DIVERSITY OF FRUGIVORES BATS AND SEEDS CONSUMED ON THE EDGES OF CLOUD FOREST, VERACRUZ, MEXICO

Background: The change in the coverage of the Cloud Forest (CF) generates edges and fragments of original vegetation that can affect the bat community and the diversity of dispersed seeds. Objective: The objective was to describe the diversity of frugivorous bats and the seeds that they consume in different types of edges in the BMM, in Huatusco, Veracruz, Mexico. Methodology: Sampling with nets every 28 days for the capture and identification of bats was carried out in seven months, their feces were collected and the contained seeds were germinated to estimate a germination rate and for their taxonomic identification. The bat community and the seeds consumed were evaluated with true diversity indicators; the disperser importance index (IID) was estimated with the percentage of seeds dispersed by bat species. Results: 503 individuals of 14 species of frugivorous bats were captured in the four borders of the BMM, but the highest presence (13 spp.) and abundance (60%) of frugivorous-polynectarivorous bats was recorded in the border of the BMM with Grassland, where Anoura geoffroyi, Sturnira ludovici and S. lilium had the highest abundance, but only three species of bats are dispersal agents. A total of 69 bat droppings with 1380 seeds belonging to four botanical families were collected, with Rubiaceae and Solanaceae having the highest frequency of seeds consumed, and Piperaceae and Solanaceae with the greatest diversity of seeds. The highest quantity (65%) and diversity of seeds (10 spp.) were recorded on the BMM-Grassland border, with Borreria laevis seeds being the most consumed (30%). Implications: This study allows us to understand the ecological importance of biotic interactions between bats and plants in BMM borders. Conclusions: The edges of heterogeneous BMM conglomerate greater diversity and abundance of bats.