P. G. R. Wright et al. (2021) Characterising the relationship between suitable habitat and gene flow for Myotis bechsteinii and Eptesicus serotinus in Britain

Habitat suitability models (HSM) have been used to understand the impacts of landscape-scale habitat connectivity and gene flow mostly by assuming a regular decrease in the cost of movement as habitat improves. Yet, habitat selection and gene flow are governed by different behavioural processes which may limit the reliability of this approach. This study aimed to identify the optimal relationship between gene flow and HSMs for two bat species (Myotis bechsteinii and Eptesicus serotinus) in Britain in order to inform future bat conservation studies.

Photo: ©Frank Greenaway

Wright, P. G. R. et al (2021) Can effective population size estimates be used to monitor population trends of woodland bats? A case study of Myotis bechsteinii.

This paper uses a case study on  the elusive woodland bat Bechstein’s bat (Myotis bechsteinii) to explore the effectiveness of genetic approaches as a way to monitor elusive long-lived species.

Photo: Bechstein’s bat ©Henry Schofield

Wright, P.G.R. et al. (2018). Genetic structure and diversity of a rare woodland bat, Myotis bechsteinii: comparison of continental Europe and Britain

In this study, we report the genetic diversity and structure of M. bechsteinii across Britain and Europe.

Wright, P.G.R. et al. (2018). Application of a novel molecular method to age free-living wild Bechstein’s bats

This paper presents a DNA methylation method to assess ages of bats.

If you go down to the woods tonight…

VWT’s Henry Schofield reports on the ecological needs and requirements of Britain’s bats in the Woodland Trust’s ‘WoodWise’ magazine.

Design of a slot bat box

The slot bat box was designed to imitate niches where crevice dwelling bats might roost; such as a split in a tree trunk or behind loose bark. The three vertical ‘slots’ each of a different width, offers a choice that several species of bat, depending on their size, might use. The upper section of the two partition walls have been cut away to allow bats an area to cluster, conserve energy and breed.