In bats, the directivity patterns for reception are shaped by the surface geometry of the pinnae. Since many bat species are capable of large ear deformations, these beampatterns can be time-variant. To investigate this time-variance using numerical methods, a digital model that is capable of representing the pinna geometry during the entire deformation cycle has been developed. Due to large deformations and occlusions, some of the surfaces relevant to sound diffraction may not be visible and the geometry of the entire pinna has to be computed from limited data. This has been achieved by combining a complete digital model of the pinna in one position with time-variant sparse sets of three dimensional landmark data. The landmark positions were estimated using stereo vision methods. A finite element model based on elasticity was constructed from CT scans of the pinna post mortem. This elastic model was deformed to provide a good fit to the positions of the landmarks and retain values of smoothness and surface energy comparable to life. This model was able to handle ratios of data to degrees of freedom around 1:5000 and still effect life-like deformations with an acceptable goodness of fit. / Master of Science

A resposta da fauna à fragmentação e perda de hábitat pode variar amplamente segundo os requerimentos ecológicos, a configuração da paisagem, a conectividade e as pressões antrópicas. Os morcegos são bons candidatos para trabalhar os efeitos da fragmentação na fauna mas, mesmo assim, existem poucos estudos a respeito da diversidade dos morcegos frugívoros e sua dieta em áreas de cerrado do estado de São Paulo e nas demais áreas de cerrado do país, tendo em conta que este bioma vem sofrendo processos de mudança muito rápidos nas últimas décadas. Assim, vimos a importância de incorporar este grupo de fauna nos estudos que tem sido desenvolvidos na região. Durante 48 dias de coleta ao longo de um ano (2012), procurou-se inventariar a quiropterofauna de dois fragmentos de Cerrado correspondentes à Estação Ecológica de Jataí e ao Cerrado Pé-do-Gigante, nos municípios de Luiz Antônio e Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, localizados ao noroeste do Estado de São Paulo, sendo amostradas fisionomias diferentes: cerradão, cerrado sensu stricto, cerrado adensado e cerrado em estado de regeneração. Foram realizadas duas coletas mensais, de 4 horas cada, iniciadas após o pôr do sol, totalizando 24 amostragens em cada unidade de conservação. Os morcegos foram coletados com redes de neblina situadas a 50 cm do solo, em trilhas preexistentes e em áreas abertas, e identificados em nível de espécie. Outros dados ecológicos, como frequência, dominância, riqueza, constância, horário de atividade, dieta, dispersão de sementes através das fezes dos indivíduos capturados e a influência da luminosidade lunar foram analisados. Foram capturados e anilhados 195 indivíduos de 3 famílias e 7 subfamílias, pertencentes a 17 espécies diferentes, sendo 113 na estação chuvosa e 82 na estação seca. Na E.E. Jataí foram capturados 118 indivíduos de 15 espécies e, no Cerrado Pé-do-Gigante, 77 indivíduos, de 13 espécies, com um esforço amostral de de 31680 m². O índice de Shannon-Wiener apresentou uma diferencia sutil entre a diversidade de espécies em ambas as unidades de Conservação, constatada também pelo alto índice de similaridade de Sorensen (0,75). Obtiveram-se 5 recapturas, uma delas confirmando o fluxo entre unidades de conservação. As espécies dominantes foram: Artibeus lituratus, Anoura caudifer, Sturnira lilium, Glossophaga soricina e Carollia perspicillata. Com relação à dispersão de sementes, obtiveram-se 39 amostras de fezes, das quais 11 continham sementes que posteriormente foram germinadas em laboratório, obtendo-se assim 9 espécies de plantas petencentes a 4 gêneros, potencialmente dispersadas pela quiropterofauna local / The response of wildlife to fragmentation and habitat loss may vary widely according to the ecological requirements, landscape configuration, connectivity among landscape units, and anthropogenic pressures. Bats are ideal species to study fragmentation effects on wildlife, however, studies on the diversity of frugivore bats and their diet in savanna biomes are scarce, despite the intense changes linked to human pressures this biome has been recently submitted to. Therefore, we considered relevant to incorporate the evaluation of the regional bat assembly to fauna studies in Cerrado areas of São Paulo state. During a period of 48 days, representative of both rainy and dry seasons of 2012, we surveyed chiropterofauna in two Cerrado fragments, in the northwestern Sao Paulo state: Jataí Ecological Station (Luiz Antônio municipality) and Cerrado Pé-do-Gigante (Santa Rita de Passa-Quatro municipality). These units show different physiognomies: cerradão, cerrado sensu stricto, dense cerrado and cerrado in regeneration. The surveys were carried out under two nights per month in each conservation area. Bats were collected using mist nets located 50 