BAT, INSECT PREY, AND VEGETATION RESPONSE TO PRESCRIBED FIRE AND OVERSTORY THINNING IN HARDWOOD FORESTS OF TENNESSEE

This master’s thesis investigates the effects of prescribed fire and overstory thinning on bats and their insect prey in hardwood forest stands of Tennessee. Chapter 1 is a review of literature that emphasizes the importance of this research and outlines the objectives and study area for this project. Chapter 2 examines the effect of prescribed fire and overstory thinning on the abundance and biomass of nocturnal flying insects important in the diet of bats. Overall, I found prescribed fire and overstory thinning had little effect on nocturnal flying insect abundance and biomass, despite changes in vegetation community composition and structure. Chapter 3 examines the effect of prescribed fire and overstory thinning on bat activity. I found activity of certain bats was greater in hardwood forest stands subject to dormant or growing season fire in combination with high levels of overstory thinning. This greater activity was tied to reductions in live overstory basal area. My results suggest basal area reductions reduce clutter (physical obstructions to flight and foraging including foliage, branches, and stems), leading to improved foraging and commuting conditions for bats, particularly larger bodied species with lower call frequencies that are adapted to more easily and successfully fly and forage in open conditions.