Managing successional species: Modelling the dependence of heath fritillary populations on the spatial distribution of woodland management

Species that persist on a shifting mosaic of successional habitat offer particular challenges to conservation, to monitoring methods, and to population dynamic modelling. The conservation of the heath fritillary butterfly (Melitaea athalia) in woodland in England, for example, depends on the creation of woodland clearings by coppicing (rotational cutting). We have developed a simulation model to assist in the conservation of such populations, called MANAGE. We have parameterised the model for the M. athalia population in the Blean Woods in Kent, and used it to answer several management questions. We find that: (1) simulations predict that the observed rates of coppicing will not be enough to meet existing conservation (Biodiversity Action Plan) targets, except when the most generous modelling assumptions are made; (2) the greatest uncertainty in the model outcome arises from uncertainty in the colonisation parameters; (3) in the worst case scenario (using the most pessimistic model assumptions), a population would require 2.3% of the Blean Woods to be coppiced each year, which is around double the currently-observed rate; (4) the four management units of the Blean where coppicing is practised are not independent metapopulations– they support each other; and (5) to sustain a population in a smaller landscape would require less coppicing overall, but more as a percentage of the landscape. This modelling approach may prove useful in the development of conservation management plans for other species that inhabit successional habitats.     

Landcover predicts isolation in Ambystoma salamanders across region and species

Anthropogenic modification of the landscape can have important consequences for dispersal of terrestrial organisms. If certain landcover types consistently act as barriers to movement, their occurrence could serve as a proxy for population isolation. We tested the fit of a general a priori landcover model on genetically-inferred isolation in ambystomatid salamander species. The landcover model included terms for pond size, geographic isolation, and amount of surrounding agriculture. In all cases, agriculture was associated with increased population isolation, while deciduous forest was almost always associated with decreased isolation. The full model described over 70% of the variation in a genetically-inferred measure of isolation in the system for which it was developed, and 30–45% of variation in novel systems. We suggest that landscape analyses can serve as a proxy for population isolation in ambystomatid salamanders. Our findings suggest that preserving well-forested regions without substantial agriculture will protect salamanders through increased population connectivity. These results have important implications for conservation, as genetic analyses are costly and time-consuming, and decisions to purchase or preserve land must often occur quickly.     

Gap-crossing by gliding marsupials: thresholds for use of isolated woodland patches in an agricultural landscape

Single trees and small patches of trees in farmland are conspicuous components of agricultural landscapes around the world, but their value for the conservation of biodiversity is not well known. In this study, arboreal mammals were censused by using hair-sampling tubes in small patches of woodland (single trees to patches <1.0 ha) in cleared farmland adjacent to a linear network of woodland known to support resident populations of arboreal mammals. Ninety-one small isolates were stratified by size (single trees or small patches) and distance from the linear network to test the capacity of animals to cross habitat ‘gaps’. The genus Petaurus (small gliding marsupials), the most commonly detected taxon, was recorded in 31% of hair-tubes (98 of 316). It occurred in 21% of sites in isolated trees and patches, and in all linear strips. A logistic regression model demonstrated that Petaurus sp. was most likely to occur in isolates in close proximity to linear strips and other patches of woodland. Ninety-five per cent of sites at which this taxon occurred were within 75 m of the linear network. This threshold corresponds with the maximum distance that animals can glide in a single movement between trees. The size of isolates did not influence utilisation rates. Such isolates are smaller than a single home range and were probably used to supplement home ranges centred on the linear network, by providing additional foraging habitat and den sites. Protection and restoration of isolated trees and small woodland clumps in cleared landscapes contributes to mammal conservation and this study provides quantitative data that can assist landscape design and habitat restoration in rural environments.     

Species-specific barrier effects of a motorway on the habitat use of two threatened forest-living bat species

