Department
Biology
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Abstract
The native grasslands of the Great Plains and the organisms that inhabit them are threatened by the anthropogenic disturbance of land-use change; prairie dogs (Genus Cynomys) are one such example. These mammals are considered ecosystem engineers due to their behaviors that physically modify the areas they inhabit, directly affecting the resources available to surrounding organisms. Much research exists on established or potential relationships between black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) and other taxa; until recently, one taxon group absent from mentions of an association with black-tailed prairie dogs was bats (Order Chiroptera). Results of acoustic studies in eastern Colorado and western Kansas both found that bats echolocate significantly more over black-tailed prairie dog colonies than at adjacent non-colony sites. These findings were unclear regarding whether bats were actively foraging at or commuting over prairie dog colonies and raised the question of how bats utilize prairie dog colonies. This study addresses these knowledge gaps by testing whether increased bat activity extends deeper into prairie dog colonies. Acoustic detectors were deployed near the edge (25 meters) and further from the edge (225 meters) at 3 sites at Smoky Valley Ranch. Like previous years, we found that bats echolocated significantly more over prairie dog colonies at the 25-meter detectors. However, at 225 meters, this trend reverses, with bats echolocating significantly more at non-colony detectors than at detectors on prairie dog colonies. Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) and hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus) were significantly more active over colony detectors, while western small-footed myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum) were significantly more active over non-colony detectors. Notably, feeding buzz analyses indicate that foraging activity was higher at non-colony detectors regardless of distance, suggesting colonies may primarily serve as commuting corridors. An improved understanding of this relationship has the potential to guide land management practices that balance agricultural productivity and the conservation of both prairie dogs and insectivorous bats in the Great Plains.
Keywords
Ecology, Passive Acoustic Monitoring, Mammalogy, Prairie Dogs, Bats
Advisor
Dr. Lorelei Patrick
Date of Award
Spring 2026
Document Type
Thesis
Recommended Citation
Geyer, Patrick L., "Buzzes Over Burrows: Bats and Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs in Western Kansas" (2026). Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice. 3300.
Available at:
https://scholars.fhsu.edu/theses/3300
Rights
© The Author
