Allen Kurta – författare

Although bats are often thought of as cave dwellers, many species depend on forests for all or part of the year. Of the 45 species of bats in North America, more than half depend on forests, using the bark of trees, tree cavities, or canopy foliage as roosting sites. Over the past two decades it has become increasingly clear that bat conservation and management are strongly linked to the health of forests within their range. Initially driven by concern for endangered species-the Indiana bat, for example-forest ecologists, timber managers, government agencies, and conservation organizations have been altering management plans and silvicultural practices to better accommodate bat species. Bats in Forests presents the work of a variety of experts who address many aspects of the ecology and conservation of bats. The chapter authors describe bat behavior, including the selection of roosts, foraging patterns, and seasonal migration as they relate to forests. They also discuss forest management and its influence on bat habitat. Both public lands and privately owned forests are considered, as well as techniques for monitoring bat populations and activity.The important role bats play in the ecology of forests-from control of insects to nutrient recycling-is revealed by a number of authors. Bat ecologists, bat conservationists, forest ecologists, and forest managers will find in this book an indispensable synthesis of the topics that concern them.

Bats of the West Indies is a concise guide to the sixty-one bat species found across the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the Lesser Antilles. Edited by Allen Kurta and Armando Rodríguez-Durán, this volume synthesizes the expertise of twenty-nine accomplished chiropterologists to present up-to-date information on the natural history, ecology, and behavior of these fascinating creatures. Bats represent an evolutionarily distinctive and ecologically significant part of biological diversity in the West Indies. Opening chapters introduce readers to the unique biology of bats, factors influencing their distribution, and conservation concerns. Family and species accounts detail anatomical traits, natural history, and conservation status. With over a one hundred illustrations, a glossary, and other useful identification tools, Bats of the West Indies is an authoritative yet accessible reference for bat enthusiasts and experts alike.