Changes in community composition and functional diversity of European bats under climate change

Penelope C. Fialas; Luca Santini; Danilo Russo; Francisco Amorim; Hugo Rebelo; Roberto Novella-Fernandez; Francisco Marques; Adi Domer; Adriana Vella; Adriano Martinoli; Aleksandra Figurek; Asaf Tsoar; Attila Sandor; Carlos Ibanez; Carmi Korine; Christian Kerbiriou; Christian Voigt; Claire Mifsud; Csaba Jére; Dalhoumi Ridha; Damiano Preatoni; Daniela Hamidović; Eeva Maria Tidenberg; Emrah Çoraman; Fiona Mathews; Fulgencio Lison; Furmankiewicz Joanna; Gunars Petersons; Hiba Loumassine; Inazio Garin; István Csősz; Jaan Liira; Javier Juste; Jean François Julien; Jeroen van der Kooij; Josić Darija; Joxerra Aihartza; Katrine Eldegard; Kendra Phelps; Kevin J. Olival; Kipson Marina; Leonardo Ancillotto; Lesiński Grzegorz; Levente Barti; Lisette Cantú Salazar; Luciano Bosso; Luisa Rodrigues; Luke Hamel; Marcel Uhrin; Maria Mas; Natasa Cerekovic; Nia Toshkova; Niamh Roche; Oliver Kalda; Ostaizka Aizpurua; Panagiotis Georgiakakis; Peter Kanuch; Primož Presetnik; Rasit Bilgin; Reed April McKay; Rnjak Dina; Rnjak Goran; Ruczyński Ireneusz; Rune Sørås; Solène Robert; Stéphane Aulagnier; Stephanie Kramer-Schadt; Suren Gazaryan; Szilárd Lehel Bücs; Tarkan Yorulmaz; Torsten Stjernberg; Ulla Maija Liukko; Victoria Nistreanu; Viesturs Vintulis; Viktoriia Radchuk; Xavier Puig-Montserrat; Yves Bas; Maja Zagmajster; Marcin Zegarek; Zrnčić Vida; Orly Razgour

doi:10.1111/cobi.70025

Changes in community composition and functional diversity of European bats under climate change

Penelope C. Fialas^*, Luca Santini, Danilo Russo, Francisco Amorim, Hugo Rebelo, Roberto Novella-Fernandez, Francisco Marques, Adi Domer, Adriana Vella, Adriano Martinoli, Aleksandra Figurek, Asaf Tsoar, Attila Sandor, Carlos Ibanez, Carmi Korine, Christian Kerbiriou, Christian Voigt, Claire Mifsud, Csaba Jére, Dalhoumi RidhaDamiano Preatoni, Daniela Hamidović, Eeva Maria Tidenberg, Emrah Çoraman, Fiona Mathews, Fulgencio Lison, Furmankiewicz Joanna, Gunars Petersons, Hiba Loumassine, Inazio Garin, István Csősz, Jaan Liira, Javier Juste, Jean François Julien, Jeroen van der Kooij, Josić Darija, Joxerra Aihartza, Katrine Eldegard, Kendra Phelps, Kevin J. Olival, Kipson Marina, Leonardo Ancillotto, Lesiński Grzegorz, Levente Barti, Lisette Cantú Salazar, Luciano Bosso, Luisa Rodrigues, Luke Hamel, Marcel Uhrin, Maria Mas, Natasa Cerekovic, Nia Toshkova, Niamh Roche, Oliver Kalda, Ostaizka Aizpurua, Panagiotis Georgiakakis, Peter Kanuch, Primož Presetnik, Rasit Bilgin, Reed April McKay, Rnjak Dina, Rnjak Goran, Ruczyński Ireneusz, Rune Sørås, Solène Robert, Stéphane Aulagnier, Stephanie Kramer-Schadt, Suren Gazaryan, Szilárd Lehel Bücs, Tarkan Yorulmaz, Torsten Stjernberg, Ulla Maija Liukko, Victoria Nistreanu, Viesturs Vintulis, Viktoriia Radchuk, Xavier Puig-Montserrat, Yves Bas, Maja Zagmajster, Marcin Zegarek, Zrnčić Vida, Orly Razgour

