Use of Fruit Essential Oils to Assist Forest Regeneration by Bats

background

This study details techniques for attracting bats to an area to facilitate seed dispersal in degraded areas in and around Parque Estadual Vila Rica do Espírito Santo in Fênix, Paraná, Brazil.

Research Goals & Methods

Essential oils of Piper gaudichaudianum were isolated and used as attractants for fruit eating bats of the family Phyllostomidae on pieces of rubber impregnated with oils and mounted on bamboo sticks. Fecal samples taken from captured bats contained seeds from 18 plant species, most of which were in the genera Cecropia, Ficus, Solanum, and Piper. The bats' movement was recorded in areas with and without oil attractants; areas with oil showed increase bat presence, indicating greater likelihood of seed dispersal.

Conclusions & Takeaways

The authors contend that this technique could be used alone or with other techniques to increase seed rain in degraded areas. However, it is dependent on the presence of nearby forest fragments to be effective.