Pollination implications of the diverse diet of tropical nectar-feeding bats roosting in an urban cave

Abstract

Many native plant species that had not been reported in previous dietary studies of <i>E. spelaea</i> were detected in this study including <i>Bauhinia strychnoidea</i> and <i>Urophyllum leucophlaeum</i>, suggesting that <i>E. spelaea</i> remains a crucial pollinator for these plants even in highly disturbed habitats. The detection of many introduced plant species in the bat faeces indicates that <i>E. spelaea</i> are exploiting them, particularly <i>Xanthostemon chrysanthus,</i> as food resources in urban area. Commercial food crops were detected from all of the faecal samples, suggesting that <i>E. spelaea</i> feed predominantly on the crops particularly jackfruit and banana and play a significant role in pollination of economically important plants. Ferns and figs were also detected in the faeces of <i>E. spelaea</i> suggesting future research avenues to determine whether the 'specialised nectarivorous' <i>E. spelaea</i> feed opportunistically on other parts of plants.