Spatial Distribution and Habitat Relationships of Foraging Bats Inhabiting the Coastal Zone of the Northern Gulf of Alaska

Abstract

Abstract We conducted a spatially explicit study of bat foraging activity in the terrestrial coastal habitats of the eastern Kenai Peninsula along the northern Gulf of Alaska. We confirmed the species and presence of foraging bats within these coastal habitats using spectral analysis from 24 automated acoustic recording devices that captured 24,058 recordings of bat vocalizations across 1,332 acoustic survey nights between June and September (2018–2 022. We used machine learning (TreeNet) to model and map the spatial relationship of bat foraging behavior and six habitat types (conifer forest, subalpine shrubland, water, barren, herbaceous meadows, and alpine). Bats foraged in areas close to fresh waterbodies with moderately sloped terrain along southwestern to north-facing aspects ≤ 50 m from conifer forests, < 150 m from the coastline, and at elevations < 200 m above sea level. These coastal habitats were largely discontinuous, but extensively distributed as a patchwork along the eastern Kenai Peninsula. Our model highlights specific areas where strategic planning and hypothesis-based research can be focused. Our results fill a fundamental data gap in this understudied region of Alaska that provides a foundation for proactive research, partnerships, and conservation as white-nose syndrome presents an eminent threat to bats inhabiting coastal habitats along the North Pacific.