| Bats are currently facing a host of threats, including habitat destruction, wind power, and white nose syndrome. With drastic population declines and impending species listings, it is imperative to gain a greater understanding of the habitat needs of bats. Although the habitat preferences of many bat species have been well studied, it remains unclear what impacts current forestry practices, such as prescribed fire and thinning, have on bat species composition and richness in a managed, temperate forest community. The objective of this study is to assess the impacts of forest management techniques on bat habitat use at Fort Indiantown Gap-National Guard Training Center in south-central Pennsylvania. Data on forest composition, management treatments, and bat species presence has been collected on site since 2003. Additional presence data was collected using a combination of passive acoustic monitoring, mist-netting, and radio telemetry to examine changes in bat species composition within different forest treatment types over time. We hypothesize that bat habitat use will positively correlate with the use of forest management techniques. Investigating this relationship can prove beneficial to further our understanding of bat habitat use, and to better inform land managers on best practices needed to manage bat roosting and foraging habitats. |