The Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) is a practical guide to restoring surface coal mines in Appalachia. A considerable amount of research has evaluated soil conditions, water quality, hydrology, tree growth, and tree survival on mined land reclaimed using the FRA, but minimal research has been dedicated to wildlife colonization. To determine if the FRA is providing suitable bat foraging habitat, we surveyed bat activity near created wetlands on 1-year old and 8-year old FRA restored lands (FRA1; FRA8), mined land with naturally regenerating forest (~40 years old; REGEN), and mature forest not previously mined (MAT) at the Monongahela National Forest, WV. Using Song Meter SM3Bat detectors, we passively recorded echolocation calls for four nights across sixteen sites in June 2021 and analyzed the recordings for echolocation pulses and feeding buzzes with Kaleidoscope software. Black-light traps were deployed to sample nocturnal insect prey abundance and biomass.
Results/Conclusions
Number of echolocation pulses and feeding buzzes did not differ between MAT and the other land classes, though FRA8 had significantly less echolocation activity than FRA1 or REGEN. Insect abundance and biomass were comparable across sites and did not significantly explain the variation in echolocation pulses or feeding buzzes, indicating that the FRA maintains a sufficient prey base for bats. Less echolocation activity observed in FRA8 relative to FRA1 or REGEN may be due to differences in environmental or landscape variables, which are currently being evaluated. This study indicates that FRA practices produce suitable bat foraging habitat, which is comparable to natural environments, and is an acceptable management practice for reestablishing bat habitat on mine-impacted landscapes.