^*Corresponding author for this work

Eurasia Institute of Earth Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Climate change is predicted to drive geographical range shifts that will result in changes in species diversity and functional composition and have potential repercussions for ecosystem functioning. However, the effect of these changes on species composition and functional diversity (FD) remains unclear, especially for mammals, specifically bats. We used species distribution models and a comprehensive ecological and morphometrical trait database to estimate how projected future climate and land-use changes could influence the distribution, composition, and FD of the European bat community. Future bat assemblages were predicted to undergo substantial shifts in geographic range and trait structure. Range suitability decreased substantially in southern Europe and increased in northern latitudes. Our findings highlight the potential for climate change to drive shifts in bat FD, which has implications for ecosystem function and resilience at a continental scale. It is important to incorporate FD in conservation strategies. These efforts should target species with key functional traits predicted to be lost and areas expected to experience losses in FD. Conservation strategies should include habitat and roost protection, enhancing landscape connectivity, and international monitoring to preserve bat populations and their ecosystem services.

Original language	English
Journal	Conservation Biology
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70025
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s). Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.

Keywords

Cambio global
bats
community composition
composición de la comunidad
composición funcional
functional composition
global change
modelización de la distribución de especies
murciélagos
species distribution modeling

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1111/cobi.70025

Cite this

Fialas, P. C., Santini, L., Russo, D., Amorim, F., Rebelo, H., Novella-Fernandez, R., Marques, F., Domer, A., Vella, A., Martinoli, A., Figurek, A., Tsoar, A., Sandor, A., Ibanez, C., Korine, C., Kerbiriou, C., Voigt, C., Mifsud, C., Jére, C., ... Razgour, O. (Accepted/In press). Changes in community composition and functional diversity of European bats under climate change. Conservation Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70025

@article{62be2bf8bb984b50a927bc84fbc90cfb,

title = "Changes in community composition and functional diversity of European bats under climate change",

abstract = "Climate change is predicted to drive geographical range shifts that will result in changes in species diversity and functional composition and have potential repercussions for ecosystem functioning. However, the effect of these changes on species composition and functional diversity (FD) remains unclear, especially for mammals, specifically bats. We used species distribution models and a comprehensive ecological and morphometrical trait database to estimate how projected future climate and land-use changes could influence the distribution, composition, and FD of the European bat community. Future bat assemblages were predicted to undergo substantial shifts in geographic range and trait structure. Range suitability decreased substantially in southern Europe and increased in northern latitudes. Our findings highlight the potential for climate change to drive shifts in bat FD, which has implications for ecosystem function and resilience at a continental scale. It is important to incorporate FD in conservation strategies. These efforts should target species with key functional traits predicted to be lost and areas expected to experience losses in FD. Conservation strategies should include habitat and roost protection, enhancing landscape connectivity, and international monitoring to preserve bat populations and their ecosystem services.",

keywords = "Cambio global, bats, community composition, composici{\'o}n de la comunidad, composici{\'o}n funcional, functional composition, global change, modelizaci{\'o}n de la distribuci{\'o}n de especies, murci{\'e}lagos, species distribution modeling",

