Comparative Diversity of Bats in Two Contrasting Habitats in Terengganu

Authors

  • HASRULZAMAN HASSAN BASRI Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
  • NOR ZALIPAH MOHAMED Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
  • NUR JULIANI SHAFIE Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
  • MOHD. TAJUDDIN ABDULLAH Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9592-9722

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33736/bjrst.4559.2022

Keywords:

Dipterocarp forest, fruit bats, insect bats, Kenyir, Malaysia, plantation, Setiu

Abstract

Differentiations in the habitat and resource utilisation lead to segregation and specialisation of niches for bats within the structurally complex tropical rainforest in Malaysia. This research aims to characterise chiropterans’ assemblages found in two different habitat types in Tasik Kenyir (dipterocarp forest) and Setiu (oil palm plantation). A total of 48 sampling nights were conducted within two years period from March 2017 to March 2019 which covered four sampling sites in Tasik Kenyir and four sites at Setiu. Two standard four-bank harp traps and 10 mist nets were deployed throughout the study at every site to capture bats at understory levels. This makes a total of 576 sampling efforts for both areas. Song Meter SM2bats and Echo Meter Touch from Wildlife Acoustic were used to record the echolocation of insectivorous bats. The total number of individuals and species observed were used to determine species diversity, richness, and evenness. Paleontological statistic software was used to generate the rank abundance and species accumulation curves. Bray-Curtis similarity index was used to generalise the index that represents the relative abundance of the sampling sites. A total of 835 individuals comprising 31 species from six families were captured at both study areas. Out of 835 individuals, 695 were captured within Tasik Kenyir comprising 27 species from six families (H = 2.381) while 140 individuals were captured in Setiu comprising 20 species from five families (H = 2.40). The diversity of bats in Tasik Kenyir was hypothesised to be higher than in Setiu as the habitat possess a larger undisturbed forest. However, the result showed the opposite in which no significant difference was detected from the diversity index calculated between these two areas. Detailed studies need to be conducted to determine if some areas are used as transient habitats for bats.

References

Abdullah, M.T. & Hall, L.S. (1997). Abundance and distribution of fruit bats and other mammals in the tropical forest canopy in Borneo. Sarawak Museum Journal, 79: 268-269.

Bernard, E. (2001). Vertical stratification of bat communities in primary forests of Central Amazon, Brazil. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 17: 115-126.

https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467401001079

Bruhl, C.A., Eltz, T. & Linsemair, K.E. (2003). Size does matter- effects of tropical rainforest fragmentation on the leaf litter ant community in Sabah, Malaysia. Biodiversity and Conservation, 12: 1371-1389.

Corbet, G.B. & Hill, J.E. (1992). The mammals of the Indomalayan region: a systematic review. New York: Oxford University Press.

Francis, C.M. (2008). A field guide to the mammals of South-East Asia. New Holand, United Kingdom: New Holand Publisher (UK) Ltd.

Hammer, Ø., Harper, D.A.T. & Ryan, P.D. (2001). PAST: Paleontological statistic software package for education and data analysis. Palaeontologia Electronica, 4(1): 1-9.

Hill, J.L. & Hill, R.A. (2001). Why are tropical rain forests so species rich? Classifying, reviewing and evaluating theories. Progress in Physical Geography, 25(3): 326-354. DOI:10.1177/03091 3330102500302

https://doi.org/10.1191/030913301680193805

Hodgkison, R., Balding, S.T., Zubaid, A. & Kunz, T.H. (2004). Temporal variation in the relative abundance of fruit bats (Megachiroptera: Pteropodidae) in relation to the availability of food in a lowland Malaysian rain forest. Biotropica, 36(4): 522-533.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2004.tb00347.x

Hutcheson, K. (1970). A test for comparing diversities based on the Shannon formula. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 29: 151-154. DOI:10.1016 /00 22-5193(70)90124-4

https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-5193(70)90124-4

IUCN (2021). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2021-1. https://www.iucnredlist .org. Accessed on 22nd August 2021

Jamilah, M.S., Faridah, M. & Rohani, S. (2015). Setiu: More than a wetland. In Faridah, M., Jamilah, M.S., Jarina, M.J. and Rohani, S. (Eds.) Setiu wetlands species, ecosystems and livelihoods. Terengganu, Penerbit Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. pp. 87-100.

Jayaraj, V.K., Ketol, B, Marni, W., Sait, I., Mohamad Jalanim, M., Khan, F.A.A., Fong, P.H., Hall, L.S. & Abdullah, M.T. (2011). Comparative distribution and diversity of bats from selected localities in Sarawak. Borneo Journal of Resource Science and Technology, 1: 1-13.

