Composition and activity of arthropodivorous bat community in wind farms in the Mexican Tropics

We studied the bat arthropodivorous species composition and their activity during the rainy and dry seasons of 2013 and 2014, to evaluate the effect of wind farms on these species. We captured specimens using mist nets and we recorded echolocation sounds a free fly with an ultrasonic detector in 2 areas: with wind farms (DPE) and without it (FPE). We recorded 13 species and 4 genera. In mist nets we registered 100 individuals from 8 species (with a sampling effort of 120,600 m.mist net/hr); using an ultrasonic detector, 4,518 passes of 9 species and 4 genera were recorded. In the DFE area, we recorded 12 species and 4 genera, in the FPE area, 10 species and 4 genera. The analysis did not show significant differences for the activity between DPE and FPE areas, however seasonal differences were found. The 19:00 and 20:00 hrs in both conditions registered the greatest number of passes. It is possible that environmental and landscape variables, which have been reported of importance for bat activity, intervene in this region as no differences were found in the analysis performed.