Following the Flight of Asian Bats: Stable Hydrogen Isotope Analysis Uncovers Bat Migration Patterns, and Promising Future Directions

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the movement and migration of tropical Asian bats using stable hydrogen isotope analysis. We address a major knowledge gap for bats and apply a novel method for analyzing migration in Asia based on isotopes. Location: Tropical and subtropical regions of Asia. Taxon: Bats (Chiroptera). Methods: We constructed a high-resolution isoscape map of stable hydrogen isotopes in precipitation (δ2Hp) using mixed models. Samples of the stable hydrogen isotopes in bat hair (δ2Hh) were collected from 25 species, and isotope ratios were measured from 739 individuals. The influence of sex, elevation and month of capture on δ2Hh was analyzed. To assess the potential for migration of each ..