Bats in montane villages and beyond: Exploring how habitat structure and traits shape urban responses: A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of International Nature Conservation at Lincoln University

Abstract

Urbanisation is among the most rapid and damaging processes of land use change, posing significant threats to biodiversity worldwide. Many bat species are particularly vulnerable due to the habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation associated with urban development. While the impacts of urbanisation on bats are well documented throughout large cities globally, little is known about how bats respond to features of the urban environment in small villages, especially in mountainous landscapes where the broader landscape context may mediate some of the urban effects. Bat responses to urbanisation often reflect species-specific functional traits that influence their ability to exploit or avoid urban habitats. The rapidly evolving nature of urban areas has driven species to adapt to, tolerate, or avoid urban environments. This thesis investigates the influence of urban and landscape features on the activity and diversity of bat species across small settlements in the mountainous region of South Tyrol, Italy. Overall bat activity did not differ across settlements with increasing urban intensity, but species richness was highest in villages. The presence of small woody vegetation scattered throughout settlements increased both total bat activity and feeding activity. Two urban tolerant species responded differently to urban and landscape features, such as forest edge cover, open habitat and artificial lighting, underscoring the importance of species-specific conservation measures in urban and landscape planning. This thesis also evaluated the role of functional traits in shaping species assemblages and predicting responses to urban environments. While foraging or echolocation guilds are commonly used, other morphological and behavioural traits may also influence urban tolerance or sensitivity. Species were classified into functional groups, with the specific echolocation guild emerging as the primary marker of assemblage structure. However, traits linked to greater urban tolerance did not always correspond with higher activity in urban areas, suggesting that urban response categories (dwellers, utilisers, avoiders) are not so straightforward to assign, and may be better represented on a continuous scale rather than discrete groupings. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining heterogenous structural elements in urbanised landscapes, such as small woody vegetation within settlements, to support overall bat activity. Such features promote edge and foraging habitats, facilitate movement through urban areas, and connect settlements with the surrounding landscapes, particularly in mountainous regions where natural structural elements are critical in supporting bat diversity. Urban planning should consider species specific responses, considering most species respond independently to certain features and at different spatial scales. Incorporating trait-based approaches into conservation strategies can improve management effectiveness in urban areas, particularly by enabling targeted strategies for specific species or assemblages based on their persistence potential, especially for urban sensitive species that may be difficult to detect but that share similar ecological requirements. By maintaining diverse habitat structure in settlements and integrating species-specific and trait-based perspectives into urban planning, we can further support bat diversity through settlement design, even in increasingly urbanised mountainous landscapes.