Ecological and Behavioral Methods for the Study of Bats, 2nd Ed.

Ecological and Behavioral Methods for the Study of Bats, 2nd Ed., Kunz, Thomas H. and Smart Parsons (Eds.), Johns Hopkins Press, 2009, Baltimore, Maryland. 920 p. ISBN 0-8018-9147-7

As stated in the book jacket write-up, "First published in 1988, Ecological and Behavioral Methods for the Study of Bats is widely acknowledged as the primary reference for both amateur and professional bat researchers." The improvements, updates and wider breadth of topics in this second edition further establish its place as an essential guide for all who study and appreciate bats. The input from 84 contributors to this revised text (as compared to 35 in the original) and the addition of co-editor Stuart Parsons makes Kunz's text an impressive collection of contemporary knowledge about chiropterans.

The usual suspects in an ideal bat reference manual, essential to the first edition's success, are present in this second edition--e.g., capturing and handling techniques, radiotelemetry, non-capture surveying techniques, methods for understanding reproduction and development, diet, energetics, parasites and bat-human health issues. All are updated with knowledge acquired in the last two decades, providing a sound basis for anyone seeking contemporary baseline information about such topics. Especially important are the updates to the sections describing techniques in bat genetics, a field which clearly has made substantial progress since the printing of the first edition. Extensions of genetic studies to include phylogenetic and phylogeographic topics are an informative read. Furthermore, the updated chapters on photography and captive bat behavior may cater to the nature photographers and zoo caretakers, respectively, who might not otherwise migrate to this text.

New additions of 14 chapters, including flight dynamics and bioacoustics (helpful for those completing echolocation surveying techniques), population modeling and bat migration all will appeal to the wildlife or natural resource managers. This edition also includes a section dedicated to conservation, which addresses education and outreach as imperative actions. These conservation chapters acknowledge that raising public awareness is crucial in today's culture, and that straightforward scientific research should not be the only route to successful conservation. Therefore, this text also will be useful to community educators, outreach specialists, and non-research organizations seeking to support bats outside of a research-centric realm.

As a bat biologist, it was difficult to find fault with this text. Indeed, my complaints are few. As a museum curator, I was somewhat disappointed that Handley Jr.'s (1988) section on museum preparation was minimized in this edition. Illustrations in the original text were useful teaching tools both in a classroom and a museum setting. Perhaps having a copy of both editions on-hand would satisfy this minor limitation.

Due to the timing of this text, to no fault of the editors, one major contemporary topic is absent. White-nose syndrome, discovered in 2006 and affecting millions of bats in the northeastern United States, is a disease that will no doubt alter how and why we study bats. As White-nose syndrome becomes better understood, I would suggest the editors create a supplementary chapter to this guide.

In sum, Ecological and Behavioral Methods for the Study of Bats is a valuable text that no bat enthusiast, environmental consultant, natural resource manager or undergraduate/graduate bat biologist should overlook. Kunz and Parsons present a thorough, well-organized guide that belongs on the shelf of anyone with a sincere interest in bat research and conservation. The purchase of this book is money well spent, as this text will be an often-cited resource for years to come.

KAREN E. FRANCL, Radford University, Radford, Virginia 24142.

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Author:	Francl, Karen E.
Publication:	The American Midland Naturalist
Article Type:	Book review
Date:	Jul 1, 2010
Words:	580
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