Jones, K.E., Purvis, A., MacLarnon, A., Bininda-Emonds, O.R.P. & Simmons, N. (2002). A phylogenetic super-tree of the bat (Mammalia: Chiroptera). Biological Review, 77: 223-259.

https://doi.org/10.1017/S1464793101005899

Kate, A.T., Kuepper, B. & Piotrowski, M. (2021). Oil palm expansion in Peninsular Malaysia is guided by non-transparency. Retrieved from https://chainreactionresearch.com/report/oil-palm -expansion-in-peninsular-malaysia-is-guided-by-non-transparency

Khalib, N.K.A., Shafie, N.J, Basri, H.H., Nelson, B.R. & Abdullah, M.T. (2018). Non-volant small mammal data from fragmented forests in Terengganu State, Data-in-Brief, 21: 1514-1520. DOI:10.1016/j.dib.2018.10.061.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2018.10.061

Kingston, T., Francis, C.M., Zubaid, A. & Kunz, T.H. (2003). Species richness in an insectivorous bat assemblage from Malaysia. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 19: 67-69.

https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467403003080

Kingston, T., Lim, B.L. & Akbar, Z. (2009). Bats of Krau Wildlife Reserve. Bangi, Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Kunz, T.H., De Torrez, E.B., Bauer, D., Lobova, T. & Fleming, T.H. (2011). Ecosystem services provided by bats. Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 1223(1): 1-38.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06004.x

Kushairi Din, A. (2017). Malaysian Oil Palm Industry Performance 2016 and Prospects for 2017". Malaysian Palm Oil Board. Retrieved 10 September 2021.

Lockwood, J.L. & McKinney, M.L. (2001). Biotic homogenization: a sequential and selective process. In Lockwood, J.L. & McKinney, M. (eds.) Biotic homogenization. New York: Kluwer Academic. pp. 1-17.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1261-5

Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) (2021). Retrieved from https://bepi.mpob.gov.my/index. php/en/?option=com_content&view=category&id=115

Mazlan, N., Tan, C.F., Kamaruzzaman, M.A., Adrus, M. & Abdullah, M.T. (2015). Survey of small mammals in Bukit Taat, Tasik Kenyir, Hulu Terengganu, Malaysia. Borneo Journal of Resource Science and Technology, 5(2): 79-83.

https://doi.org/10.33736/bjrst.225.2015

McKinney, M.L. & Lockwood, J.L. (1999). Biotic homogenization: a few inners replacing many losers in the next mass extinction. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 14: 450-453.

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-5347(99)01679-1

Mohd-Azlan, J., Neuchlos, J. & Abdullah, M.T. (2005). Diversity of chiropterans in limestone forest area, Bau, Sarawak. Malaysian Applied Biology, 34(1): 59-64.

Morni, M.H., Tahir, N.F.D.A., Rosli, Q.S., Dee, J.W., Azhar, I., Roslan, A., Zahidin M.A., Abdullah, M.T. & Khan, F.A.A. (2016). New record of Rhinolophus chiewkweeae (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae) from the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia with new information on their echolocation calls, genetics and their taxonomy. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 64: 242-249.

Muhammad, N.H.Z., Low, S.Y., Shukri, S.N.S.M., Samah, A.H.A., Basri, H.Z.H., Shuhaimi, M.H.M., Hamzah, H.N., Zahidin, M.A., Ariffin, M.S.A. & Zalipah, M.N. (2021). Flower visiting bats and durian trees: Species richness and population size. Journal of Sustainability Science and Management, 16(5): 80-90. DOI:10.46754/ jssm.2021.07.006

https://doi.org/10.46754/jssm.2021.07.006

Nor Zalipah, M., Roslan, A., Senawi, J., Jayaraj, V.K., Azhar, M.I., Abdullah, M.T. & Lim, B.L. (2018). Checklist of small mammals of Hulu Terengganu, Terengganu. In Abdullah, M.T., Mohammad, A., Nor Zalipah, M. and Lola, M.S. (Eds.). Greater Kenyir landscape, social development and environmental sustainability: From ridge to reef. Switzerland, Springer Nature. pp. 191-200.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92264-5_18

Norberg, M. & Rayner, J.M.V. (1987). Ecological morphology and flight in bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera)-wing adaptations, flight performance, foraging strategy and echolocation. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society London, 316: 337-419.

https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.1987.0030

Olden, J.D. & Poff, N.L. (2003). Toward a mechanistic understanding and prediction of biotic homogenization. American Naturalist, 162: 442-460.