It is generally recognized that roads can adversely affect local animal populations but little is known how roads affect bats. In particular, no study compared the response of bats that differ in foraging ecology to motorways that cut through the breeding habitat. As bats are key species in conservation, such data are urgently needed for designing management plans. Using radio-telemetry, mist netting, and mark-recapture data we investigated the effects of a motorway with heavy traffic on the habitat use of two threatened forest-living bats. We compared barbastelle bats (Barbastella barbastellus), which forage in open space, to Bechstein’s bats (Myotis bechsteinii), which glean prey from the vegetation. Five of six radio-tracked barbastelle bats crossed the motorway during foraging and roost switching, flying through underpasses and directly over the motorway. In contrast, only three of 34 radio-tracked Bechstein’s bats crossed the motorway during foraging, all three using an underpass. Bechstein’s bats, unlike barbastelle bats, never crossed the motorway during roost switching. Moreover, only in Bechstein’s bats individuals foraging close to the motorway had smaller foraging areas than individuals foraging further away, whereas other forest edges had no such effect. Our data show that motorways can restrict habitat accessibility for bats but the effect seems to depend on the species’ foraging ecology and wing morphology. We suggest that motorways have stronger barrier effects on bats that forage close to surfaces than on bats that forage in open space, and discuss the implications of our findings for bat conservation during road construction.     

Sex-specific roost movements and population dynamics of the vulnerable long-fingered bat, Myotis capaccinii

The roosts of many IUCN-listed cave-roosting bat species are under threat from tourist development in SE Europe and other regions of the world. Much-needed conservation strategies require, among other information, an understanding of their roost movements and population dynamics, which can now be obtained relatively quickly using advanced models. We have studied the long-fingered bat, Myotis capaccinii, an obligate cave-dweller, in Dadia National Park, Greece. The species formed colonies of up to a few thousand individuals and was highly mobile, frequently switching summer roosts up to 39 km apart, even during late pregnancy. The bats migrated to distant hibernacula including a cave in Bulgaria 140 km NW of the Park. Adult recapture probabilities varied with season and sex: low female recapture rates in autumn, relative to spring and summer, indicated non-random temporary emigration following nursery colony dispersal. The opposite pattern was seen in males: increasing recapture rates in the autumn suggest that males gather in these roosts to mate with females in transit. Adult survival (0.86-0.94) was similar in females and males, similar in winter and summer, and comparable to recent estimates for other bats based on similar modelling techniques. Sex-based differences in juvenile recapture suggest female philopatry and male-biased dispersal. Our work shows that protection of M. capaccinii roosts must extend beyond the Park’s and indeed the country’s boundaries: its conservation requires large-scale, trans-national integrated conservation plans. Our results will apply to many other warm-temperate species with similar life history cycles.     

Conservation of Pteropus livingstonii based on roost site habitat characteristics on Anjouan and Moheli, Comoros islands

Livingstone's fruit bats, Pteropus livingstonii, (Pteropodidae: Chiroptera) are endemic to only two islands, Moheli and Anjouan of the Comoros Islands in the West Indian Ocean. With an estimated population of less than 2000 individuals, P. livingstonii is listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List. Yet the habitat characteristics of these giant fruit bats, or flying foxes, are poorly known. I conducted field research during 5 months in 1998 focused on finding new roost sites, measuring characteristics of both roost sites and roost trees at new as well as previously identified roost sites, and recording the same characteristics for a set of absence sites. I identified six new roost sites allowing me to measure the characteristics of 15 known roost sites and seven absence sites. The study spanned both dry and rainy seasons and I found a significant increase in the number of individuals at roost sites during the rainy season. Bat roost sites were associated with presence of water, southeast aspect, steep slopes, and presence of several native tree species. Roost habitat was characterized based on biotic, abiotic and human factors. This research on habitat characteristics is contributing to the development of a conservation action plan for the Livingstone's fruit bats. However, further research on dry season roost sites and distribution as well as feeding sites is necessary in order to better understand their seasonal habitat requirements and therefore ensure the conservation of P. livingstonii.     

Effects of mulch location on banana weevil,soil and plant nutrients,soil water and biomass in banana fields

Major constraints to banana (Musa spp., genome group AAA) production, a dietary staple for over 70 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, are pest infestations, poor nutrition and inadequate water. Although mulch can improve soil water and nutrient status, many farmers believe it also promotes the proliferation of banana weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus), one of the most serious banana pests. In this study, we evaluated the effects of mulch location (mulch to base of banana pseudostem; mulch recessed 1 m from the pseudostem) on banana weevil, soil and plant nutrient status, soil water, and banana growth and development. After 3 years, the fully mulched plots had significantly more soil Ca and Mg than plots that did not receive mulch. Banana foliar K concentration was significantly higher in both mulch treatments (full and recessed) than in the control (no mulch) plots. The mulched plots had greater recharge after rainfall events and higher soil water contents during dry periods due to increased infiltration in the mulched plots. However, the mulched plots also exhibited significantly higher banana weevil densities and greater plant damage than the control plots. There was no difference in weevil damage with mulch location, although weevil density was higher in the fully mulched plots throughout most of the trial. Despite greater weevil damage, the treatments that were mulched yielded significantly heavier bunches. Hence the effects of the mulch on soil water infiltration and banana foliar nutrient status outweighed the detrimental effects of banana weevil damage.     

