Implementing the North American Bat Monitoring Program in Nebraska: An Assessment of Nebraska Bats with an Emphasis on Citizen Science

Authors

Baxter Seguin, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Craig R. Allen

Date of this Version

5-2019

Document Type

Article

Citation

Seguin, B. H. 2019. Implmenting the North American Bat Monitoring Program in Nebraska: An Assessment of Nebraska Bats with an Emphasis on Citizen Science. Master Thesis. University of Lincoln-Nebraska, Lincoln Nebraska.

Comments

A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science, Major: Natural Resource Sciences, Under the Supervision of Professor Craig R. Allen. Lincoln, Nebraska: May, 2019.

Copyright (c) 2019 Baxter Seguin

Abstract

Over the past decade bat species in North America have been under immense stress due to anthropogenic activities throughout the continent along with severe declines from foreign invaders. Though many specific anthropogenic related activities such as deforestation, land-use alteration, and hibernacula disturbance/modification were the primary culprits of negative impacts on bat species in the past, they pale in comparison to the threats bats face today. White nose syndrome a disease caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans and wind energy development have caused declines and disruptions to the bat populations of North America at an unprecedented rate.

Due to the significant contribution to insect population control that bats exhibit throughout the continent they are considered to be a major benefit to both ecosystems and agricultural industries. Though they are known to provide significant services to ecosystems large information gaps exist in what physical properties influence their presence on the landscape. Especially in states like Nebraska where the large extent of agricultural and grassland ecosystems has made their study difficult in the past. In order to address these information gaps we implemented the North American Bat Monitoring Program throughout Nebraska in order to answer baseline questions about bat habitat use and ensure that monitoring efforts continued into the future and benefit bat research throughout the continent.

Advisor: Craig R. Allen