Using physiology to unravel the implications of heatwaves for big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus)

Abstract

Nocturnal endotherms are vulnerable to high ambient temperatures (Ta) during the day when sequestered in retreat sites. Artificial roost design must therefore account for the thermal sensitivity of target species and the potential roost temperatures during heatwave conditions at installation sites. We recorded physiological responses of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) under naturally observed roost temperatures using flow-through respirometry. We used the resulting data to parameterise a biophysical model with which we calculated the evaporative cooling requirements as percent body mass during the hottest day of 2023 and a heatwave during 2021. Our data revealed that the evaporative cooling requirements of bats roosting in certain artificial roosts would have exceeded the lethal dehydration threshold for both females and males during the 2021 heatwave (>22.1% body mass). Regardless of the availability of freestanding water in the environment, bats roosting in artificial roosts prone to overheating are at risk of lethal dehydration during heatwaves, even in high latitude habitats. Therefore, conservation management of small nocturnal endotherms should incorporate both physiological data and roost microclimate data when designing and deploying artificial roosts.