Soil and climate are better than biotic land cover for predicting home-range habitat selection by endangered burrowing owls across the Canadian Prairies

Statistical models that describe species-environmental relationships are important components within many wildlife conservation strategies. These models are typically developed from studies conducted on small geographic scales (hundreds of square kilometres), representing a relatively small range in environmental conditions. Such local models from local studies are often then extrapolated to predict the suitability of other unsampled regions. The value of many models would be increased by considering larger-scale processes that might be structuring spatial patterns across species distributions. We examined home-range habitat selection by burrowing owls throughout the mixed prairie grassland region of western Canada (180,000 km²) to determine whether owl selection for biotic factors changes along abiotic gradients. Specifically, we classified 37 explanatory variables into five categories (geography, grassland fragmentation, land-use, soil, and climate), created models for each set of variables, and evaluated the predictive ability of each model. We then examined interaction effects to determine if the relationship between land cover variables and the probability of owl home-range selection varied within large-scale abiotic criteria. Our results showed that soil and climate produce the most predictive models of burrowing owl home-range selection and create unique environmental conditions for owls which are independent of land cover at this scale. This study provides new insight into burrowing owl habitat requirements, and strengthens the case for considering large-scale abiotic gradients when prioritizing areas for species conservation.     

Detrimental effects of peat mining on amphibian abundance and species richness in bogs

Peat bogs of eastern North America are increasingly being mined for peat, which results in the extensive draining of these systems. First, I quantified the effects of peat mining on amphibian species richness and abundance in bog remnants adjacent to mining activity and unmined bogs. I then investigated amphibian occurrence patterns in bog remnants relative to the distance to the mined edge, after accounting for microhabitat and distance to landscape elements. The response of amphibians to peat mining varied across taxa. For instance, amphibian species richness, total amphibian captures (all spp. combined), as well as those of green frogs (Rana clamitans) were greater in unmined bogs than in bog remnants. Wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) were most abundant in unmined bogs in areas far from bog ponds, as well as in unmined bogs in areas near shrub patches. After accounting for microhabitat and landscape variables, American toads (Bufo americanus) in bog remnants were most abundant close to mined edges, whereas the other species did not respond to the proximity of mined edges. Peat mining negatively impacts amphibians occurring in bog remnants. The response of amphibians to peat mining is similar to the one of birds and plants, but differs with small mammals. Maintaining a complex mosaic of bog ponds, shrub and forest patches might help mitigate peat mining effects on amphibian patterns of abundance.     

Influence of temperature in roost selection by Pipistrellus pygmaeus (Chiroptera): relevance for the design of bat boxes

The soprano pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) is a house-dwelling bat, whose maternity colonies are often affected by exclusion from buildings in southern Europe. Bat boxes with a suitable thermal behaviour can provide alternative roosts. However, this is particularly difficult to achieve in hot climates, where boxes may overheat. We studied roost temperatures and roost thermal preferences of this bat in attics and roofs in a Mediterranean region. Roosts reached high temperatures, experienced great thermal fluctuations and had wide spatial thermal ranges. Bats preferred the warmest locations within roosts, indicating that they are a heat tolerant species. However, they avoided temperatures of 40 °C and above, suggesting that this is the upper limit of the species thermally neutral zone. The study of experimental sets of white, grey and black boxes demonstrated that the latter were the ones that most often reached the temperatures observed in roosts in buildings. They were also the ones occupied by larger numbers of bats. These results suggest that, even in hot Mediterranean climates, black boxes are the best option as alternative roosts for evicted colonies. However, on particularly hot days, bats left them, suggesting that black boxes could be improved by creating a wider thermal range.     

