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Nemcova M, Zukal J, Seidlova V, Bednarikova S, Havelkova B, Dundarova H, Pikula J. Temperature-dependent in vitro hepatocytotoxicity of insecticides in bats. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 111:104544. [PMID: 39216797 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2024.104544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 08/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Heterothermic insectivorous bats are supposed to experience differential adverse effects of insecticidal pollutants depending on their seasonal and/or daily variation of metabolic and detoxification rates. Here, we investigated effects of imidacloprid, cypermethrin and fipronil on Nyctalus noctula bat-derived hepatocytes through cytotoxicity, cell inhibition and death at different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100, 1000 μg/ml), exposure times (10, 24, 48 hrs), incubation temperatures simulating hibernation (8 °C), daily torpor (20 °C), normothermy (37 °C) and active flight (40 °C), and cytochrome P450 addition. Toxic effects were significantly influenced by temperature (p < 0.05), with strong cytotoxicity after 10 hour exposure to fipronil or cypermethrin at 37 and 40 °C, cell replication inhibition (all insecticides at 8 °C) and cellular stimulation, with slight culture proliferation after 48 hours (all insecticides at 40 °C). Replacing protected chiropterans with cell cultures is a way to assess and extrapolate risks of insecticides for bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Nemcova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, Brno 612 42, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan Zukal
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, Brno 603 65, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Seidlova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, Brno 612 42, Czech Republic
| | - Sarka Bednarikova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, Brno 612 42, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Havelkova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, Brno 612 42, Czech Republic
| | - Heliana Dundarova
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria
| | - Jiri Pikula
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, Brno 612 42, Czech Republic.
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2
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Kohles JE, Page RA, Wikelski M, Dechmann DKN. Seasonal shifts in insect ephemerality drive bat foraging effort. Curr Biol 2024; 34:3241-3248.e3. [PMID: 38942018 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.05.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Animal foraging is fundamentally shaped by food distribution and availability.1 However, the quantification of spatiotemporal food distribution is rare2 but crucial to explain variation in foraging behavior among species, populations, or individuals. Clumped but ephemeral food sources enable rapid energy intake but require increased effort to find,3 can generate variable foraging success,4 and force animals to forage more efficiently. We quantified seasonal shifts in the availability of such resources to test the proximate effects of food distribution on changes in movement patterns. The neotropical lesser bulldog bat (Noctilio albiventris) forages in a seasonal environment on emerging aquatic insects, whose numbers peak shortly after dusk.5,6 We GPS-tracked bats and quantified nocturnal insect distribution in their foraging area using floating camera traps across wet and dry seasons. Surprisingly, insects were 75% less abundant and swarms were 60% shorter lived (more ephemeral) in the wet season. As a result, wet season bats had to fly twice as far (total and maximum distance fromroost distances) and 45% longer (duration) per night. Within foraging bouts, wet season bats spent less time in each insect patch and searched longer for subsequent patches, reflecting increased temporal ephemerality and decreased spatial predictability of insects. Our results highlight the tight link between foraging effort and spatiotemporal distribution of food and the influence of constraints imposed by reproduction on behavioral flexibility and adaptations to the highly dynamic resource landscapes of mobile prey.7,8 Examining foraging behavior in light of spatiotemporal dynamics of resources can help predict how animals respond to shifts in food availability caused by escalating environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna E Kohles
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Department of Migration, Am Obstberg 1, Radolfzell 78315, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, Konstanz 78464, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, Konstanz 78464, Germany; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Luis Clement Avenue, Bldg. 401 Tupper, Ancon, Panama 0843-03092, Republic of Panama.
| | - Rachel A Page
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Luis Clement Avenue, Bldg. 401 Tupper, Ancon, Panama 0843-03092, Republic of Panama
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Department of Migration, Am Obstberg 1, Radolfzell 78315, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, Konstanz 78464, Germany
| | - Dina K N Dechmann
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Department of Migration, Am Obstberg 1, Radolfzell 78315, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, Konstanz 78464, Germany; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Luis Clement Avenue, Bldg. 401 Tupper, Ancon, Panama 0843-03092, Republic of Panama
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3
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Simonis MC, Whitmore K, Dyer KE, Allira M, Demory B, Chumchal MM, Becker DJ. A paired analysis of mercury among non-invasive tissues to inform bat conservation monitoring. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.31.587502. [PMID: 38617222 PMCID: PMC11014497 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.31.587502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Contaminant exposure can harm wildlife. However, measuring contaminant exposure in wildlife can be challenging due to accessibility of species and/or sampling tissue matrices needed to answer research questions regarding exposure. For example, in bats and other taxa that roost, it may be best to collect pooled feces from colonies for minimal disturbance to species of conservation concern, but fecal contaminant concentrations do not provide contaminant bioaccumulation estimates. Thus, there is a need for quantifying relationships between sample matrices for measuring contaminant exposure to answer research questions pertaining to wildlife health and addressing conservation needs. Our goal was to determine relationships between fecal and fur total mercury (THg). To do so, we collected paired feces and fur from Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) in summer 2023 in western Oklahoma at a maternity roost with no known Hg point source. We analyzed THg in each sample matrix for each individual (n = 48). We found no relationship between individual fecal and fur THg. However, when averaged, fur THg was 6.11 times greater than fecal THg. This factor can be used as a screening-level risk assessment of under-roost feces, which could then be followed by direct assessments of fur THg concentrations and health impacts. We encourage the use of this conversion factor across other insectivorous bat species and sites for estimating initial risks of contaminant exposure with minimal disturbance to species of conservation concern, when timely research for conservation actions are needed, and when a contaminant point source is not yet known.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kristin E Dyer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, USA
| | - Meagan Allira
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, USA
| | - Bret Demory
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, USA
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4
