A broad review of bat ecology is timely because of advances over the past two decades in the technical approaches to the study of bats in an ecological and evolutionary framework. These advances include, but are not limited to, a range of ultrasonic detection methods, radio-telemetry, transponders, stable isotopes, bio-informatics, and molecular markers. Not surprisingly, since the publication of the Ecology of Bats (Kunz, 1982), our knowledge about the field of bat ecology has advanced. Bat Ecology attempts to summarize this advance through a mix of review and analytical chapters. Each chapter provides some historical perspective as well as highlights recent advances and suggests future directions. The editors divide the book into three main sections: Life History and Social Biology, Functional Ecology, and Macroecology. Within each of these sections are chapters written by authorities in the field.
