Functional diversity and trait-environment relationships of bat assemblages in an Amazonian forest-savannah mosaic

Abstract

Understanding the effects of long-term habitat fragmentation on functional diversity and trait distributions is fundamental for effective conservation plans. In this study, we investigated the functional diversity and trait-environment relationships of phyllostomid bats in an Amazonian forest-savannah mosaic. Bats were captured across ten forest fragments, 11 savannahs, and five continuous forest sampling sites. We assessed the effect of habitat type using taxonomic and functional α-diversity and functional uniqueness at the community-level. We evaluated the relationships between functional traits, environmental characteristics, and species distribution using RLQ and fourth-corner analyses. Furthermore, we estimated the contribution of “richness change” and “replacement” components among habitats using functional β-diversity. Forested habitats (forest fragments and continuous forest) retained more diverse functional assemblages compared to savannahs, with a greater abundance of species with unique traits, such as the gleaning insectivorous bats (e.g., Gardnerycteris crenulatum, Lophostoma silvicola, Tonatia maresi). Functional β-diversity between forest fragments and savannah was driven significantly by the replacement of traits, indicating the substitution of species that perform different ecological functions in these habitats. Our study highlights the importance of the forest-savannah mosaic for maintaining bat assemblage functional diversity and their associated ecosystem services.