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Turcios-Casco MA, Cardoso Cláudio V, Lee Jr TE. Back to the future: A preserved specimen validates the presence of Molossuspretiosus (Molossidae, Chiroptera) in Honduras. Zookeys 2024; 1196:139-148. [PMID: 38560092 PMCID: PMC10980877 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1196.116144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Molossuspretiosus is a molossid bat that has been thought to exist in Honduras. While some authors have suggested its range extends all the way to Mexico, others have placed its northernmost distribution in Nicaragua. We present evidence, based on one specimen collected in 2005, confirming the presence of this species in the Caribbean of Honduras within the Islas de la Bahía department. This discovery increases the count of known species within this family to 18 in the country and raises the total bat species count for Honduras to 114. We recommend a detailed study of historical specimens to confirm the identification of species that may have been misidentified as well as a thorough examination of molossids distributed in northern Honduras.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manfredo A. Turcios-Casco
- Asociación para la Sostenibilidad e Investigación Científica en Honduras (ASICH), Barrio La Granja, entre 28 y 29 calle, Comayagüela M.D.C., Francisco Morazán, Tegucigalpa, HondurasAsociación para la Sostenibilidad e Investigación Científica en Honduras (ASICH)TegucigalpaHonduras
- Laboratório de Etnoconservacao e Áreas Protegidas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, BrazilUniversidade Estadual de Santa CruzIlhéusBrazil
| | - Vinícius Cardoso Cláudio
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilFundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata AtlânticaRio de JaneiroBrazil
| | - Thomas E. Lee Jr
- Department of Biology, Box 27868, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas, 79699, USAAbilene Christian UniversityTexasUnited States of America
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5
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Adhikari BN, Paskey AC, Frey KG, Bennett AJ, Long KA, Kuhn JH, Hamilton T, Glang L, Cer RZ, Goldberg TL, Bishop-Lilly KA. Virome profiling of fig wasps (Ceratosolen spp.) reveals virus diversity spanning four realms. Virology 2024; 591:109992. [PMID: 38246037 PMCID: PMC10849055 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2024.109992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
We investigated the virome of agaonid fig wasps (Ceratosolen spp.) inside syconia ("fruits") of various Ficus trees fed upon by frugivores such as pteropodid bats in Sub-Saharan Africa. This virome includes representatives of viral families spanning four realms and includes near-complete genome sequences of three novel viruses and fragments of five additional potentially novel viruses evolutionarily associated with insects, fungi, plants, and vertebrates. Our study provides evidence that frugivorous animals are exposed to a plethora of viruses by coincidental consumption of fig wasps, which are obligate pollinators of figs worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bishwo N Adhikari
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA; Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060, USA
| | - Adrian C Paskey
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA; Leidos, Inc., Reston, VA 20190, USA
| | - Kenneth G Frey
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Andrew J Bennett
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA; Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Leidos, Inc., Reston, VA 20190, USA
| | - Kyle A Long
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA; Leidos, Inc., Reston, VA 20190, USA
| | - Jens H Kuhn
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Theron Hamilton
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Lindsay Glang
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA; Leidos, Inc., Reston, VA 20190, USA
| | - Regina Z Cer
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Tony L Goldberg
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Zoology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Kimberly A Bishop-Lilly
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
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6
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Abdullah NI, Elias NA, Ohte N, Vincenot C. Resource partitioning among bat species in Peninsular Malaysia rice fields. PeerJ 2024; 12:e16657. [PMID: 38250723 PMCID: PMC10800099 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Resource partitioning among tropical bats in agricultural areas of Peninsular Malaysia remains unclear. This study was conducted to evaluate resource partitioning among bats by examining their fecal samples. The main bat species sampled included: Rhinolophus coelophyllus, Rhinolophus malayanus, Rhinolophus pusillus, Rhinolophus refulgens, Taphozous melanopogon and Hipposideros larvatus. Two harp traps were set at different elevations on a hilltop (Gunung Keriang) and two high nets were used in neighboring rice fields at three sites, for three consecutive nights per sampling from April 2021 to February 2022. A total of 301 bats and 1,505 pellets were analyzed using a conventional approach which examined the fecal sample under the microscope. All of the bat species within the study had insects from the order Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera and Hemiptera in their diet. Larger bats exhibited a greater variety of prey consumption. Male individuals were observed to be generalists while female individuals were specialists, particularly during pregnancy and lactating reproductive stages. Bat species and insect order had a significant impact on the percentage fragment frequency of the insects consumed. Rhinolophus coelophyllus specialized in feeding on Coleoptera and Diptera, H. larvatus fed on Coleoptera, R. malayanus fed on Hemiptera, R. pusillus and T. melanopogon fed on Lepidoptera. Future molecular analysis can be carried out to further identify the insect pests consumed by these bats up to species level. These findings enhance our understanding of bats' ecological roles in agricultural landscapes and contribute to conservation and pest management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur-Izzati Abdullah
- Department of Social Informatics, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Island Bat Research Group, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Nurul-Ain Elias
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Nobuhito Ohte
- Department of Social Informatics, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Christian Vincenot
- Island Bat Research Group, Kyoto, Japan
- Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
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7
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Aihartza J, Vallejo N, Aldasoro M, García-Mudarra JL, Goiti U, Nogueras J, Ibáñez C. Aerospace-foraging bats eat seasonably across varying habitats. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19576. [PMID: 37950015 PMCID: PMC10638376 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46939-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent research has confirmed the efficiency of insectivorous bats as pest suppressors, underlining the ecological services they offer in agroecosystems. Therefore, some efforts try to enhance bat foraging in agricultural landscapes by acting upon environmental factors favouring them. In this study, we monitored a Miniopterus schreibersii colony, in the southern Iberian Peninsula. We intensively sampled their faeces and analysed them by metabarcoding to describe how the bent-winged bat diet would change with time, and to test whether their most-consumed prey would seasonally depend on different landscapes or habitats. Our results confirm that M. schreibersii are selective opportunist predators of moths, dipterans, mayflies, and other fluttering insects, shifting their diet to temporary peaks of prey availability in their foraging range, including both pest and non-pest insects. Supporting our hypothesis, throughout the year, M. schreibersii consume insects linked to diverse open habitats, including wetlands, grassland, diverse croplands, and woodland. The importance of each prey habitat varies seasonally, depending on their insect phenology, making bats indirectly dependent on a diverse landscape as their primary prey source. Bats' predation upon pest insects is quantitatively high, consuming around 1610 kg in 5 months, of which 1467 kg correspond to ten species. So, their suppression effect may be relevant, mainly in patchy heterogeneous landscapes, where bats' foraging may concentrate in successive outbursts of pests, affecting different crops or woodlands. Our results stress that to take advantage of the ecosystem services of bats or other generalist insectivores, keeping the environmental conditions they require to thrive, particularly a heterogeneous landscape within the colony's foraging area, is crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joxerra Aihartza
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, The Basque Country, Spain.
