Anyone who has read "The Neotropical Companion" should know that the Neotropics contains the greatest diversity of bats in the world. In fact 39% of the mammals in the Neotropics are bats. For my precourse project, I will be exploring a variety of topics and issues related to Costa RicaÕs tremendous diversity of bats. The major focus of my paper will be to both demonstrate the great diversity of bats and explain it through the exploration of resource partitioning, niche diversity, and foraging strategies.
Outline I. Intro. -how many species -discuss the most unique species (fisherman bat, vampire bat, Jamaican fruit bat) II. Why so Diverse -Completion breeds specialization, which breeds diversity. ÐIntroduce limiting factor hypothesis ÐIn Neotorpics food resources limiting factor. III. Resource partioning -Different trophic strategies. -Different foraging strategies. -Specialization. -How these adaptions lead to greater diversity. IV. Bats in ecology -Pollination. -Seed dispersal. V. Bats and culture -Contemproary veiw of bats. ÐProblem of the vampire bat. ÐConservation efforts. -bats in mythology and folklore VI. Conservation -how can the bats be conserved -what is already being done VII. Conclusion
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