Conservation gaps for Brazilian bats, limited protection across conservation units and the importance of the indigenous lands

Abstract

In Brazil, there is 13% of the world’s bat diversity, is the second most diverse group of mammals, playing a crucial role in providing ecosystem services that benefit humans. However, anthropogenic disturbances exacerbate processes of species extinction, shifts in geographic distributions, and phenological changes, despite efforts to safeguard biodiversity through the creation of Conservation Units and Indigenous Lands. Moreover, gaps in taxonomic knowledge and challenges related to species distribution hinder the effective implementation of conservation strategies in protected areas. This study assesses the contribution of Brazilian Conservation Units (both Full Protection and Sustainable Use) and Indigenous Lands to the conservation of bat species and their ecosystem services. It also presents maps illustrating species richness by trophic guilds and threat classification according to IUCN, including species listed as Data Deficient. The findings reveal low percentages of potential bat distribution areas within these protected regions, especially for insectivorous, nectarivorous, and frugivorous bats in the Cerrado biome, which are classified as Near Threatened. Additionally, the highest bat species richness was observed in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest biomes.