| | - Nerea Vallejo
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, The Basque Country, Spain
| | - Miren Aldasoro
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, The Basque Country, Spain
| | | | - Urtzi Goiti
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, The Basque Country, Spain
| | - Jesus Nogueras
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), P.O. Box 1056, 41080, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Carlos Ibáñez
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), P.O. Box 1056, 41080, Sevilla, Spain
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8
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Kieffer L, Sørås R, Ciesielski TM, Stawski C. Species and reproductive status influence element concentrations in bat fur. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 333:122092. [PMID: 37348695 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
To assess the impact of increasing pollutant levels on wildlife, we measured chemical contaminant loads in bats with different habitat and dietary preferences. Samples were taken from the fur of bats (Eptesicus nilssonii, Myotis brandtii, Myotis mystacinus and Plecotus auritus) to measure concentrations of 55 elements by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Variations in element concentrations between different bat groups (species, sex, reproductive status) were analysed with a focus on arsenic (As), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) as these are known to cause specific health concerns in wildlife. For M. brandtii we found the highest As concentrations, especially in lactating bats, with a maximum exceeding those from other studies where bats had compromised health. Whereas for M. mystacinus there was a negative correlation between body condition index (BCI) and As concentration, indicating a potential danger for bats in the study area. In M. mystacinus and M. brandtii Hg concentrations were higher for sixteen individuals than in other studies where bats suffered genotoxic effects, although median levels were still below this threshold. Lactating bats from P. auritus and M. brandtii had higher Hg concentrations than bats of other reproductive status, which could endanger offspring as Hg can be transferred through lactation. In females from M. mystacinus Pb concentrations were more than three times higher compared to males. There was also a negative correlation between Pb concentration and BCI, which could mean that Pb has an adverse effect on health. Although many other biotic and abiotic factors should be considered, some of the variations in element concentrations could be due to different behaviours (foraging, roosting, etc.) in the studied species. The high levels of chemical contamination in some of the bats in our study, particularly reproductive individuals, is of conservation concern as bats are important agents for insect control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc Kieffer
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NO-7491, Norway
| | - Rune Sørås
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NO-7491, Norway
| | - Tomasz M Ciesielski
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NO-7491, Norway; Department of Arctic Technology, The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), P.O. Box 156, 9171, Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - Clare Stawski
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NO-7491, Norway; School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Queensland, 4558, Australia.
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9
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Hawkes WL, Davies K, Weston S, Moyes K, Chapman JW, Wotton KR. Bat activity correlated with migratory insect bioflows in the Pyrenees. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230151. [PMID: 37593718 PMCID: PMC10427818 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
High altitude mountain passes in the Pyrenees are known to be important migratory hotspots for autumn migrating insects originating from large swathes of northern Europe. In the Pyrenees, prior research has focused on diurnal migratory insects. In this study, we investigate the nocturnal component of the migratory assemblage and ask if this transient food source is also used by bat species. Three seasons of insect trapping revealed 66 species of four different orders, 90% of which were Noctuid moths, including the destructive pest Helicoverpa armigera, otherwise known as the cotton bollworm. Acoustic bat detectors revealed that high activity of Nyctalus spp. and Tadarida teniotis bats were closely synchronized with the arrival of the migratory moths, suggesting this food source is important for both resident and migratory bats to build or maintain energy reserves. Bats of the Nyctalus spp. are likely migrating through the study site using fly-and-forage strategies or stopping over in the area, while resident T. teniotis may be exploiting the abundant food source to build fat stores for hibernation. This study shows that nocturnal migratory insects are abundant in the Pyrenees during autumn and interact during migration, not only with their co-migrant bats but also with resident bat species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will L. Hawkes
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Kelsey Davies
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - Scarlett Weston
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - Kelly Moyes
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - Jason W. Chapman
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Karl R. Wotton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
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10
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Sivault E, Amick PK, Armstrong KN, Novotny V, Sam K. Species richness and assemblages of bats along a forest elevational transect in Papua New Guinea. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elise Sivault
- Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Institute of Entomology Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
| | - Pita K. Amick
- Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Institute of Entomology Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
- Biological Science Division University of Papua New Guinea Port Moresby Papua New Guinea
- The New Guinea Binatang Research Centre Madang Papua New Guinea
- Amick Environmental Consulting Mt Hagen Papua New Guinea
| | - Kyle N. Armstrong
- University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
- South Australian Museum Adelaide South Australia Australia
| | - Vojtech Novotny
- Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Institute of Entomology Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
| | - Katerina Sam
- Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Institute of Entomology Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic
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11
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Far from home: bat activity and diversity in row crop agriculture decreases with distance to potential roost habitat. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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12
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Novel passive detection approach reveals low breeding season survival and apparent lactation cost in a critically endangered cave bat. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7390. [PMID: 35513411 PMCID: PMC9072322 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11404-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Capture-mark-recapture/resight (CMR) methods are used for survival-rate studies, yet are often limited by small sample sizes. Advances in passive integrated transponder (PIT) technology have enabled passive detection or ‘resight’ of marked individuals using large antennas with greater read-ranges than previously possible. We used passively-detected resight data and CMR models to study survival rates of the southern bent-winged bat Miniopterus orianae bassanii, a critically endangered, cave-dwelling bat. Over three years, we used PIT-tagging to monitor 2966 individuals at the species’ largest breeding aggregation, using daily detection data (> 1.6 million detections) to estimate seasonal survival probabilities, structured by age, sex and reproductive status, and parameterise population projection matrices. This has hitherto been impossible using traditional CMR methods due to disturbance risk and low recapture rates. Bats exhibited lowest apparent seasonal survival over summer and autumn, particularly for reproductive females in summer (when lactating) and juveniles in autumn (after weaning), and high survival in winter. Lowest survival rates coincided with severe drought in summer–autumn 2016, suggesting that dry conditions affect population viability. Under all likely demographic assumptions, population projection matrices suggested the population is in deterministic decline, requiring urgent action to reduce extinction risk. Passively-collected resight data can now be used in combination with CMR models to provide extensive, robust information for targeted wildlife population management.