cm above ground in existing trails in open areas. A total of 195 individuals belonging to 3 families, 7 subfamilies and 17 species were captured and ringed: 113 of these during the rainy season and the remaining 82 during dry season. In E.E. Jataí we registered 118 individuals belonging to 15 species, and in Cerrado Pé-do-Gigante, 77 individuals from 13 species (31680 m² of mist net in the two fragments of Cerrado). Most of the individuals recorded during the study belong to 5 species: Artibeuslituratus, Anoura caudifer, Sturnira Lilium, Glossophaga soricina and Carollia perspicillata. In relation to seed dispersion, 39 fecal samples were obtained, of these, 11 contained seeds that later were germinated in laboratory, obtaining nine species of plants of 4 geners potentiality dispersed by the local bats

The use of common species as surrogates for those that are threatened or endangered is best conducted using species that are biologically related. If the two species are fairly dissimilar then conclusions based on data collected from surrogates may be misleading. The abundant little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) has been suggested as a suitable surrogate for the endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) due to their close morphological similarities. In order to examine the suitability of little brown bats as surrogates in ecological based research and management, research was conducted on the roosting ecology, foraging home ranges, foraging habitat selection, and diets of both species. While research is available on Indiana bats in these subjects, there is a paucity of information on little brown bat roosting ecology and foraging ecologies. Therefore, data were collected concerning these ecological factors to determine the similarity between the species. There was enough research on little brown bat and Indiana bat diets available to compile data and compare them without conducing additional research. Roosting ecology and foraging ecology data were collected during the summers of 2003, 2007, and 2009-2011 from 2 study areas in the Shawnee National Forest, IL, and 2 study areas in south-central Indiana. Bats of both species were tracked during the day to record maternity roost characteristics and again at night to record foraging locations. A total of 67 Indiana bats and 31 little brown bats were tracked during our study. Our results show that while the species are similar in some ecological characteristics (roosting habitat, roost tree species) they are also different in several other characteristics (roost type, home range, and habitat selection). Therefore, little brown bats may be suitable surrogates for some research and management projects and unsuitable for others, depending on the objectives of the project. However, holistically little brown bats are unsuitable surrogates for Indiana bat summer habitat management. / Introduction and literature review -- An examination of the characteristics of little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) natural tree roosts within the central portion of the species' range -- Horizontal resource partitioning between sympatric populations of the endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) and the little brown bat (M. lucifugus) -- Suitability of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) as surrogates for Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) summer research and management. / Department of Biology

Day-roosts are an essential resource for tree-hole roosting microbats (Microchiroptera), providing shelter, protection from predators and an appropriate microclimate for energy conservation and reproduction. Microbats often make use of multiple roosting sites, shifting between roosts frequently. Conservation of tree-hole roosting microbats requires an understanding of roost selection and fidelity to enable the protection of sufficient suitable roosting sites. In Australia, as in other countries, habitat loss, particularly in the form of large hollow-bearing trees, is threatening the survival of microbat populations. In addition, the renewal of natural roosts in Australia is very slow, as trees may need to be 100 years old for hollows to form. Where roosting resources are limited, such as in urbanised areas, batboxes may be used as a substitute. As bat-boxes are also accessible to researchers, these roosting sites can help to improve our understanding of roosting behaviour. / This thesis investigates the roosting behaviour of two sympatric microbat species: Gould’s wattled bat (Chalinolobus gouldii) and the white-striped freetail bat (Tadarida australis). These are insectivorous tree-hole roosting species, which naturally occur in urban Melbourne, Australia. Both species make use of bat-boxes at three sites in Melbourne, often sharing roosts with members of the other species. This provided an opportunity not only to study their use of bat-boxes for conservation management purposes, but to investigate factors influencing bat roost