Synanthropic roosting may allow cave-dwelling bats to cope with habitat fragmentation provided that suitable buildings are sustainably protected. This study on Asinara Island, Sardinia, focuses on roost requirements in synanthropy at different life stages of two endangered bat species, Rhinolophus hipposideros and Rhinolophus ferrumequinum. We rated the roost potential of 532 buildings and compared it with actual roost usage. Microclimate was compared across different roost types and between species, and bat composition and behaviour in nurseries of R. hipposideros were related to roost structure and microclimate. The two species occupied 25% of structures rated as “high potential”, versus 5% and 0% rated as “intermediate” and “low potential”. Concerning microclimate, R. hipposideros preferred warmer and drier day roosts, with higher temperature fluctuations during summer, while winter, and night, roost microclimate was comparable between species. In larger, warmer, and drier nurseries, colony size and proportion of reproductive females were higher and parturition started earlier. Before parturition, roost temperatures were inversely correlated to clustering, supporting its thermoregulatory function. Mothers spent in total 50% of the night inside the nursery caring the pup. Roost microclimate, size, and location close to foraging areas may thus promote breeding success. We conclude that a structure-based rating of roost potential supplemented by species-specific microclimatic requirements constitutes a promising predictor of roost usage. Moreover, adequate buildings support the complete life cycle of R. hipposideros in the absence of suitable caves. Buildings thus deserve increased protection measures in fragmented Mediterranean landscapes to ensure sustainable bat conservation.

中文翻译：

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在地中海地区两种濒危犀牛物种生命周期中建筑物的使用：对栖息地保护的影响

只要栖息地的蝙蝠能够应付栖息地的破碎，只要合适的建筑物得到可持续的保护，就可以进行人工栖息。这项对撒丁岛Asinara岛的研究侧重于两种濒临灭绝的蝙蝠物种Rhinolophus hipposideros和Rhinolophus ferrumequinum在不同生命阶段的同养方面的栖息地需求。我们对532栋建筑物的栖息潜力进行了评估，并将其与实际栖息地使用情况进行了比较。比较了不同栖息地类型之间以及物种之间的小气候，以及河鲈的苗圃中蝙蝠的组成和行为。与栖息地的结构和小气候有关。这两个物种占被评定为“高电位”的结构的25％，而分别被评定为“中度”和“低电位”的结构分别占5％和0％。关于小气候，河马R.首选白天和冬天干燥的栖息地，夏季温度波动较大，而冬天和夜晚，物种间的栖息地小气候相当。在较大，较热和较干燥的苗圃中，菌落的大小和繁殖雌性的比例较高，并且分娩开始较早。在分娩前，栖息温度与集群成反比，支持其温度调节功能。母亲在托儿所照顾幼犬的整个夜晚中度过了50％的时间。栖息地的小气候，大小和靠近觅食区域的位置可能因此促进育种成功。我们得出的结论是，基于栖息地潜力的基于结构的评级加上特定于物种的微气候要求构成了栖息地使用的有希望的预测因素。此外，足够的建筑物可以支持在没有合适的洞穴的情况下河马。因此，建筑物应在零散的地中海景观中增加保护措施，以确保可持续的蝙蝠保护。