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Hazard QCK, Sabino-Pinto J, López-Baucells A, Farneda FZ, Meyer CFJ, Rocha R. Reproductive phenologies of phyllostomid bats in the Central Amazon. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00242-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Danielson JR, Williams JA, Sherwin RE, Ekholm KL, Hamilton BT. Seasonal variation in age, sex, and reproductive status of Mexican free‐tailed bats. POPUL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/1438-390x.12119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R. Danielson
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology Christopher Newport University Newport News Virginia USA
- Great Basin National Park, Science and Resource Management Division Baker Nevada USA
| | | | - Richard E. Sherwin
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology Christopher Newport University Newport News Virginia USA
| | - Kelsey L. Ekholm
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology Christopher Newport University Newport News Virginia USA
- Great Basin National Park, Science and Resource Management Division Baker Nevada USA
| | - Bryan T. Hamilton
- Great Basin National Park, Science and Resource Management Division Baker Nevada USA
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Ramos Pereira MJ, Stefanski Chaves T, Bobrowiec PE, Selbach Hofmann G. How aerial insectivore bats of different sizes respond to nightly temperature shifts. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2022; 66:601-612. [PMID: 34817674 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-021-02222-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Small, volant and nocturnal, bats face strong challenges to avoid heat loss. Among aerial insectivores, body mass varies by two orders of magnitude between the smallest and the largest species. At low temperatures, physiological constraints should be harsher for smaller bats, as they lose more heat through their body surface than larger species. So, temperature variations should lead to distinct behavioural responses by bats of different body masses. Also, because they feed on arthropods, dependent on ambient temperature, aerial insectivores should halt feeding at low temperatures. Using ultrasound detectors and temperature and humidity sensors, we investigated how aerial insectivores of the coldest region in austral Brazil respond to nightly temperature variations and compared those responses between guilds of distinct body masses. We predict that smaller bats reduce their activity faster than larger bats, but that foraging should reduce simultaneously in the two guilds, as they depend on ectothermic prey. Bat activity reduced significantly below 12 °C. Larger bats maintained their activity at temperatures where the activity of smaller bats had already halted. However, larger bats foraged mostly during the first half of the night, at higher temperatures than those chosen by smaller bats to forage. We associate these differential responses to the thermal convection process, which may increase prey availability at higher altitudes, where larger molossids are known to forage. Smaller species, mostly edge-space hunters, probably take advantage of less variable prey availability during the night, resulting in a more regular behavioural pattern of navigation and foraging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria João Ramos Pereira
- Bird and Mammal Evolution, Systematics and Ecology Lab, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Campus do Vale - Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 90650-001, Brasil.
- CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Thais Stefanski Chaves
- Bird and Mammal Evolution, Systematics and Ecology Lab, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Campus do Vale - Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 90650-001, Brasil
| | - Paulo Estefano Bobrowiec
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brasil
| | - Gabriel Selbach Hofmann
- Laboratório de Geoprocessamento, Centro de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brasil
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Ayala-Berdon J, Vázquez-Fuerte R, Guillén-Servent A, López-Cuamatzi IL, Martínez-Gómez M. Changes in activity along the year in a community of insectivorous bats inhabiting a montane ecosystem of central Mexico. MAMMAL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-022-00620-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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17
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Pereira CG, Falcão F, Bernard E. One size doesn’t fit all: Singularities in bat species richness and activity patterns in wind-energy complexes in Brazil and implications for environmental assessment. ZOOLOGIA 2022. [DOI: 10.1590/s1984-4689.v39.e21041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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18
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Czenze ZJ, Smit B, Jaarsveld B, Freeman MT, McKechnie AE. Caves, crevices and cooling capacity: Roost microclimate predicts heat tolerance in bats. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zenon J. Czenze
- South African Research Chair in Conservation Physiology South African National Biodiversity Institute Pretoria South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
| | - Ben Smit
- Department of Zoology and Entomology Rhodes University Makhanda South Africa
| | - Barry Jaarsveld
- South African Research Chair in Conservation Physiology South African National Biodiversity Institute Pretoria South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
| | - Marc T. Freeman
- South African Research Chair in Conservation Physiology South African National Biodiversity Institute Pretoria South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
| | - Andrew E. McKechnie
- South African Research Chair in Conservation Physiology South African National Biodiversity Institute Pretoria South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
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Li J, Chu Y, Yao W, Wu H, Feng J. Differences in Diet and Gut Microbiota Between Lactating and Non-lactating Asian Particolored Bats ( Vespertilio sinensis): Implication for a Connection Between Diet and Gut Microbiota. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:735122. [PMID: 34712210 PMCID: PMC8546350 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.735122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals, lactation is considered the most energetically costly phase for females. To meet nutritional and energy demands, lactating females usually change feeding patterns by eating food that is higher in protein and calories. Their gut microbes respond accordingly to help adapt to the changes in diet. In this study, we examined differences in diet and gut microbial composition between lactating and non-lactating Asian particolored bats (Vespertilio sinensis) using COI and 16S amplicon sequencing. When compared with non-lactating bats, we found that the diversity and composition of lactating bats' diets differed; the proportion of Diptera increased and Coleoptera and Orthoptera decreased significantly. This could be attributed to the easy availability and high protein content of Diptera. Comparative analysis of the gut microbiota of lactating and non-lactating females showed that although the diversity of gut microbiota did not change, the relative abundance of specific gut microbiota associated with a particular diet did change. For example, when the consumption of Coleoptera decreased in lactating bats, the relative abundance of Lactobacillaceae was also reduced. Lactobacillaceae are thought to be involved in the digestion of Coleopteran exoskeletons. This study suggests that during lactation, Asian particolored bats eat a diet that yields higher levels of protein, and at the same time, the abundance of specific gut microbes change to help their hosts adapt to these changes in diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Li
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Yujia Chu