Effects of plant species on microbial biomass phosphorus and phosphatase activity in a range of grassland soils

Soil P transformations are primarily mediated by plant root and soil microbial activity. A short-term (40 weeks) glasshouse experiment with 15 grassland soils collected from around New Zealand was conducted to examine the impacts of ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and radiata pine (Pinus radiata) on soil microbial properties and microbiological processes involved in P dynamics. Results showed that the effect of plant species on soil microbial parameters varied greatly with soil type. Concentrations of microbial biomass C and soil respiration were significantly greater in six out of 15 soils under radiata pine compared with ryegrass, while there were no significant effects of plant species on these parameters in the remaining soils. However, microbial biomass P (MBP) was significantly lower in six soils under radiata pine, while there were no significant effects of plant species on MBP in the remaining soils. The latter indicated that P was released from the microbial biomass in response to greater P demand by radiata pine. Levels of water soluble organic C were significantly greater in most soils under radiata pine, compared with ryegrass, which suggested that greater root exudation might have occurred under radiata pine. Activities of acid and alkaline phosphatase and phosphodiesterase were generally lower in most soils under radiata pine, compared with ryegrass. The findings of this study indicate that root exudation plays an important role in increased soil microbial activities, solubility of organic P and mineralization of organic P in soils under radiata pine.     

Identifying indirect habitat loss and avoidance of human infrastructure by northern mountain woodland caribou

Understanding the impact of indirect habitat loss resulting from avoidance of human infrastructure is an important conservation priority. We evaluated resource selection for 10 global positioning system collared northern mountain woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in British Columbia, Canada, with seasonal resource selection functions (RSF) developed at the second-order (landscape) and third-order (within home range) scales. To estimate how much habitat was lost due to avoidance, we estimated the zone of influence (ZOI) around multiple developments and modeled realized and potential habitat. Potential habitat was approximated by removing the ZOI from RSF models. By calculating the spatial difference between potential and realized habitat we estimated the amount of indirect habitat loss. Caribou displayed hierarchical avoidance of development, with the greatest avoidance occurring at the second-order. During both seasons caribou avoided high-use roads by 2 km and low-use roads by 1 km. In winter, caribou avoided town by 9 km compared to 3 km in summer. However, in summer caribou avoided mines by 2 km and cabins and camps by 1.5 km, while in winter when human activity was low, avoidance of these features was minor. As a result of avoidance of the cumulative ZOI, approximately 8% and 2% of high quality habitat was lost in the study area in winter and summer, respectively. Our study provides an approach to identify the extent and quality of habitat influenced by indirect avoidance. Conservation efforts should prioritize protecting areas of high quality habitat degraded by avoidance in the vicinity of human development.     

Persistence of a rare ancient cycad: Effects of environment and demography

Conservation of rare species is frequently complicated by their narrow niches and poor competitive abilities which limit their distribution to a few small populations. We studied how population size and structure of an endemic cycad of northwestern Mexico, Dioon sonorense, known to be threatened by widespread land conversion and plant extraction by humans, varied with 21 environmental variables. We also used matrix population models to show how population structure may affect its long-term persistence. Slope and soil exchangeable potassium explained a moderate proportion of the variance in the abundance of adult individuals, while abundance of adults and slope explained a large proportion of the variance in the abundance of seedlings. The strong non-linear relationships of seedling abundance with slope and adult abundance suggest threshold effects that may limit D. sonorense regeneration in less suitable environments. Modeling suggests that most of the study populations will not be viable in the long-term, except for the largest population. Modeling scenarios with large increments in fecundity and seedling survival produced modest gains in population growth. The long-term persistence of D. sonorense is shown in our study to be further threatened by: (a) small size of adult populations, (b) low-quality habitat in which most populations occur, and potentially, (c) the combined effect of low fecundity and recruitment.     

When the species is also a habitat: Comparing the predictively modelled distributions of Lophelia pertusa and the reef habitat it forms

Internationally there is political momentum to establish networks of marine protected areas for the conservation of threatened species and habitats. Practical implementation of such networks requires an understanding of the distribution of these species and habitats. Predictive modelling provides a method by which continuous distribution maps can be produced from limited sample data. This method is particularly useful in the deep sea where a number of biological communities have been identified as vulnerable ‘habitats’, including Lophelia pertusa reefs. Recent modelling efforts have focused on predicting the distribution of this species. However the species is widely distributed where as reef habitat is not. This study uses Maxent predictive modelling to investigate whether the distribution of the species acts as a suitable proxy for the reef habitat. Models of both species and habitat distribution across Hatton Bank and George Bligh Bank are constructed using multibeam bathymetry, interpreted substrate and geomorphology layers, and derived layers of bathymetric position index (BPI), rugosity, slope and aspect. Species and reef presence records were obtained from video observations. For both models performance is fair to excellent assessed using AUC and additional threshold dependant metrics. 7.17% of the study area is predicted as highly suitable for the species presence while only 0.56% is suitable for reef presence, using the sensitivity–specificity sum maximisation approach to determine the appropriate threshold. Substrate is the most important variable in the both models followed by geomorphology in the RD model and fine scale BPI in the SD model. The difference in the distributions of reef and species suggest that mapping efforts should focus on the habitat rather than the species at fine (100 m) scales.     

