Today's #mypubliclandsroadtrip continues with a behind-the-scenes with Alison McCartney, a BLM Southeastern States District Office employee stationed in Jackson whose specialty is bats.

"The BLM's Southeastern States employees are currently conducting acoustic surveys on BLM tracts in Arkansas and Louisiana to determine bat species relative abundance and diversity. We are using an Anabat SD2, which is a piece of equipment that records bat echolocation calls. Using specialized software these calls can be analyzed to identify species. Our primary focus for the survey effort is to determine if there are any rare, threatened, or endangered bat species utilizing the tracts to better focus habitat management efforts to benefit these species, if present. We are also interested however, in common species that might occur on the tracts. Bat relative abundance and diversity are considered an overall indicator of forest health. A higher abundance and species diversity of bats in an area represents a healthier more diverse forest.

All bats found in the Southeast are insectivores and therefore provide the ecological benefit of being a natural pest control. Little brown bats and gray bats, for example, have been found to consume over 3,000 mosquitoes in one night by one individual. In addition to bats being a natural source for controlling mosquito populations, bats also help to control agricultural pests. Big brown bats, for example, are predators of several agricultural pests such as June bugs, moths, and beetles. Dramatic declines have occurred for many bat species in the last nine years due to a decease called White-nose Syndrome (WNS). WNS is caused by a fungus which causes hibernating bats to awaken in the winter and act erratically depleting fat reserves, which ultimately might lead to their death. Researchers are working diligently to learn more about the cause and possible cure for this decease."