author = "Fialas, {Penelope C.} and Luca Santini and Danilo Russo and Francisco Amorim and Hugo Rebelo and Roberto Novella-Fernandez and Francisco Marques and Adi Domer and Adriana Vella and Adriano Martinoli and Aleksandra Figurek and Asaf Tsoar and Attila Sandor and Carlos Ibanez and Carmi Korine and Christian Kerbiriou and Christian Voigt and Claire Mifsud and Csaba J{\'e}re and Dalhoumi Ridha and Damiano Preatoni and Daniela Hamidovi{\'c} and Tidenberg, {Eeva Maria} and Emrah {\c C}oraman and Fiona Mathews and Fulgencio Lison and Furmankiewicz Joanna and Gunars Petersons and Hiba Loumassine and Inazio Garin and Istv{\'a}n Cs{\H o}sz and Jaan Liira and Javier Juste and Julien, {Jean Fran{\c c}ois} and {van der Kooij}, Jeroen and Josi{\'c} Darija and Joxerra Aihartza and Katrine Eldegard and Kendra Phelps and Olival, {Kevin J.} and Kipson Marina and Leonardo Ancillotto and Lesi{\'n}ski Grzegorz and Levente Barti and Salazar, {Lisette Cant{\'u}} and Luciano Bosso and Luisa Rodrigues and Luke Hamel and Marcel Uhrin and Maria Mas and Natasa Cerekovic and Nia Toshkova and Niamh Roche and Oliver Kalda and Ostaizka Aizpurua and Panagiotis Georgiakakis and Peter Kanuch and Primo{\v z} Presetnik and Rasit Bilgin and McKay, {Reed April} and Rnjak Dina and Rnjak Goran and Ruczy{\'n}ski Ireneusz and Rune S{\o}r{\aa}s and Sol{\`e}ne Robert and St{\'e}phane Aulagnier and Stephanie Kramer-Schadt and Suren Gazaryan and B{\"u}cs, {Szil{\'a}rd Lehel} and Tarkan Yorulmaz and Torsten Stjernberg and Liukko, {Ulla Maija} and Victoria Nistreanu and Viesturs Vintulis and Viktoriia Radchuk and Xavier Puig-Montserrat and Yves Bas and Maja Zagmajster and Marcin Zegarek and Zrn{\v c}i{\'c} Vida and Orly Razgour",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s). Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1111/cobi.70025",

language = "English",

journal = "Conservation Biology",

issn = "0888-8892",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",

}

Fialas, PC, Santini, L, Russo, D, Amorim, F, Rebelo, H, Novella-Fernandez, R, Marques, F, Domer, A, Vella, A, Martinoli, A, Figurek, A, Tsoar, A, Sandor, A, Ibanez, C, Korine, C, Kerbiriou, C, Voigt, C, Mifsud, C, Jére, C, Ridha, D, Preatoni, D, Hamidović, D, Tidenberg, EM, Çoraman, E, Mathews, F, Lison, F, Joanna, F, Petersons, G, Loumassine, H, Garin, I, Csősz, I, Liira, J, Juste, J, Julien, JF, van der Kooij, J, Darija, J, Aihartza, J, Eldegard, K, Phelps, K, Olival, KJ, Marina, K, Ancillotto, L, Grzegorz, L, Barti, L, Salazar, LC, Bosso, L, Rodrigues, L, Hamel, L, Uhrin, M, Mas, M, Cerekovic, N, Toshkova, N, Roche, N, Kalda, O, Aizpurua, O, Georgiakakis, P, Kanuch, P, Presetnik, P, Bilgin, R, McKay, RA, Dina, R, Goran, R, Ireneusz, R, Sørås, R, Robert, S, Aulagnier, S, Kramer-Schadt, S, Gazaryan, S, Bücs, SL, Yorulmaz, T, Stjernberg, T, Liukko, UM, Nistreanu, V, Vintulis, V, Radchuk, V, Puig-Montserrat, X, Bas, Y, Zagmajster, M, Zegarek, M, Vida, Z & Razgour, O 2025, 'Changes in community composition and functional diversity of European bats under climate change', Conservation Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70025

TY - JOUR

T1 - Changes in community composition and functional diversity of European bats under climate change

AU - Fialas, Penelope C.

AU - Santini, Luca

AU - Russo, Danilo

AU - Amorim, Francisco

AU - Rebelo, Hugo

AU - Novella-Fernandez, Roberto

AU - Marques, Francisco

AU - Domer, Adi

AU - Vella, Adriana

AU - Martinoli, Adriano

AU - Figurek, Aleksandra

AU - Tsoar, Asaf

AU - Sandor, Attila

AU - Ibanez, Carlos

AU - Korine, Carmi

AU - Kerbiriou, Christian

AU - Voigt, Christian

AU - Mifsud, Claire

AU - Jére, Csaba

AU - Ridha, Dalhoumi

AU - Preatoni, Damiano

AU - Hamidović, Daniela

AU - Tidenberg, Eeva Maria

AU - Çoraman, Emrah

AU - Mathews, Fiona

AU - Lison, Fulgencio

AU - Joanna, Furmankiewicz

AU - Petersons, Gunars

AU - Loumassine, Hiba

AU - Garin, Inazio

AU - Csősz, István

AU - Liira, Jaan

AU - Juste, Javier

AU - Julien, Jean François

AU - van der Kooij, Jeroen

AU - Darija, Josić

AU - Aihartza, Joxerra

AU - Eldegard, Katrine

AU - Phelps, Kendra

AU - Olival, Kevin J.

