Cover -- Table of Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction-a biology lesson from the bats -- 1. Evolution and diversity -- Evolution -- Classification and the distribution and diversity of bats -- Yinpterochiroptera -- Yangochiroptera -- Adaptive radiation-why are the Phyllostomidae so numerous and so diverse? -- 2. Flight -- Some basic aerodynamics: aerofoils and flapping flight -- The evolution of flight -- The advantages of flight and the demands on the flyer: physiological and biomechanical aspects of flight -- The wing and what it does in flight -- Ecological aspects of flight -- 3. Echolocation and other senses -- What is echolocation? -- Sound generation and perception in echolocating bats -- Echolocation calls -- How do bats avoid being confused by other bats' sonar? -- Auditory adaptations and the neural basis of echolocation -- Echolocation and behavioural studies in the wild -- The cost of echolocation and its consequences -- Other senses -- The ecology of echolocation: interactions between flight, food, and foraging habits -- Evolution of echolocation -- 4. Torpor and hibernation -- Energy balance -- Concepts: ectothermy, endothermy, and heterothermy -- Concepts: torpor and hibernation -- The cost of staying warm-the importance of body size -- The physiology of torpor -- The ecology of torpor and hibernation -- Biological clocks -- Evolution of torpor and hibernation -- 5. Reproduction and development -- Reproductive cycles -- Gestation -- Birth, development, and survival -- Infant-mother communication and maternal care -- Roost selection and maternal foraging patterns -- Mating behaviour -- 6. Roosting and feeding ecology -- Roosting ecology -- Feeding ecology -- Information transfer -- Interactions between habitat, food, foraging, social structure, and behaviour.

7. Migration, social structure, and population structure -- Migration -- Navigation -- Social and population structure -- 8. Biogeography, macroecology, community ecology, and the interactions between bats and other organisms -- Biogeography and macroecology -- Community ecology -- Predators and prey -- 9. Conservation -- Why conserve bats? -- An overview of current status -- Identifying and predicting conservation needs -- Threats to bats -- From the negative to the positive: how to conserve bats -- Bat conservation organizations -- References -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- Y.