The drivers of Insectivorous bat community structure in a Southern African Savanna.

Abstract

Insectivorous bats are critical components of savanna ecosystems, acting as natural pest controllers and sensitive bioindicators of environmental change. Their foraging ecology is closely linked to vegetation structure, water availability, and insect prey abundance, all of which are strongly shaped by the seasonal dynamics of savannas. However, despite their ecological importance, bat communities in African savannas remain understudied compared to other regions, leaving substantial gaps in our understanding of how key environmental drivers shape their diversity, activity, and species richness. My study was conducted in MalaMala Game Reserve, South Africa, during both the wet and dry seasons of 2021 and 2022, using acoustic monitoring of bats. The reserve, situated within the Greater Kruger National Park, provided an ideal natural landscape to examine how environmental variables may influence bat communities. Proximity to permanent water bodies, variation in vegetation structure, and seasonal changes in insect availability were found to significantly affect bat diversity and foraging activity. In addition, riparian corridors and structurally complex woodlands emerged as ecological hotspots, supporting higher bat richness, while areas further from permanent water displayed reduced diversity and activity. Seasonal differences further highlighted the role of rainfall driven insect emergence in shaping bat community dynamics. My findings highlight the ecological significance of landscape heterogeneity and water resources in maintaining bat biodiversity within African savannas. They further provide valuable baseline data for conservation and management in private reserves such as MalaMala, which are increasingly important for regional biodiversity persistence under changing climatic conditions.