Individual specialization in the use of space and diet by the frugivorous bat Sturnira lilium

• Grant number: 14/24219-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: March 01, 2015
• End date: May 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Márcio Silva Araújo
• Grantee: Patrícia Kerches Rogeri
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 16/14939-5 - Individual specialization in the use of space and movement by the frugivorous bat Sturnira lilium, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Most studies in ecology treat conspecific individuals as equivalent. However, many studies have found that individuals from the same population may use different subsets of the resources used by the population, which was defined as "individual specialization". Frugivorous bats are important seed dispersers and individual specialization in the use of space and diet can have consequences for this ecological service. The present study intends to verify the presence of interindividual variation in the use of space and diet by the frugivorous bat Sturnira lilium and investigate possible proximate causes of this variation. Adult, non-reproductive individuals will be caught in mist nets, will be tagged with radio-transmitters, and tracked by fixed receivers ("dataloggers"). Landscape measures will be correlated with the use of space by bats. We will also study the diet of these individuals from fecal samples, focusing on analysis of seeds; additionally, tissue samples from wing and hair will be used for analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes. In order to investigate potential mechanisms generating interindividual variation, we will establish a rank preference of food items for each individual based on the ratio of energy content and handling time for each resource (Optimal Foraging Theory). Energy content of fruits will be quantified with a calorimeter. We will perform experiments in a flight tent, where fruits will be offered to individuals, and handling time of each one will be measured. The index IS of individual specialization will be used to test individual specialization in diet. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

KERCHES-ROGERI, PATRICIA; RAMOS, DANIELLE LEAL; SIREN, JUKKA; TELES, BEATRIZ DE OLIVEIRA; CRUZ ALVES, RAFAEL SOUZA; PRIANTE, CAMILA FATIMA; RIBEIRO, MILTON CEZAR; ARAUJO, MARCIO SILVA; OVASKAINEN, OTSO. Movement syndromes of a Neotropical frugivorous bat inhabiting heterogeneous landscapes in Brazil. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY, v. 9, n. 1, JUL 7 2021. (16/14939-5, 13/50421-2, 14/24219-4)

KERCHES-ROGERI, PATRICIA; NIEBUHR, BERNARDO BRANDAO; MUYLAERT, RENATA LARA; MELLO, MARCO AURELIO RIBEIRO. Individual specialization in the use of space by frugivorous bats. Journal of Animal Ecology, v. 89, n. 11, p. 2584-2595, NOV 2020. (18/20695-7, 07/03415-6, 15/17739-4, 14/24219-4, 07/03405-0)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

ROGERI, Patrícia Kerches. Individual specialization in the use of space and diet by the frugivorous bat Sturnira lilium. 2018. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Biociências. Rio Claro Rio Claro.