Data from: Changing with the times: Seasonal environmental gradients unveil dynamic bat assemblages and vulnerability

Uncovering the temporal and spatial dynamics of biological communities in
response to biotic and abiotic drivers is essential to predict the effects
of environmental change on biodiversity. Similarly, estimating species
vulnerability in the face of such dynamics is crucial for implementing
effective conservation actions. We explored how bat diversity changes over
the year across an altitudinal gradient and identified the environmental
drivers that shape bat communities. By analysing species’ marginality
within the biophysical niche space, we evaluated bats’ vulnerability to
foreseeable environmental changes. Our results suggest that altitude, the
proportion of forest cover and shrubs cover are the main drivers shaping
bat communities year-round. Additionally, while some bat species are
restricted to a single ecological assemblage (or ecological preferences
group), others show greater plasticity throughout the year. Importantly,
we found that although bats associated with highland habitats and forests
could be particularly vulnerable to environmental changes (in particular
Myotis mystacinus), this vulnerability correlates poorly with their
national conservation status. We suggest that species’ ecological
plasticity is critical for the resilience of biological communities
exposed to environmental changes and should be considered when planning
tailored conservation strategies.

阐明生物群落在生物及非生物驱动因子作用下的时空动态特征，是预判环境变化对生物多样性影响的关键基础。同理，针对此类动态评估物种的脆弱性，亦是制定高效保护举措的核心要义。本研究围绕海拔梯度展开，探究了蝙蝠多样性沿该梯度的全年变化规律，并明确了塑造蝙蝠群落结构的环境驱动因子。通过分析物种在生物物理生态位空间内的边缘性特征，本研究评估了蝙蝠对可预见环境变化的脆弱性。研究结果显示，海拔高度、森林覆盖率与灌丛覆盖率是全年调控蝙蝠群落结构的主要驱动因子。此外，部分蝙蝠物种仅局限于单一生态类群（或生态偏好类群），而另一些物种则在全年展现出更强的生态可塑性。值得注意的是，本研究发现：尽管依附于高地生境与森林的蝙蝠（尤其是须鼠耳蝠（Myotis mystacinus））对环境变化的脆弱性尤为显著，但该脆弱性与其国家保护等级之间的相关性极低。我们据此提出，物种的生态可塑性对于暴露于环境变化中的生物群落的恢复力至关重要，在制定针对性保护策略时应将其纳入考量。