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Wenwen Yao
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Hui Wu
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China.,Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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Benvindo‐Souza M, Souza Santos LR, Elias Borges R, Alves de Assis R, Melo e Silva D, Zortéa M, Missel Pacheco S. Thousands of bats: A portrait of the chiropteran fauna of Palmas city, Central Brazil. AUSTRAL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcelino Benvindo‐Souza
- Laboratório de Mutagênese Instituto de Ciências Biológicas ICB I – Universidade Federal de Goiás Campus Samambaia Goiânia GoiásCEP 74.690‐900Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecotoxicologia e Sistemática Animal Instituto Federal Goiano Rio Verde GoiásCEP 75.901‐970Brazil
| | - Lia Raquel Souza Santos
- Laboratório de Ecotoxicologia e Sistemática Animal Instituto Federal Goiano Rio Verde GoiásCEP 75.901‐970Brazil
| | - Rinneu Elias Borges
- Laboratório de Ecotoxicologia e Sistemática Animal Instituto Federal Goiano Rio Verde GoiásCEP 75.901‐970Brazil
- Laboratório de Zoologia Universidade de Rio Verde – UniRV Rio Verde GoiásCEP 75.901‐970Brazil
| | - Rhayane Alves de Assis
- Laboratório de Ecotoxicologia e Sistemática Animal Instituto Federal Goiano Rio Verde GoiásCEP 75.901‐970Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” São José do Rio Preto São PauloCEP 15.054‐000Brazil
| | - Daniela Melo e Silva
- Laboratório de Mutagênese Instituto de Ciências Biológicas ICB I – Universidade Federal de Goiás Campus Samambaia Goiânia GoiásCEP 74.690‐900Brazil
| | - Marlon Zortéa
- Laboratório de Biodiversidade Animal Universidade Federal de Jataí Jataí GoiásCEP 75.801‐615Brazil
| | - Susi Missel Pacheco
- Departamento de Pesquisa Instituto Sauver Porto Alegre Rio Grande do SulCEP 90.480‐090Brazil
- PCMBRASIL, Programa para a Conservação de Morcegos do Brasil Porto Alegre Rio Grande do SulCEP 90.480‐090Brazil
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Bhartiy SK, Elangovan V. Seasonal prey availability and diet composition of Lesser Asiatic Yellow House Bat Scotophilus kuhlii Leach, 1821. JOURNAL OF THREATENED TAXA 2021. [DOI: 10.11609/jott.6296.13.8.19002-19010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Diet is an important factor in understanding bat ecology and conservation. This study assessed seasonal prey availability and diet composition of the Asiatic Lesser Yellow House Bat Scotophilus kuhlii in various districts of Uttar Pradesh between January 2016 to December 2018. Fecal and insect samples were collected seasonally using sweep nets between 1800 and 1900 h. From each location 20 fecal pellets were selected for analysis and searched for taxonomically recognizable remnants. The analysis revealed that S. kuhlii fed on Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Isoptera, Orthoptera, Odonata, Blattodae, Lepidoptera, and Hemiptera, identified from legs, antennae and wings/elytra in fecal pellets. Seasonal variation in the presence of isolated insect remnants and insect abundance at foraging grounds was observed. Thus S. kuhlii is a voracious feeder and plays an important role as a pest control agent.
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Moiseienko M, Vlaschenko A. Quantitative evaluation of individual food intake by insectivorous vespertilionid bats (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae). Biol Open 2021; 10:269042. [PMID: 34096574 PMCID: PMC8214420 DOI: 10.1242/bio.058511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Insectivorous bats provide important ecosystem services, especially by suppressing and controlling the insects’ biomass. To empirically quantify the number of insects consumed by European vespertilionid bats per night, we estimated their ratio of dry mass of feces to mass of consumed insects. This study combines the results of feeding in captivity and the data obtained in field surveys; dry mass of feces was measured in both cases. In captivity, we analyzed the effect of species, age and sex of bats, species of insects consumed and the mass of food portion on the dry mass of feces. Using coefficients of the regression model, we estimated the number of insects consumed by free-ranging bats based on dry mass of their feces. According to our estimates, on average, one individual of one of the largest European bat species, Nyctalusnoctula, consumes 2.2 g (ranging from 0.5 to 8.2 g) of insects per one feeding night, while the smallest European bats of genus Pipistrellus consume 0.4 g (ranging from 0.1 to 1.3 g), further confirming the importance of insectivorous bats for ecosystem services. This publication offers the novel method for the estimation of insects’ biomass consumed by bats. Summary: This study applies a combination of experiment in captivity and field survey that can be used as an easy methodological approach to estimate insect biomass consumed by bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marharyta Moiseienko
- Bat Rehabilitation Center of Feldman Ecopark, 62340 Lisne, Kharkiv Region, Ukraine
| | - Anton Vlaschenko
- Bat Rehabilitation Center of Feldman Ecopark, 62340 Lisne, Kharkiv Region, Ukraine.,H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Institute of Natural Sciences, Valentynivska St., 2, Kharkiv, 61168, Ukraine.,NGO, Ukrainian Independent Ecology Institute, Plekhanivska St., 40/27, 61001 Kharkiv, Ukraine
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23
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Monthly fluctuation of colony size and composition of the free-tailed bat Tadarida brasiliensis in the southernmost roost of Mexico. MAMMAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-021-00559-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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24
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OUP accepted manuscript. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Guterres Moreira ACR, Marques CC. Helminth Fauna of Tadarida brasiliensis (Mammalia, Chiroptera) in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil: A Comparative Approach. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2020.22.1.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ana C. R. Guterres Moreira
- Instituto de Biociências,Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, CEP 91501970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
| | - Cláudia C. Marques
- Instituto de Biociências,Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, CEP 91501970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
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Genetic Approaches Are Necessary to Accurately Understand Bat-Wind Turbine Impacts. DIVERSITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/d12060236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Bats are killed at wind energy facilities worldwide and we must improve our understanding of why this is happening and implement effective strategies to minimize impacts. To this end, we need accurate assessments of which individuals from which bat species are being killed at individual wind projects and at regional and range-wide scales. Traditional fatality searches have relied on physical characteristics to ascertain species and sex of bat carcasses collected at wind turbines; however, the resulting data can be incomplete and inaccurate. In contrast, the use of readily available and low-cost molecular methods improves both the quality and quantity of available data. We applied such methods to a bat fatality dataset (n = 439 bats) from far-south Texas, USA. Using DNA barcoding, we increased accurate species identification from 83% to 97%, and discovered the presence of 2 bat species outside of their known geographic ranges. Using a PCR-based approach to determine sex, the number of carcasses with correct sex assignment increased from 35% to 94%, and we documented a female-biased sex ratio for all species combined and for Dasypterus ega. We recommend that molecular methods be used during future survey efforts to accurately assess the impacts of wind energy on bats.
