Diversity, ecology and conservation of cave-dwelling bats in Costa Rica and Bulgaria
Fecha
2024-06-04
Tipo
tesis doctoral
Autores
Deleva, Stanimira
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Resumen
Esta tesis aborda las brechas de conocimiento en la ecología de los murciélagos cavernícolas en dos países distintos, específicamente Costa Rica y Bulgaria, con un enfoque sólido en la conservación. Inicialmente centrada en la región de Brunca en Costa Rica, el estudio se expandió para abarcar todo el país. Debido a que la pandemia ocasionada por Covid-19 restringió el trabajo de campo y los viajes a Costa Rica, se implementó la metodología original en Bulgaria, ampliando aún más el alcance geográfico de la investigación. No todos los aspectos de la investigación siguen una trayectoria paralela. Mientras que la fauna de cuevas y los murciélagos en Bulgaria han sido objeto de numerosos estudios, los refugios subterráneos en Costa Rica requerían una investigación más exhaustiva. En consecuencia, esta tesis dedica tres capítulos a este último tema. Se emplea una metodología uniforme en ambas ubicaciones de investigación, y el capítulo final integra datos de ambos países para presentar una visión integral. Utilizando conocimientos de ambas naciones, la tesis propone medidas de conservación adecuadas para ambos contextos.
El primer capítulo ofrece una revisión exhaustiva de la literatura, combinando los datos existentes sobre la fauna cavernícola en Costa Rica con investigaciones de campo originales. El segundo capítulo se centra en refugios cruciales de murciélagos en Bulgaria, proponiendo medidas de conservación urgentes. El tercero capítulo se dedica a explorar la diversidad de murciélagos cavernícolas en la región de Brunca en Costa Rica, identificando refugios vulnerables y evaluando la abundancia de murciélagos. El cuarto capítulo examina la influencia de varios factores ambientales y antropogénicos en los murciélagos cavernícolas. El último capítulo profundiza en el impacto de los nutrientes del guano de murciélagos en los ecosistemas superficiales, en particular el transporte de nitrógeno y fósforo en arroyos subterráneos.
Esta tesis adopta un enfoque pragmático y orientado a la conservación, generando no solo investigaciones científicas, sino también documentos estratégicos, capacitación y materiales de divulgación. Representa un esfuerzo sostenible a largo plazo destinado a mejorar el conocimiento y preservar los ecosistemas subterráneos y las colonias de murciélagos en cuevas en dos continentes, logrando plenamente sus objetivos y generando material adicional para futuros estudios.
This dissertation addresses knowledge gaps in cave-dwelling bat ecology in two distinct countries, namely Costa Rica and Bulgaria, with a strong conservation focus. Originally centered on Costa Rica's Brunca region, the study expanded to encompass the entire country As the pandemic restricted fieldwork and travel to Costa Rica, the original methodology was performed in Bulgaria, further expanding the geographical scope of the research. Not all aspects of the research follow a parallel trajectory. While Bulgarian cave fauna and cave-dwelling bats have been subject to numerous studies, the Costa Rican underground roosts needed more thorough investigation. This dissertation accordingly dedicates three chapters to the latter. A consistent methodology is applied in both locations, with the final chapter integrating data from both countries to present a comprehensive view. Utilizing insights from both nations, the dissertation proposes conservation measures suitable for both contexts. The first chapter offers a comprehensive literature review, combining the existing data on Costa Rican cave-dwelling fauna with original field research. Chapter two centers on crucial bat roosts in Bulgaria, emphasizing urgent conservation measures. Chapter three is dedicated to exploring the diversity of cave-dwelling bats in Costa Rica's Brunca region, identifying vulnerable roosts and assessing bat abundance. Chapter four examines the influence of various environmental and anthropogenic factors on cave-dwelling bats, while the last chapter delves into the impact of bat guano nutrients on surface ecosystems, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus transportation in underground streams. This dissertation takes a pragmatic and conservation-oriented approach, yielding scientific research as well as strategic documents, capacity building, and outreach materials. It represents a sustainable, long-term effort aimed at enhancing knowledge and preserving underground ecosystems and cave bat colonies on two continents, fully achieving its objectives and generating additional material for future studies.
This dissertation addresses knowledge gaps in cave-dwelling bat ecology in two distinct countries, namely Costa Rica and Bulgaria, with a strong conservation focus. Originally centered on Costa Rica's Brunca region, the study expanded to encompass the entire country As the pandemic restricted fieldwork and travel to Costa Rica, the original methodology was performed in Bulgaria, further expanding the geographical scope of the research. Not all aspects of the research follow a parallel trajectory. While Bulgarian cave fauna and cave-dwelling bats have been subject to numerous studies, the Costa Rican underground roosts needed more thorough investigation. This dissertation accordingly dedicates three chapters to the latter. A consistent methodology is applied in both locations, with the final chapter integrating data from both countries to present a comprehensive view. Utilizing insights from both nations, the dissertation proposes conservation measures suitable for both contexts. The first chapter offers a comprehensive literature review, combining the existing data on Costa Rican cave-dwelling fauna with original field research. Chapter two centers on crucial bat roosts in Bulgaria, emphasizing urgent conservation measures. Chapter three is dedicated to exploring the diversity of cave-dwelling bats in Costa Rica's Brunca region, identifying vulnerable roosts and assessing bat abundance. Chapter four examines the influence of various environmental and anthropogenic factors on cave-dwelling bats, while the last chapter delves into the impact of bat guano nutrients on surface ecosystems, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus transportation in underground streams. This dissertation takes a pragmatic and conservation-oriented approach, yielding scientific research as well as strategic documents, capacity building, and outreach materials. It represents a sustainable, long-term effort aimed at enhancing knowledge and preserving underground ecosystems and cave bat colonies on two continents, fully achieving its objectives and generating additional material for future studies.
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Palabras clave
murcielagos, cuevas, zona sur, bulgaria, caves, bats, costa rica, tunel, minas, cueva, fauna cavernicola