to a wide variety of pollutants, including sensory pollutants in the form of increased noise and light levels. These changes can create acoustic and visual environments that differ significantly from those in which local species evolved. In many cases, these environmental and sensory changes disrupt the delicate balance between interacting species.
Will animals adapt to these changes through behavioral modifications? Is there a critical threshold beyond which animals can no longer provide key ecosystem services such as seed dispersal and pollination? We address these questions through the study of tropical bats. As highly acoustic animals adapted to foraging in darkness, bats are vulnerable to habitat changes that increase light levels and alter the local soundscape.
Through behavioral experiments, we investigate the role of increased noise and light in bat foraging success and social interactions. We observe natural bat behavior in the wild using infrared video recordings and ultrasonic microphones.
Fellows will join a large and diverse research team (www.noseleaf.org/team.html) and gain a wide range of skills, including how to:
- Capture and identify bats in the rainforest.
- Design and conduct behavioral experiments in a flight cage.
- Record and analyze video and acoustic data.
- Write a scientific manuscript for publication.
Skills:
- Ability to work at night (and sleep during the day!).
- Interest in collaborating with a diverse group of researchers.
- Curiosity to learn new concepts and tackle novel questions.
- Passion for community engagement and science communication to broad audiences.
