BAT COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN WETLANDS OF THE TABASCO PLAIN

Abstract

Objetive: Describe the diversity of bat communities in two types of wetlands within the coastal plain of Tabasco's state to.

Metodology: Samplings were carried out during three consecutive years in two different seasons of the year, dry and rainy; two types of vegetation, mangrove forest and popal-tular were considered. Mist-nets were used during three effective sampling days per station, spanning six-hour periods within 30-minute monitoring intervals.

Results: A total of 510 individuals representing 22 bat species of six families were registered; the phyllostomid bats presented the highest richness and abundance. The bat species Artibeus jamaicensis, Noctilio leporinus, and Glossophaga soricine were the most representative. We found enhanced richness in the mangrove forest with 18 bat species, while popal-tular vegetation 12 species were found; the diversity of order 1 indicated that the mangrove forest richness is 0.78, which is highest than the popal-tular vegetation. Seven food guilds were identified, the frugivores were the most dominant; additionally, three bat species are under protection based on NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, representing 12% of the state's protected species.

Implications: Evaluating the bats community in wetlands is important to know the richness and abundance of this group, to generate base information

Conclusions: Mangrove forests were the type of vegetation with the largest richness and abundance of bats, which might be considered crucial for the conservation of this group of mammals, providing shelter and food. In general, wetlands are important habitats for this group.