Community ecology of bats in southern lower Michigan, with emphasis on roost selection by myotis

I studied the roosting niche of three sympatric species of Myotis (little brown bat, M. lucifugus; northern bat, M. septentrionalis; and Indiana bat, M. sodalis) and examined changes in composition of the entire bat community in southern Lower Michigan over long periods. Little brown bats roosted in buildings, whereas northern and Indiana bats used trees. Northern and Indiana bats differed primarily in species of tree used, whether the tree was living or dead, and use of cavities or loose bark. There were no differences among species in composition of landscapes surrounding roosts. I also netted bats during 2004–2006 and compared my captures to previous surveys. Over 26 years, composition of the entire community has changed with the addition of two new species, evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis) and eastern pipistrelles (Pipistrellus subflavus), and a drastic decline in relative abundance of red bats (Lasiurus borealis)