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Kolkert H, Andrew R, Smith R, Rader R, Reid N. Insectivorous bats selectively source moths and eat mostly pest insects on dryland and irrigated cotton farms. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:371-388. [PMID: 31988733 PMCID: PMC6972826 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Insectivorous bats are efficient predators of pest arthropods in agroecosystems. This pest control service has been estimated to be worth billions of dollars to agriculture globally. However, few studies have explicitly investigated the composition and abundance of dietary prey items consumed or assessed the ratio of pest and beneficial arthropods, making it difficult to evaluate the quality of the pest control service provided. In this study, we used metabarcoding to identify the prey items eaten by insectivorous bats over the cotton-growing season in an intensive cropping region in northern New South Wales, Australia. We found that seven species of insectivorous bat (n = 58) consumed 728 prey species, 13 of which represented around 50% of total prey abundance consumed. Importantly, the identified prey items included major arthropod pests, comprising 65% of prey relative abundance and 13% of prey species recorded. Significant cotton pests such as Helicoverpa punctigera (Australian bollworm) and Achyra affinitalis (cotton webspinner) were detected in at least 76% of bat fecal samples, with Teleogryllus oceanicus (field crickets), Helicoverpa armigera (cotton bollworm), and Crocidosema plebejana (cotton tipworm) detected in 55% of bat fecal samples. Our results indicate that insectivorous bats are selective predators that exploit a narrow selection of preferred pest taxa and potentially play an important role in controlling lepidopteran pests on cotton farms. Our study provides crucial information for farmers to determine the service or disservice provided by insectivorous bats in relation to crops, for on-farm decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Kolkert
- Ecosystem ManagementSchool of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNSWAustralia
| | - Rose Andrew
- Ecosystem ManagementSchool of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNSWAustralia
| | - Rhiannon Smith
- Ecosystem ManagementSchool of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNSWAustralia
| | - Romina Rader
- Ecosystem ManagementSchool of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNSWAustralia
| | - Nick Reid
- Ecosystem ManagementSchool of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNSWAustralia
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Appel G, López-Baucells A, Magnusson WE, Bobrowiec PED. Temperature, rainfall, and moonlight intensity effects on activity of tropical insectivorous bats. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The extrinsic factors that most influence animal activity are weather and light conditions, which can be assessed at hourly, monthly, and even lunar-cycle timescales. We evaluated the responses of tropical aerial-insectivorous bats to temperature, rainfall, and moonlight intensity within and among nights. Temperature positively affected the activity of two species (Cormura brevirostris and Saccopteryx bilineata). Moonlight reduced Myotis riparius activity and increased the activity of Pteronotus rubiginosus and S. leptura. Rainfall can promote an irregular activity peak during the night compared to nights without rainfall, but the bats in our study were not active for a longer time after a rainfall event. Our findings indicate that moonlight and temperature are the variables with the highest impact on the activity of tropical insectivorous bat species and that some species are sensitive to small variations in rainfall among and within nights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulliana Appel
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Adrià López-Baucells
- Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, Portugal
- Granollers Museum of Natural Sciences, c/Palaudàries, Granollers, Spain
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Highly selective roosting of the giant noctule bat and its astonishing foraging activity by GPS tracking in a mountain environment. MAMMAL RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-019-00446-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Baroja U, Garin I, Aihartza J, Arrizabalaga-Escudero A, Vallejo N, Aldasoro M, Goiti U. Pest consumption in a vineyard system by the lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros). PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219265. [PMID: 31318887 PMCID: PMC6638854 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Herbivorous arthropods cause immense damage in crop production annually. Consumption of these pests by insectivorous animals is of significant importance to counteract their adverse effects. Insectivorous bats are considered amongst the most voracious predators of arthropods, some of which are known crop pests. In vineyard-dominated Mediterranean agroecosystems, several crops are damaged by the attack of insect pests. In this study we aimed 1) to explore the diet and pest consumption of the lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolophus hipposideros and 2) analyse whether the composition of pest species in its diet changes throughout the season. We employed a dual-primer DNA metabarcoding analysis of DNA extracted from faeces collected in three bat colonies of a wine region in Southwestern Europe during the whole active period of most pest species. Overall, 395 arthropod prey species belonging to 11 orders were detected; lepidopterans and dipterans were the most diverse orders in terms of species. Altogether, 55 pest species were identified, 25 of which are known to cause significant agricultural damage and 8 are regarded as pests affecting grapevines. The composition of pest species in faeces changed significantly with the season, thus suggesting several periods should be sampled to assess the pest consumption by bats. As a whole, the results imply that R. hipposideros acts as a suppressor of a wide array of agricultural pests in Mediterranean agroecosystems. Therefore, management measures favouring the growth of R. hipposideros populations should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Unai Baroja
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Basque Country
| | - Inazio Garin
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Basque Country
| | - Joxerra Aihartza
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Basque Country
| | - Aitor Arrizabalaga-Escudero
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Basque Country
| | - Nerea Vallejo
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Basque Country
| | - Miren Aldasoro
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Basque Country
| | - Urtzi Goiti
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Basque Country
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Hernández-Jerez A, Adriaanse P, Aldrich A, Berny P, Coja T, Duquesne S, Gimsing AL, Marina M, Millet M, Pelkonen O, Pieper S, Tiktak A, Tzoulaki I, Widenfalk A, Wolterink G, Russo D, Streissl F, Topping C. Scientific statement on the coverage of bats by the current pesticide risk assessment for birds and mammals. EFSA J 2019; 17:e05758. [PMID: 32626374 PMCID: PMC7009170 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2019.5758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are an important group of mammals, frequently foraging in farmland and potentially exposed to pesticides. This statement considers whether the current risk assessment performed for birds and ground dwelling mammals exposed to pesticides is also protective of bats. Three main issues were addressed. Firstly, whether bats are toxicologically more or less sensitive than the most sensitive birds and mammals. Secondly, whether oral exposure of bats to pesticides is greater or lower than in ground dwelling mammals and birds. Thirdly, whether there are other important exposure routes relevant to bats. A large variation in toxicological sensitivity and no relationship between sensitivity of bats and bird or mammal test-species to pesticides could be found. In addition, bats have unique traits, such as echolocation and torpor which can be adversely affected by exposure to pesticides and which are not covered by the endpoints currently selected for wild mammal risk assessment. The current exposure assessment methodology was used for oral exposure and adapted to bats using bat-specific parameters. For oral exposure, it was concluded that for most standard risk assessment scenarios the current approach did not cover exposure of bats to pesticide residues in food. Calculations of potential dermal exposure for bats foraging during spraying operations suggest that this may be a very important exposure route. Dermal routes of exposure should be combined with inhalation and oral exposure. Based on the evidence compiled, the Panel concludes that bats are not adequately covered by the current risk assessment approach, and that there is a need to develop a bat-specific risk assessment scheme. In general, there was scarcity of data to assess the risks for bat exposed to pesticides. Recommendations for research are made, including identification of alternatives to laboratory testing of bats to assess toxicological effects.
