Meola, Vincenzo (2026) Interacting effects of landscape structure, artificial light at night, and winter temperature on urban bats in the southern Mediterranean regions. [Tesi di dottorato]

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Abstract

Urbanization and artificial light at night (ALAN) are major drivers of biodiversity change, yet their combined effects on bats in Mediterranean cities remain poorly understood. This thesis investigates how landscape structure, ALAN, and winter temperature interact to shape urban bat communities in the southern Mediterranean, focusing on Naples (Italy) and including comparative data from natural sites in Montenegro. Using passive acoustic monitoring, field experiments, and winter surveys, the study integrates landscape-scale patterns with local behavioural responses. At the metropolitan scale, urban bat assemblages were dominated by a few synurbic, light-tolerant species (Pipistrellus kuhlii, Hypsugo savii), while clutter-adapted taxa were rare or absent. Urban natural parks supported higher activity and richness, whereas highly urbanized and shrub-dominated areas were associated with reduced diversity. Despite the urban heat island, strong seasonal declines in activity persisted. Experimental manipulations of ALAN revealed context- and species-dependent responses: open-space foragers increased activity near lights, whereas forest-adapted species avoided illumination. In chronically lit urban parks, avoidance was attenuated, suggesting partial habituation, though likely with hidden ecological costs. Winter monitoring showed that temperature remains a key constraint: activity increased on warmer nights, indicating opportunistic foraging rather than continuous winter activity. Under cold conditions, even typically light-tolerant species became more selective and tended to avoid highly illuminated areas. Overall, results demonstrate that landscape structure sets the ecological template, ALAN acts as a behavioural filter, and winter temperature constrains energetic feasibility, jointly driving community simplification in Mediterranean cities. Findings support integrated management that couples habitat restoration with light-sensitive urban planning.

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