AbstractRafinesque's Big-Eared Bat and Southeastern Myotis Roost Selection in MississippiTrack: Ecology and Conservation Author Rafinesque's big-eared bats (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) and southeastern myotis (Myotis austroriparius) are federal category two candidate species for protection. Bottomland hardwood forests are important roosting sites for both species and more than eighty percent of these forests have been degraded in Mississippi. There is limited information on roost selection or how these sympatric species partition roost sites. Our objectives are to quantify roost selection and examine habitat partitioning of Rafinesque's big-eared bat and southeastern myotis at the landscape scale. Utilizing GIS, we will predict the location of roosts with landscape level metrics including distance to nearest water, tree composition and basal area. Our findings will be used to construct a GIS model for predicting potential areas of use and habitat segregation. This applied study utilizing analytical GIS tools will aide in the conservation of these unique bat species. Heather Fleming Mississippi State University 440-A Indian Point Road Starkville, Mississippi 39759 United States Phone: 662-617-2690 E-mail: hlf47@msstate.edu Jeanne Jones Mississippi State University Mailstop 9690 Berryman Institute Cabin Mississippi State, Mississippi 39759 United States Phone: 662-779-0973 E-mail: jjones@CFR.msstate.edu Jerrold Belant Mississippi State University Mailstop 9690 Thompson Hall, Rm 251 Mississippi State, Mississippi 39759 United States Phone: 662-325-2996 E-mail: jbelant@cfr.msstate.edu Jonathan Fleming Mississippi State University 2 Research Blvd. Starkville, Mississippi 39759 United States Phone: 256-412-4817 E-mail: jfleming@gri.msstate.edu |