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Rogers EJ, Sommers AS, McGuire LP. Seasonal Dynamics of Lipid Metabolism and Energy Storage in the Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat. Physiol Biochem Zool 2019; 92:386-395. [DOI: 10.1086/704107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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33
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Migration and reproduction are associated with similar degrees of phenotypic flexibility in an insectivorous bat. Oecologia 2019; 190:747-755. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04449-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Lacher TE, Davidson AD, Fleming TH, Gómez-Ruiz EP, McCracken GF, Owen-Smith N, Peres CA, Vander Wall SB. The functional roles of mammals in ecosystems. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyy183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E Lacher
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Global Wildlife Conservation, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ana D Davidson
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Theodore H Fleming
- Emeritus, Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Emma P Gómez-Ruiz
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, México
| | - Gary F McCracken
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Norman Owen-Smith
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Wits, South Africa
| | - Carlos A Peres
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen B Vander Wall
- Department of Biology and the Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
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Ruadreo N, Voigt CC, Bumrungsri S. Large Dietary Niche Overlap of Sympatric Open-space Foraging Bats Revealed by Carbon and Nitrogen Stable Isotopes. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2019. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2018.20.2.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nittaya Ruadreo
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Christian C. Voigt
- Department Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sara Bumrungsri
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
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Bennett AJ, Bushmaker T, Cameron K, Ondzie A, Niama FR, Parra HJ, Mombouli JV, Olson SH, Munster VJ, Goldberg TL. Diverse RNA viruses of arthropod origin in the blood of fruit bats suggest a link between bat and arthropod viromes. Virology 2018; 528:64-72. [PMID: 30576861 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2018.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 12/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Bats host diverse viruses due to their unique ecology, behavior, and immunology. However, the role of other organisms with which bats interact in nature is understudied as a contributor to bat viral diversity. We discovered five viruses in the blood of fruit bats (Hypsignathus monstrosus) from the Republic of Congo. Of these five viruses, four have phylogenetic and genomic features suggesting an arthropod origin (a dicistrovirus, a nodavirus, and two tombus-like viruses), while the fifth (a hepadnavirus) is clearly of mammalian origin. We also report the parallel discovery of related tombus-like viruses in fig wasps and primitive crane flies from bat habitats, as well as high infection rates of bats with haemosporidian parasites (Hepatocystis sp.). These findings suggest transmission between arthropods and bats, perhaps through ingestion or hyperparasitism (viral infection of bat parasites). Some "bat-associated" viruses may be epidemiologically linked to bats through their ecological associations with invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Bennett
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Trenton Bushmaker
- Laboratory of Virology, Virus Ecology Unit, Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, USA
| | - Kenneth Cameron
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Health Program, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Alain Ondzie
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Health Program, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Fabien R Niama
- Laboratoire National de Santé Publique, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | | | | | - Sarah H Olson
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Health Program, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Vincent J Munster
- Laboratory of Virology, Virus Ecology Unit, Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, USA
| | - Tony L Goldberg
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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Czenze ZJ, Tucker JL, Clare EL, Littlefair JE, Hemprich‐Bennett D, Oliveira HFM, Brigham RM, Hickey AJR, Parsons S. Spatiotemporal and demographic variation in the diet of New Zealand lesser short-tailed bats ( Mystacina tuberculata). Ecol Evol 2018; 8:7599-7610. [PMID: 30151174 PMCID: PMC6106186 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 04/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in the diet of generalist insectivores can be affected by site-specific traits including weather, habitat, and season, as well as demographic traits such as reproductive status and age. We used molecular methods to compare diets of three distinct New Zealand populations of lesser short-tailed bats, Mystacina tuberculata. Summer diets were compared between a southern cold-temperate (Eglinton) and a northern population (Puroera). Winter diets were compared between Pureora and a subtropical offshore island population (Hauturu). This also permitted seasonal diet comparisons within the Pureora population. Lepidoptera and Diptera accounted for >80% of MOTUs identified from fecal matter at each site/season. The proportion of orders represented within prey and the Simpson diversity index, differed between sites and seasons within the Pureora population. For the Pureora population, the value of the Simpson diversity index was higher in summer than winter and was higher in Pureora compared to Eglinton. Summer Eglinton samples revealed that juvenile diets appeared to be more diverse than other demographic groups. Lactating females had the lowest dietary diversity during summer in Pureora. In Hauturu, we found a significant negative relationship between mean ambient temperature and prey richness. Our data suggest that M. tuberculata incorporate a narrower diversity of terrestrial insects than previously reported. This provides novel insights into foraging behavior and ecological interactions within different habitats. Our study is the first from the Southern Hemisphere to use molecular techniques to examine spatiotemporal variation in the diet of a generalist insectivore that inhabits a contiguous range with several habitat types and climates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zenon J. Czenze
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
| | - J. Leon Tucker
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Elizabeth L. Clare
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Joanne E. Littlefair
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | | | | | | | | | - Stuart Parsons
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
- Present address:
School of Earth, Environmental and Biological SciencesQueensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneQLDAustralia
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38
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Srilopan S, Bumrungsri S, Jantarit S. The Wrinkle-Lipped Free-Tailed Bat (Chaerephon plicatus Buchannan, 1800) Feeds Mainly on Brown Planthoppers in Rice Fields of Central Thailand. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2018. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2018.20.1.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Supawan Srilopan
- Department of Biology, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Sara Bumrungsri
- Department of Biology, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Sopark Jantarit
- Department of Biology, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
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39