selection and fidelity. This study incorporated PIT tags (microchips) and a detector array at the bat-boxes, in addition to monthly manual bat-box inspections, as a method for monitoring roost-use. This approach enabled the collection of long-term, fine-scale roosting data. These data, along with captive and field-based experiments were used to examine the influence of parasites, microclimate and social structure on roost selection patterns and roost fidelity. The specific questions posed were whether tree-hole roosting bats: select roosts based on physical characteristics; perceive a cost of carrying ectoparasites and avoid infested roosts; select roosts to maintain social associations; and select for specific beneficial microclimates. / The patterns of roost selection, ectoparasite diversity, social structure, and the selection of roost microclimate differed between the two species. Microclimate of the bat-boxes was a strong influence on roost selection for both species, as it is for microbats generally. White-striped freetail bats preferred warmer roosts with stable humidity. For Gould’s wattled bats, the selection of roost microclimate differed between the sexes and even between separate, but adjacent, roosting groups. Patterns of preference indicated that individuals had knowledge of the available roosting sites. / The presence of parasites had no obvious influence on roost selection patterns in either species. The white-striped freetail bat was found to support lower ectoparasite diversity, which may be influenced by characteristics of the pelage and may partially explain why parasite load was not a useful predictor of roost selection in this species. In contrast, Gould’s wattled bat supported a larger diversity of ectoparasites, which showed clear patterns of distribution through the bat populations, and intra-specific and spatial variability. A radio-tracking study indicated that parasites in the roost and on the Gould’s wattled bat may influence their roosting behaviour. Additionally, experimental assessments of the bats’ grooming response to parasites indicated that the perceived costs of these parasites differed with parasites that remained permanently attached to the host eliciting a stronger response than those also found in the roost. The defensive mechanism against parasites that completed part of their life-cycle in the roost was expected to be avoidance behaviour, yet, in both captive and field experiments, these parasites did not strongly influence roost selection or fidelity. / Social associations among white-striped freetail bats appeared to be random, and did not explain roosting patterns. This may reflect the restricted sampling of roosting sites, and the possible role of the bat-boxes in this study as ‘satellite’ roosts, separate from a larger communal roost, likely to be in a large tree-hollow. Unlike white-striped freetail bats, Gould’s wattled bats showed fission-fusion social structure, driven by stronger female associations. The distribution and abundance of parasites was correlated with the social structuring of the host species, and host selection appeared to facilitate transmission. These patterns suggest that female Gould’s wattled bats, in particular, are choosing roosts based on the benefits of social association despite the cost of increased parasite risk, and may provide an explanation for sexual segregation in temperate tree-roosting bats. / This study demonstrates the species-specificity of roosting behaviour, and the importance of investigating several factors that influence roost selection, to better understand roost requirements. It also highlights the inherent complexity in roost selection by tree-hole roosting microbats, which may be making trade-offs between the benefits of social associations and the cost of parasitism, as well as choosing an optimal microclimate. Further investigation into interactions between these factors will greatly advance our understanding of roost selection and fidelity in tree-hole roosting bats.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on August 14, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

A resposta da fauna à fragmentação e perda de hábitat pode variar amplamente segundo os requerimentos ecológicos, a configuração da paisagem, a conectividade e as pressões antrópicas. Os morcegos são bons candidatos para trabalhar os efeitos da fragmentação na fauna mas, mesmo assim, existem poucos estudos a respeito da diversidade dos morcegos frugívoros e sua dieta em áreas de cerrado do estado de São Paulo e nas demais áreas de cerrado do país, tendo em conta que este bioma vem sofrendo processos de mudança muito rápidos nas últimas décadas. Assim, vimos a importância de incorporar este grupo de fauna nos estudos que tem sido desenvolvidos na região. Durante 48 dias de coleta ao longo de um ano (2012), procurou-se inventariar a quiropterofauna de dois fragmentos de Cerrado correspondentes à Estação Ecológica de Jataí e ao Cerrado Pé-do-Gigante, nos municípios de Luiz Antônio e Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, localizados ao noroeste do Estado de São Paulo, sendo amostradas fisionomias diferentes: cerradão, cerrado sensu stricto, cerrado adensado e cerrado em estado de regeneração. Foram realizadas duas coletas mensais, de 4 horas cada, iniciadas após o pôr do sol, totalizando 24 amostragens em cada unidade de conservação. Os morcegos foram coletados com redes de neblina situadas a 50 cm do solo, em trilhas preexistentes e em áreas abertas, e identificados em nível de espécie. Outros dados ecológicos, como frequência, dominância, riqueza, constância, horário de atividade, dieta, dispersão de sementes através das fezes dos indivíduos capturados e a influência da luminosidade lunar foram analisados. Foram capturados e anilhados 195 indivíduos de 3 famílias e 7 subfamílias, pertencentes a 17 espécies diferentes, sendo 113 na estação chuvosa e 82 na estação seca. Na E.E. Jataí foram capturados 118 indivíduos de 15 espécies e, no Cerrado Pé-do-Gigante, 77 indivíduos, de 13 espécies, com um esforço amostral de de 31680 m². O índice de Shannon-Wiener apresentou uma diferencia sutil entre a diversidade de espécies em ambas as unidades de Conservação, constatada também pelo alto índice de similaridade de Sorensen (0,75). Obtiveram-se 5 recapturas, uma delas confirmando o fluxo entre unidades de conservação. As espécies dominantes foram: Artibeus lituratus, Anoura caudifer, Sturnira lilium, Glossophaga soricina e Carollia perspicillata. Com relação à dispersão de sementes, obtiveram-se 39 amostras de fezes, das quais 11 continham sementes que posteriormente foram germinadas em laboratório, obtendo-se assim 9 espécies de plantas petencentes a 4 gêneros, potencialmente dispersadas pela quiropterofauna local / The response of wildlife to fragmentation and habitat loss may vary widely according to the ecological requirements, landscape configuration, connectivity among landscape units, and anthropogenic pressures. Bats are ideal species to study fragmentation effects on wildlife, however, studies on the diversity of frugivore bats and their diet in savanna biomes are scarce, despite the intense changes linked to human pressures this biome has been recently submitted to. Therefore, we considered relevant to incorporate the evaluation of the regional bat assembly to fauna studies in Cerrado areas of São Paulo state. During a period of 48 days, representative of both rainy and dry seasons of 2012, we surveyed chiropterofauna in two Cerrado fragments, in the northwestern Sao Paulo state: Jataí Ecological Station (Luiz Antônio municipality) and Cerrado Pé-do-Gigante (Santa Rita de Passa-Quatro municipality). These units show different physiognomies: cerradão, cerrado sensu stricto, dense cerrado and cerrado in regeneration. The surveys were carried out under two nights per month in each conservation area. Bats were collected using mist nets located 50 cm above ground in existing trails in open areas. A total of 195 individuals belonging to 3 families, 7 subfamilies and 17 species were captured and ringed: 113 of these during the rainy season and the remaining 82 during dry season. In E.E. Jataí we registered 118 individuals belonging to 15 species, and in Cerrado Pé-do-Gigante, 77 individuals from 13 species (31680 m² of mist net in the two fragments of Cerrado). Most of the individuals recorded during the study belong to 5 species: Artibeuslituratus, Anoura caudifer, Sturnira Lilium, Glossophaga soricina and Carollia perspicillata. In relation to seed dispersion, 39 fecal samples were obtained, of these, 11 contained seeds that later were germinated in laboratory, obtaining nine species of plants of 4 geners potentiality dispersed by the local bats

Title: Perception of Body schema in children Objectives: The aim of the thesis paper on the Perception of Body schema in children is to study the influence of sex and exercise on the subjective perception of the body in older school age. Furthermore, the influence of sex and regular exercise on the relationship to one's body is also observed. Foundation: The understanding of one's body schema is an important factor of overall wellness and is vital in correctly performing physical activities, or, when distorted, for the timely discernment of possible issues. This makes the insight into adolescent's understanding of body schema important not only with regards to injury or health issue prevention, but also with regards to the massive importance of physical activity in maintaining a person's physical and mental wellbeing. Methods: This paper is a quantitative survey method. A set of 40 respondents, 20 male and 20 female (ages 13-17) were given CMAS, BAT, personal questionnaires and a BSE measurement. The BSE method was used to establish a body schema with regards to physical activity (PA) and sex. The BAT questionnaire was used to establish a body image for each subject and whether there is any connection between body schema, PA, sex and body image. Results: The results show no statistically...