Effects of bush encroachment on an assemblage of diurnal lizard species in central Namibia

Bush encroachment is a serious environmental and economic problem in Namibia, but little is known about impacts on native reptile diversity. Area-confined visual surveys were used to examine a diurnal lizard assemblage in central Namibian commercial ranchlands. Surveys were conducted in plots of open savanna habitat and proximal bush-encroached habitat. The following four species comprised 97.5% of all lizard observations: Pedioplanis undata, Mabuya varia, M. striata, and Lygodactylus bradfieldi. Pedioplanis undata was terrestrial, and the remaining three species were largely arboreal in our study plots. Mabuya varia was found in all savanna plots but was absent from all bush-encroached plots. Two species (P. undata and L. bradfieldi) were less abundant in bush-encroached plots. One species (M. striata) was more abundant in bush-encroached plots than in open savanna plots. Arboreal lizards demonstrated an avoidance to invasive woody plant species. Decreased diversity of habitat structure in bush-encroached habitats appears to influence native savanna lizard assemblages. Our results are consistent with accumulating evidence suggesting that bush encroachment and its associated ecological impacts are reorganizing savanna ecosystems throughout southern Africa.     

Effects of habitat degradation on the abundance, richness and diversity of raptors across Neotropical biomes

Population growth and human development result in biodiversity loss and biological homogenization not only in developed countries, but increasingly in the less developed countries as well. In those countries, where urbanization and agricultural intensification occur at a faster rate than in developed countries, habitat degradation appears to be the leading cause of wildlife loss. During the breeding seasons of 2002–2005 we conducted road surveys across five biomes of Argentina to detect variations in raptor community attributes as potential indicators of broad scale habitat degradation. Abundance of individuals, richness and diversity of species were calculated to assess the effects of habitat transformation and patch size on these community attributes. Raptor communities strongly varied in relation to habitat transformations, with lower abundance of individuals, richness and diversity of species in more transformed landscapes. Small patches of natural vegetation and locations in which natural and cultivated lands where interspersed showed lower richness and diversity of raptors than large patches. Fragmentation was the main cause of reductions in abundance of individuals. Although the relative contribution of our two estimates of habitat degradation to abundance, richness and diversity of raptors varied among biomes, these community attributes proved useful as predictors of habitat degradation. This was especially true in habitats where raptor communities are more complex although overall patterns remained constant across biomes, from forests to deserts. Taking into account current trends of habitat transformation (drastic increments in monocultures, urban areas, and habitat patchiness), the conservation of raptor communities in these biomes could be seriously compromised. In terms of species-specific responses of raptors to habitat degradation, a rapid process of homogenization can be expected, resulting in only a few winner species within a general scenario of losers.     

Effect of agroforestry woody species on earthworm activity and physicochemical properties of worm casts

The effects of five agroforestry woody species (Dactyladenia barteri, Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala, Senna siamea andTreculia africana) on the surface aasting activity ofHyperiodrilus africanus were studied in an Alfisol (Oxic Paleustalf) in southwestern Nigeria. Casting activity under the woody species decreased in the following order:Dactyladenia sp. (26.4 Mg ha^-1 year^-1)>Gliricidia sp. (24.4 Mg ha^-1 year^-1)>Treculia sp. (22.9 Mg ha^-1 year^-1)>Leucaena sp. (18.6 Mg ha^-1 year^-1)>Senna sp. (18.3 Mg ha^-1 year^-1). These differences in casting activity were partly explained by microclimatic effects. Irrespective of the woody species, the worm casts were higher in clay and silt contents, bulk density, water-stable aggregates, pH, organic C, exchangeable cations, effective cation exchange capacity, and extractable P levels than the corresponding surface soils. The woody species did affect the physicochemical properties and P sorption of the worm casts. The content of water-stable aggregates of worm casts decreased in the following order:Dactyladenia sp.>Treculia sp.>Senna sp.>Leucaena sp.>Gliricidia sp. Large differences in extractable P levels were observed.Senna sp. was associated with the highest extractable P level (11.5 mg kg^-1) andTreculia sp. the lowest (4.9 mg kg^-1). P sorption was highest on worm casts underDactyladenia sp. and lowest on those underTreculia sp. Without fertilizer application, there were no significant differences in the dry weight of maize grown in the different worm casts. With NPK applications, the dry weight of maize grown in worm casts associated withTreculia sp. was significantly lower than that of maize grown in the other worm casts, mainly due to the low extractable P level. Despite a high organic C and exchangeable K status, maize grown in the worm casts still responded significantly to N and K applications. The N uptake by maize grown in worm casts associated withTreculia sp. was lower than that in the other treatments.     

