PROTECTION PROVIDED BY A SMALL CAVE FOR A BAT COLONY (Anoura geoffroyi GRAY, 1838) DURING A FOREST FIRE IN BRAZIL

Abstract

Bats are considered to be extremely important for the cave environment, acting directly in these ecosystems’ energy supply. The guano produced by some bat groups has extreme energetic value, to the point where some invertebrates species (detritivores) have specialized in living exclusively off this resource. On the other hand, caves provide shelter and protection from weather and predators
for bats. In this study, we evaluated variations in the MJ_0005 cave’s microclimate during a fire event in its surroundings. Data from three data loggers were used for this evaluation. One installed near the outside of the cave’s entrance, one in the middle of the cave and one near a large Anoura geoffroyi bat colony. The outside’s average temperature (x 22,6°C) was significantly higher than the average temperatures in the middle of the cave (x 18,3°C) and at the colony site (x 18,6°C) on the day of the fire. The temperature reached 33,3°C when the fire approached the external logger’s location. Meanwhile the temperature recorded in the middle of the cave was 16,4°C whilst at the colony’s location was 17,0°C. The data observed at the colony point as well as in the center of the cave were lower than the annual averages observed in this environment even when the external logger showed the highest temperature (46,0°C). Thus, it becomes clear that even small caves can also represent important refuges for fauna in places where environmental disturbances such as forest fires constantly occurs. Therefore, they are an important aspect to be evaluated in speleological relevant studies in regions where their availability is restricted.