Tropical bat ectoparasitism in continuous versus fragmented forests: A gap analysis and preliminary meta-analysis

Tropical regions are experiencing rapid rates of forest fragmentation, which can have several effects on wildlife, including altered parasite dynamics. Bats are a useful host group to consider these effects of fragmentation because they are abundant in the tropics, serve important ecological roles, and harbour many parasites. Nevertheless, research on the effects of fragmentation on bat ectoparasites is still limited. To help guide ongoing and future research efforts, this study had two objectives: (1) conduct a gap analysis to characterize the state of currently available research on fragmentation effects on bat ectoparasites, and (2) conduct a preliminary meta-analysis to identify current trends. We systematically highlighted several research gaps: studies comparing the effects of fragmented versus continuous forests on ectoparasites are limited and have primarily been conducted in the Neotropics, with a focus on bats in the superfamily Noctilionidea (especially frugivorous phyllostom..., ,