Data from: Response of bats to light with different spectra: light-shy and agile bat presence is affected by white and green, but not red light

Artificial light at night has shown a remarkable increase over the last decades. Effects are reported for many species groups, and include changes in presence, behaviour, physiology, and life-history traits. Among these, bats are strongly affected, and how bats species react to light is likely to vary with light colour. Different spectra may therefore be applied to reduce negative impacts. We used a unique setup of eight field sites to study the response of bats to three different experimental light spectra in an otherwise dark and undisturbed natural habitat. We measured activity of three bat species groups around transects with light posts emitting white, green, and red light with an intensity commonly used to illuminate countryside roads. The results reveal a strong and spectrum-dependent response for the slow-flying Myotis and Plecotus and more agile Pipistrellus species, but not for Nyctalus and Eptesicus species. Plecotus and Myotis species avoided white and green light, but were equally abundant in red light and darkness. The agile, opportunistically feeding Pipistrellus species were significantly more abundant around white and green light, most likely because of accumulation of insects, but equally abundant in red illuminated transects compared to dark control. Forest-dwelling Myotis and Plecotus species and more synanthropic Pipistrellus species are thus least disturbed by red light. Hence, in order to limit the negative impact of light at night on bats, white and green light should be avoided in or close to natural habitat, but red lights may be used if illumination is needed.

近数十年来，夜间人工照明的使用规模呈现显著增长趋势。已有研究证实，此类光照对诸多物种类群均可产生影响，具体表现为物种出现频次、行为模式、生理机能及生活史特征的改变。其中蝙蝠类群受影响尤为显著，且不同蝙蝠物种对光照的响应可能随光色差异而有所不同，因此可通过调控光照光谱以降低其负面影响。本研究依托8个野外样地的独特实验设置，在近乎完全黑暗且未受干扰的自然生境中，探究蝙蝠对三种不同实验光谱光照的响应情况。我们在安装有白色、绿色、红色路灯的样带周边（路灯照度采用乡村道路照明的常规标准），对三类蝙蝠类群的活动强度进行了测定。研究结果显示，飞行速度较慢的鼠耳蝠属（Myotis）、长耳蝠属（Plecotus）以及更为敏捷的伏翼蝠属（Pipistrellus）物种均表现出强烈且依赖光谱类型的响应，而山蝠属（Nyctalus）与真蝠属（Eptesicus）物种则无此类响应。长耳蝠属与鼠耳蝠属物种会避开白色与绿色光照，但在红色光照区域与完全黑暗区域的种群丰度并无显著差异。这类以机会主义方式觅食的敏捷伏翼蝠属物种，在白色与绿色光照周边的种群丰度显著更高，这大概率与昆虫在光照区域的聚集有关；但在红色光照样带与黑暗对照区域的种群丰度并无明显差异。由此可见，栖息于森林生境的鼠耳蝠属、长耳蝠属物种，以及更多依赖人工伴生环境的伏翼蝠属物种，受红色光照的干扰程度最低。综上，为降低夜间人工光照对蝙蝠的负面影响，在自然生境及其周边区域应避免使用白色与绿色光照；若确需开展照明，则可选用红色光源。