Linear Landscape Elements and Bat Casualties on Roads — An Example

A three-year (2004–2006) study on a 1-km road section near Warsaw (central Poland) indicated that road traffic may be an important cause of mortality in bats, at least locally. The total number of bat casualties was 52, mostly recorded on a short subsection (up to 9 individuals per 100 m of roadway and year). The bats were killed near two linear landscape elements — tree lanes, during the migration to mating and hibernation roosts. Myotis nottereri dominated the sample of dead individuals (over 70%).