• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.553-563
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• 2009

This study was conducted to analyze the changes in the echolocation of Pipistrellus abramus according to environmental characteristics. The survey was conducted in the day-roosting site of P. abramus located in Gyeongju City (North Gyeongsang Province) from April to August, 2009. The environmental characteristics during the research were classified in six categories: the emergence time after sunset moving time from day roost to feeding areas; rice fields; forest edges; open spaces; and residential areas. Analysis results showed that there are differences in environmental characteristics and also differences between the moving time to the habitat and the moving time to capture preys. At the emergence time from day roost, Pipistrellus abramus used a FM signal with a short pulse-duration. In open spaces, however, they used a CF signal with a long pulse-duration. In different environmental situations, they used both FM and CF signals, although the types of pulse which they used were different. Except pulse-duration, there were significant differences in pulse-interval, peak-frequency, starting-frequency and ending-frequency between the movement among habitats and the movement to capture preys. Except the emergence time from day-roost, they showed a narrow band FM signal and a long pulse-duration that are suitable to search for insects by sensing echoes of insects when they moved among their habitats. When they were out to capture their preys, they showed a broad band FM signal and a short pulse-duration which enabled them to widely search and accurately locate their preys.