AU - Marina, Kipson

AU - Ancillotto, Leonardo

AU - Grzegorz, Lesiński

AU - Barti, Levente

AU - Salazar, Lisette Cantú

AU - Bosso, Luciano

AU - Rodrigues, Luisa

AU - Hamel, Luke

AU - Uhrin, Marcel

AU - Mas, Maria

AU - Cerekovic, Natasa

AU - Toshkova, Nia

AU - Roche, Niamh

AU - Kalda, Oliver

AU - Aizpurua, Ostaizka

AU - Georgiakakis, Panagiotis

AU - Kanuch, Peter

AU - Presetnik, Primož

AU - Bilgin, Rasit

AU - McKay, Reed April

AU - Dina, Rnjak

AU - Goran, Rnjak

AU - Ireneusz, Ruczyński

AU - Sørås, Rune

AU - Robert, Solène

AU - Aulagnier, Stéphane

AU - Kramer-Schadt, Stephanie

AU - Gazaryan, Suren

AU - Bücs, Szilárd Lehel

AU - Yorulmaz, Tarkan

AU - Stjernberg, Torsten

AU - Liukko, Ulla Maija

AU - Nistreanu, Victoria

AU - Vintulis, Viesturs

AU - Radchuk, Viktoriia

AU - Puig-Montserrat, Xavier

AU - Bas, Yves

AU - Zagmajster, Maja

AU - Zegarek, Marcin

AU - Vida, Zrnčić

AU - Razgour, Orly

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Climate change is predicted to drive geographical range shifts that will result in changes in species diversity and functional composition and have potential repercussions for ecosystem functioning. However, the effect of these changes on species composition and functional diversity (FD) remains unclear, especially for mammals, specifically bats. We used species distribution models and a comprehensive ecological and morphometrical trait database to estimate how projected future climate and land-use changes could influence the distribution, composition, and FD of the European bat community. Future bat assemblages were predicted to undergo substantial shifts in geographic range and trait structure. Range suitability decreased substantially in southern Europe and increased in northern latitudes. Our findings highlight the potential for climate change to drive shifts in bat FD, which has implications for ecosystem function and resilience at a continental scale. It is important to incorporate FD in conservation strategies. These efforts should target species with key functional traits predicted to be lost and areas expected to experience losses in FD. Conservation strategies should include habitat and roost protection, enhancing landscape connectivity, and international monitoring to preserve bat populations and their ecosystem services.

AB - Climate change is predicted to drive geographical range shifts that will result in changes in species diversity and functional composition and have potential repercussions for ecosystem functioning. However, the effect of these changes on species composition and functional diversity (FD) remains unclear, especially for mammals, specifically bats. We used species distribution models and a comprehensive ecological and morphometrical trait database to estimate how projected future climate and land-use changes could influence the distribution, composition, and FD of the European bat community. Future bat assemblages were predicted to undergo substantial shifts in geographic range and trait structure. Range suitability decreased substantially in southern Europe and increased in northern latitudes. Our findings highlight the potential for climate change to drive shifts in bat FD, which has implications for ecosystem function and resilience at a continental scale. It is important to incorporate FD in conservation strategies. These efforts should target species with key functional traits predicted to be lost and areas expected to experience losses in FD. Conservation strategies should include habitat and roost protection, enhancing landscape connectivity, and international monitoring to preserve bat populations and their ecosystem services.

KW - Cambio global

KW - bats

KW - community composition

KW - composición de la comunidad

KW - composición funcional

KW - functional composition

KW - global change

KW - modelización de la distribución de especies

KW - murciélagos

KW - species distribution modeling

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105002076499&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/cobi.70025

DO - 10.1111/cobi.70025

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105002076499

SN - 0888-8892

JO - Conservation Biology

JF - Conservation Biology

ER -

Changes in community composition and functional diversity of European bats under climate change

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this