Artificial brightness of the night sky caused by the backscatter of artificial light in the atmosphere is a consequence of ongoing urbanization. Skyglow covers 88 % of Europe’s surface and poses significant threats to biodiversity. Extensive research on responses of bats to direct light pollution already revealed significant impacts. However, evidence for the influence of skyglow is scarce. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of skyglow on bat activity patterns, namely Pipistrellus pygmaeus and Myotis species, in a rural area outside of Stockholm, Sweden. Additionally, the analysis includes the role of local habitat structures and landscape composition at multiple scales for both activity rate and timing of emergence.The two focal species showed diverging behaviour in their main habitat on the local scale. While Myotis spp. emergence was delayed by about half an hour above the water surface, P. pygmaeus appeared about 20 minutes earlier in forest edges under brighter night skies. Landscape-level skyglow significantly delays the emergence of Myotis spp. above water surfaces by 18 minutes, but P. pygmaeus did not respond to skyglow at the landscape-level. Both, Myotis species and P. pygmaeus, appeared earlier in forest edges than above water surfaces. Evidence on skyglow affecting bat activity rates was weak. Here, local habitat and landscape structure were more important for both species. The total length of all forest edges decreased bat activity at most scales, while activity was lower with the proportion of water and open land at different scales. In conclusion, bat conservation programmes need to consider the effect of skyglow as well as landscape characteristics.

Day-roost use by northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) maternity colonies on the Fort Knox military reservation, Kentucky, USA, resulted in formation of non-random networks of roosts that exhibited a trend toward centralization. Centralization of day-roost networks was reflected in the social structure of colonies, which were characterized by dense associations among individuals within colonies. Social structure varied among colonies and appeared to be related to reproductive condition; colonies exhibited greater cohesiveness during parturition and lactation. Northern long-eared bat maternity colonies appeared to be exclusive, occupying distinct roosting areas with one or several areas receiving intense use. Day-roost removal simulations suggested a linear relationship between colony fragmentation and roost loss, and that loss of >20% of roosts is required to initiate colony fragmentation. Experimental hierarchical removal of day-roosts yielded results consistent with simulations, as removal of the single most-central (primary) roost had no impact on colony fragmentation, whereas removal of 24% of less-central (secondary) roosts resulted in partial network fragmentation. Patterns of colony day-roost and space use were similar pre- and post-removal treatments. Day-roost removal did not alter the number of roosts used by individual bats, but distances moved between roosts were greater in the secondary roost-removal treatment group. Day-roost characteristics largely were consistent pre-post treatment for both treatment groups. Historical data from an Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) maternity colony revealed that this species also exhibits a non-random social assorting dynamic. Non-random social assortment resulted in a closely connected centralized network of day-roosts. Individuals within the Indiana bat maternity colony exhibited close social connections with colony members, but subgroups likely existed within the colony. Indiana bat day-roosting ecology appears flexible, as patterns of roost and space use differed substantially between years. Development of specific, but tactical, management approaches for individual colonies of both northern long-eared and Indiana bats may be possible. Such approaches would allow land managers to manage for both northern long-eared bat habitat and other objectives. However, the nature of targeted management approaches employed likely will depend on the unique forest context and dynamic within which individual colonies reside. / Ph. D.

Iron storage disease is a significant cause of liver disease and mortality in captive Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus). The nature of the susceptibility in this and other captive exotic species to iron storage disease is not clear. Hepcidin, a key iron regulatory hormone, is involved in the regulation of iron absorption in humans and other mammalian species and a deficiency in hepcidin has been associated with a number of genetic mutations resulting in hemochromatosis in humans. The objectives of this thesis were to identify whether there is a functional mutation in the hepcidin gene in the Egyptian fruit bat that may increase the susceptibility of this species to iron storage disease, and whether there is a functional deficiency in hepcidin gene expression in the Egyptian fruit bat in response to iron challenge. We compared the coding region of the hepcidin gene amongst several species of bats and investigated hepcidin response to intramuscular injection of iron dextran amongst three species of bats with variable susceptibility to iron storage disease; the Egyptian fruit bat, the straw-colored fruit bat (Eidolon helvum), and the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus). While a number of genetic differences were identified amongst species, a functional mutation that could result in decreased hepcidin activity was not identified in the Egyptian fruit bat. Bats exhibited marked variation in hepcidin gene expression, with the highest level of hepcidin response to iron challenge in the common vampire bat. While the Egyptian fruit bat exhibited significant hepcidin response to iron challenge, the magnitude of response was lower than that in the common vampire bat and lower than expected based on findings in healthy humans. The straw-colored fruit bat did not exhibit any hepcidin response despite a significant increase in iron stores, which suggests this species may have evolved an alternate mechanism for coping with excessive iron or may be more susceptible to iron overload than previously recognized. / Toronto Zoo Scholarship Fund