Effects of Shelterwood Harvest and Prescribed Fire on Site Occupancy of Bats in Oak Forest, at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania
Christopher L. Hauer1,2,*, Lisa E. Powers1,3, Jarrid P. Doyle2,4, Jon-Dimitri Lambrinos2, Joseph C. Hovis2 Shannon W. Henry2, and Brent J. Sewall1
1Department of Biology, Temple University, 1900 North 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122. 2Current address - Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard Training Center, Building 26-151, Tomstown Road, Annville, PA 17003. 3Current address - U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, WI 53711. 4Current address - Pennsylvania Game Commission, 253 Snyder Road, Reading, PA 19605. *Corresponding author.
Journal of North American Bat Research, Volume 3 (2025):1–18
Abstract
Overstory thinning and prescribed fire are increasingly being used to restore Quercus spp. (oak) forests. Here, we investigated the effects of shelterwood harvest and prescribed fire on habitat use by bats in 3 forest stands at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. We monitored for bats using acoustic detectors at 77 sites from May to August 2017–2018. We fit multi-season occupancy models for resident species to examine the effects of management treatment, vegetation structure, distance to water, and survey year on occupancy. Occupancy of Eptesicus fuscus (Big Brown Bat), Lasiurus cinereus (Hoary Bat), and Lasionycteris noctivagans (Silver-haired Bat) was highest in shelterwood sites, where mid-story stem density and overstory basal area was lowest. Contrary to our prediction, occupancy of Myotis leibii (Eastern Small-footed Myotis) was higher in shelterwood and burned sites than in unmanaged (control) sites. M. septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Myotis) also appeared less likely to use unmanaged sites.
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Journal of North American Bat Research is valued by the academic, agency, NGO, and private-sector research community as a respected and trusted source for science related to all aspects of the biology, ecology, and conservation of bats, Order Chiroptera, and their habitats in North America, from Canada to Panama, and the West Indies (Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and Lesser Antilles). Manuscripts based on studies outside this region that provide information on species within the region may be considered at the Editor’s discretion.