Aspect of Ecology of Straw Colored Fruit bats (Eidolon helvum)

Aspects of the ecology of straw coloured fruit bats (Eidolon helvum), including population dynamics, seed dispersal and effect on the roosting trees, were investigated in the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani from January 2013 to July 2014. The Continuous Point Count Method was used to estimate the monthly population size of E. helvum. Using 64m2 (4m x 4m) quadrats and 32 seed traps made from plastic sheets, the contribution of dispersed plant species to the total undergrowth plant cover in the area was sampled and catalogued to show the contribution of undergrowth from bat droppings in the area. Using six (20m x 20m) sample plots each for areas occupied by bats and areas unoccupied by bats, basal area, canopy, and heights of identified trees with DBH ¿ 1m were measured to show the impact of bats on the roosting trees.