Spatial and taxonomic biases in bat records: Drivers and conservation implications in a megadiverse country
Authors/Creators
- 1. Sodercan
- 2. Durango Institute of Technology
- 3. University of Cambridge
- 4. Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources
Description
Biases in data availability have serious consequences on scientific inferences that can be derived. The potential consequences of these biases could be more detrimental in the less-studied megadiverse regions, often characterized by high biodiversity and serious risks of human threats, as conservation and management actions could be misdirected. Here, focusing on 134 bat species in Mexico, we analyze spatial and taxonomic biases and their drivers in occurrence data; and identify priority areas for further data collection which are currently under-sampled or at future environmental risk. We collated a comprehensive database of 26,192 presence-only bat records in Mexico to characterize taxonomic and spatial biases and relate them to species' characteristics (range size and foraging behavior). Next, we examined variables related to accessibility, species richness and security to explain the spatial patterns in occurrence records. Finally, we compared the spatial distributions of existing data and future threats to these species to highlight those regions that are likely to experience an increased level of threats but are currently under-surveyed. We found taxonomic biases, where species with wider geographical ranges and narrow-space foragers (species easily captured with traditional methods) had more occurrence data. There was a significant oversampling towards tropical regions, and the presence and number of records was positively associated with areas of high topographic heterogeneity, road density, urban and protected areas, and negatively associated with areas which were predicted to have future increases in temperature and precipitation. Sampling efforts for Mexican bats appear to have focused disproportionately on easily-captured species, tropical regions, areas of high species richness and security; leading to under-sampling in areas of high future threats. These biases could substantially influence the assessment of current status of, and future anthropogenic impacts on, this diverse species group in a tropical megadiverse country.
Notes
Explanation on the metadata is contained within the excel file
Funding provided by: American Society of Mammalogists
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100010389
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Funding provided by: Bat Conservation International
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100005466
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Funding provided by: Cambridge Commonwealth European and International Trust
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Funding provided by: Cambridge Commonwealth European and International Trust
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Award Number: 301879989
Funding provided by: CONACYT
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Funding provided by: CONACYT
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Award Number: 310731
Funding provided by: Hitchcock funds Cambridge
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Funding provided by: Idea Wild
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100007142
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Funding provided by: Rufford Small Grants
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Funding provided by: Rufford Small Grants
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Award Number: 12059-1
Funding provided by: Whitmore Trust Cambridge
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Funding provided by: European Commission's Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship Program
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Funding provided by: European Commission's Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship Program
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Award Number: PIIF-GA-2011-303221
Funding provided by: Isaac Newton Trust
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004815
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Funding provided by: Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100008118
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Funding provided by: Kenneth Miller Trust
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Funding provided by: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Grant
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000266
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Funding provided by: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Grant
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000266
Award Number: EP/K015664/1
Funding provided by: Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003141
Award Number: 310731
Funding provided by: Rufford Foundation
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100007463
Award Number: 12059‐1
Funding provided by: Cambridge Commonwealth, European and International Trust
Crossref Funder Registry ID:
Award Number: 301879989
Funding provided by: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000266
Award Number: EP/K015664/1
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Additional details
Related works
- Is cited by
- 10.1002/ece3.5848 (DOI)