Date of Award
2019
Publisher
North Dakota State University
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Awarded
Master of Science (MS)
Program
Environmental and Conservation Science
Department
Biological Sciences
College
Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies
Faculty Advisor
Gillam, Erin H.
Description
Understanding links between a species’ migratory behavior, wing morphology, and foraging strategy can provide insight into factors driving the evolution of behavioral and ecological responses. The first chapter of this thesis examines the use of a river corridor as a migratory guide for bats. Results indicated no seasonal movement along the Missouri River corridor, indicating that the river was not being used as a key feature for migration. These results align with other recent studies. The second chapter examined the impacts of foraging habitat on wing morphology in two bat species. Expected differences between species were found in the wing shapes of the study species. No biologically significant differences were identified within species across different habitats. High gene flow and preferential habitat use may explain this. The results of these studies build upon past work on bats in North Dakota and provide insight into the behavior and morphology of bats.
Recommended Citation
Cortes, Kevin Michael, "Migratory Ecology and Wing Morphology of North Dakota Bats" (2019). Environmental and Conservation Sciences. 23.
https://digitalcommons.ndsu.edu/env-conservation-sci/23
Handle Identifier
https://hdl.handle.net/10365/29797