The extent of embryo and endosperm growth following interspecific hybridization between Cicer arietinum L. and related annual wild species

In vivo interspecific pollinations were performed and immature seed development investigated by histological methods in order to study crossability barrier(s) in Cicer L. species wide hybridization. Seven of the eight wild annual Cicer species, belonging to the secondary and tertiary gene pools, were used in reciprocal crosses with the cultivated chickpea. It was confirmed that the zygote was formed in all interspecific crosses. The embryos showed continued and retarded growth at different rate in various crosses, but eventually aborted at an early pro-embryo stage in all crosses except C. arietinum L. ×C. echinospermum Dav. Reciprocal cross differences were observed in early embryo growth rate and could have implications in obtaining hybrids. This study further emphasizes the necessity for developing appropriate and efficient in vitro procedures for rescuing immature globular hybrid pro-embryos, which will make the wild Cicer gene resources amenable to chickpea improvement.     

The age and amount of regrowth forest in fragmented brigalow landscapes are both important for woodland dependent birds

In highly-modified agricultural landscapes, regrowth (secondary) forest on abandoned farmland offers the potential for passive landscape restoration for biodiversity conservation. While numerous studies have investigated the ecological values of regrowth for fauna recovery at the local-level (1-10 ha), there is a dearth of studies quantifying the contribution of regrowth forest at the landscape-level (100-1000s ha). To address this critical knowledge gap we question how the age and amount of regrowth forest in the landscape influence species richness and abundance of mature forest dependent species? Using woodland dependent birds in fragmented sub-tropical brigalow landscapes in southern Queensland, Australia, we applied model averaging and hierarchical partitioning analyses to test and rank the relative importance of the amount of regrowth forest in the landscape in three age classes (<15, 15-30, and >30 years) compared to local (grazing disturbance, abundance of aggressive miners, mistletoe abundance and patch age) and landscape measures of habitat (amount of mature forest and number of mature forest patches). Response variables included the species richness of woodland dependent birds and sub-groupings of foraging guilds, and the abundance of selected individual species. The importance of explanatory variables differed considerably among response groups. Local attributes, such as patch age and the abundance of mistletoe plants, had the strongest influences on woodland dependent birds. However, we found that the amount of regrowth forest, particularly >30 years, also had a strong influence on both species richness and abundance. This study confirms that regrowth, especially older regrowth, can make an important contribution to landscape restoration in highly-modified agricultural landscapes.     

Predictive modelling and ground validation of the spatial distribution of the New Zealand long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus)

The use of predictive models is continually increasing, but few models are subsequently field-checked and evaluated. This study evaluates the statistical strength and usefulness for conservation purposes of a predictive habitat use model developed for Chalinolobus tuberculatus, a threatened microchiropteran bat species found in the temperate rainforests of New Zealand. The relationship between various environmental variables and the presence/absence of the species was investigated using generalised linear modelling. The model developed was coupled with GIS data to develop maps of predicted occurrence within the West Coast region of New Zealand’s South Island. It was found that distance to forest boundary, slope, presence of Nothofagus, general land cover, variability in mean annual solar radiation, and mean ambient winter minimum temperature were significantly associated with the occurrence of the species. Evaluation of the statistical strength of the distribution model with independent data of species’ occurrence collected at 152 sites found that the C. tuberculatus model showed a moderate ability to predict both species presence and absence (τ(b) coefficient = 0.37). The field detection rate (0.45) using this model was significantly higher than that of historical surveys (0.12). The value of the species habitat model and the need to evaluate its utility in the development of conservation strategies is discussed.