https://doi.org/10.1086/378212

Omar, N.I., Abd Latif, M., Shamsul, N., Sharif Katullah, M.I., Basri, H.H., Mazlan, A.A., Azmi, N.F., Ering, R., Abdullah, S., Anuar, H., Ismail, N.A., Ahmad, M.H., Mohammad Shah, M.N., Mohd Johan, K.B. & Abdullah, M.T. (2019). Rapid assessment and taxonomic checklist of vertebrates at the foot of Gunung Tebu Forest Reserve, Terengganu. In Abdullah, M.T., Mohammad, A., Nor Zalipah, M. & Lola, M.S. (eds.) Greater Kenyir landscapes. Social development and environmental sustainability: From ridge to reef. Switzerland, Springer Nature. pp. 201-217.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92264-5_19

Payne, J. & Francis, C.M. (2007). A field guide to the mammals of Borneo. Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Society and WWF Malaysia.

Phillipps, Q. & Phillipps, K. (2016). Phillipps' field guide to the mammals of Borneo and their ecology: Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, and Kalimantan. Oxford, United Kingdom: John Beaufoy Publishing Ltd. pp. 400.

Podong, C. & Poolsiri, R. (2013). Forest structure and species diversity of secondary forest after cultivation in relation to various sources at lower northern Thailand. Proceedings of the International Academy of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 3(3): 208-218.

Pounsin, G., Wahab, N.S., Roslan A., Zahidin, M.A., Pesiu, E., Tamrin, N.A. & Abdullah, M.T. (2018). Diversity of bats in contrasting habitats of Hulu Terengganu dipterocarp forest and Setiu Wetland BRIS Forest with a note on preliminary study of vertical stratification of Pteropodid bats. Tropical Life Sciences Research, 29(1): 51-69.

https://doi.org/10.21315/tlsr2018.29.1.4

Ramlee, M.N.A., Hussin, M.F., Roslan, A., Rosmidi, F.H., Pesiu, E., Rahim, N.A.A., Ahmad, N.I.I., David, G., Zakaria, A.A., Adanan, N.A., Basri, H.H., Ariffin, M.S.A., Bartholomew, C.V., Zahidin, M.A., Lola, M.S. & Abdullah, M.T. (2020). Conspectus of flora, fauna and micro-climate data in Tasik Kenyir from Mac 2015-February 2016. Data-in-Brief, 29: 105328. DOI:10.1016/j.dib.2020.105328.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2020.105328

Roslan, A. (2017). Species richness of bats and vertical stratification of pteropodid bats in relation to wing morphology in East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. (Masters' thesis), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.

Roslan, A., David, G., Zahidin M.A., Rosmidi, F.H., Ahmad, N.I.I. & Abdullah, M.T. (2016). A new distributional record of Chaerephon johorensis (Chiroptera: Mollosidae) at Belukar Bukit, Hulu Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia. Journal of Wildlife and Parks, 31: 61-65.

Shafie, N.J., Sah, S.A., Latip, N.S., Azman, N.M. & Khairuddin, N.L. (2011). Diversity pattern of bats at two contrasting habitat types along Kerian River, Perak, Malaysia. Tropical Life Sciences Research, 22(2): 13-22.

Shazali, N., Chew, T.H., Shamsir, M.S., Tingga, R.C.T., Mohd Ridwan, A.R. & Khan, F.A.A. (2017) Assessing bat roosts using the LiDAR system at Wind Cave Nature Reserve in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Acta Chiropterologica, 19(1): 199-210.

https://doi.org/10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.1.016

World Wildlife Fund -WWF. (n.d.). Deforestation and Forest Degradation | Threats | WWF. World Wildlife Fund. https://www.worldwildlife.org/ threats/deforestation-and-forest-degradation

Yoshiyuki, M. & Lim, B.L. (2005). A new horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus chiewkweeae (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae), from Malaysia. Bulletin of the National Science Museum Tokyo, 31: 29-36.

Zakaria, N., Tarmizi, A.A., Zuki, M.A.T., Ahmad, A., Mamat, M.A. & Abdullah, M.T. (2020). Bats data from fragmented forests in Terengganu State, Malaysia. Data in Brief, 30: 105567.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2020.105567

Published

2022-12-31

How to Cite

BASRI, H. H., MOHAMED, N. Z., SHAFIE, N. J., & ABDULLAH, M. T. (2022). Comparative Diversity of Bats in Two Contrasting Habitats in Terengganu. Borneo Journal of Resource Science and Technology, 12(2), 24–38. https://doi.org/10.33736/bjrst.4559.2022