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Aizpurua O, Budinski I, Georgiakakis P, Gopalakrishnan S, Ibañez C, Mata V, Rebelo H, Russo D, Szodoray-Parádi F, Zhelyazkova V, Zrncic V, Gilbert MTP, Alberdi A. Agriculture shapes the trophic niche of a bat preying on multiple pest arthropods across Europe: Evidence from DNA metabarcoding. Mol Ecol 2018; 27:815-825. [PMID: 29290102 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The interaction between agricultural production and wildlife can shape, and even condition, the functioning of both systems. In this study, we i) explored the degree to which a widespread European bat, namely the common bent-wing bat Miniopterus schreibersii, consumes crop-damaging insects at a continental scale, and ii) tested whether its dietary niche is shaped by the extension and type of agricultural fields. We employed a dual-primer DNA metabarcoding approach to characterize arthropod 16S and COI DNA sequences within bat faecal pellets collected across 16 Southern European localities, to first characterize the bat species' dietary niche, second measure the incidence of agricultural pests across their ranges and third assess whether geographical dietary variation responds to climatic, landscape diversity, agriculture type and vegetation productivity factors. We detected 12 arthropod orders, among which lepidopterans were predominant. We identified >200 species, 44 of which are known to cause agricultural damage. Pest species were detected at all but one sampling site and in 94% of the analysed samples. Furthermore, the dietary diversity of M. schreibersii exhibited a negative linear relation with the area of intensive agricultural fields, thus suggesting crops restrict the dietary niche of bats to prey taxa associated with agricultural production within their foraging range. Overall, our results imply that M. schreibersii might be a valuable asset for biological pest suppression in a variety of agricultural productions and highlight the dynamic interplay between wildlife and agricultural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ostaizka Aizpurua
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ivana Budinski
- Department of Genetic Research, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Panagiotis Georgiakakis
- Department of Biology School of Sciences and Engineering, University of Crete, Irakleio, Greece
| | - Shyam Gopalakrishnan
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carlos Ibañez
- Evolutionary Ecology Department, Estacion Biologica de Doñana (CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - Vanessa Mata
- CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade Recursos e Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Hugo Rebelo
- CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade Recursos e Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Danilo Russo
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | | | | | | | - M Thomas P Gilbert
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,NTNU University Museum, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Antton Alberdi
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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40
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Bôlla DAS, Carvalho F, Zocche JJ, Bianco A, Vitto JADB, dos Santos R. Phyllostomid bats flying in daylight: a case from the Neotropics. J NAT HIST 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1397227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Fernando Carvalho
- Laboratório de Zoologia e Ecologia de Vertebrados, Avenida Universitária, Criciúma, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais da UNESC, Avenida Universitária, Criciúma, Brazil
| | - Jairo José Zocche
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais da UNESC, Avenida Universitária, Criciúma, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Paisagem e Vertebrados da UNESC, Avenida Universitária, Criciúma, Brazil
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41
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Foo CF, Bennett VJ, Hale AM, Korstian JM, Schildt AJ, Williams DA. Increasing evidence that bats actively forage at wind turbines. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3985. [PMID: 29114441 PMCID: PMC5672837 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the ultimate causes of high bat fatalities at wind farms are not well understood, several lines of evidence suggest that bats are attracted to wind turbines. One hypothesis is that bats would be attracted to turbines as a foraging resource if the insects that bats prey upon are commonly present on and around the turbine towers. To investigate the role that foraging activity may play in bat fatalities, we conducted a series of surveys at a wind farm in the southern Great Plains of the US from 2011-2016. From acoustic monitoring we recorded foraging activity, including feeding buzzes indicative of prey capture, in the immediate vicinity of turbine towers from all six bat species known to be present at this site. From insect surveys we found Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Orthoptera in consistently high proportions over several years suggesting that food resources for bats were consistently available at wind turbines. We used DNA barcoding techniques to assess bat diet composition of (1) stomach contents from 47 eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) and 24 hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) carcasses collected in fatality searches, and (2) fecal pellets from 23 eastern red bats that were found on turbine towers, transformers, and tower doors. We found that the majority of the eastern red bat and hoary bat stomachs, the two bat species most commonly found in fatality searches at this site, were full or partially full, indicating that the bats were likely killed while foraging. Although Lepidoptera and Orthoptera dominated the diets of these two bat species, both consumed a range of prey items with individual bats having from one to six insect species in their stomachs at the time of death. The prey items identified from eastern red bat fecal pellets showed similar results. A comparison of the turbine insect community to the diet analysis results revealed that the most abundant insects at wind turbines, including terrestrial insects such as crickets and several important crop pests, were also commonly eaten by eastern red and hoary bats. Collectively, these findings suggest that bats are actively foraging around wind turbines and that measures to minimize bat fatalities should be broadly implemented at wind facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecily F Foo
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
| | - Victoria J Bennett
- School of Geology, Energy & the Environment, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
| | - Amanda M Hale
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
| | - Jennifer M Korstian
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
| | - Alison J Schildt
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
| | - Dean A Williams
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, United States of America
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43
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Caire W, Gilbert MJ, Endebrock MA, Loucks LS. Use of A Gelatin Suspension Method To Examine Lack of Sexual Dimorphism In Cranial Capacity of Tadarida brasiliensis From Oklahoma. SOUTHWEST NAT 2017. [DOI: 10.1894/0038-4909-62.2.154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- William Caire
- Department of Biology, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK 73034
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44
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Nurul-Ain E, Rosli H, Kingston T. Resource availability and roosting ecology shape reproductive phenology of rain forest insectivorous bats. Biotropica 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elias Nurul-Ain
- Department of Biological Sciences; Texas Tech University; Lubbock TX 79409 USA
- School of Biological Sciences; Universiti Sains Malaysia; 11800 Penang Malaysia
| | - Hashim Rosli
- Institute of Biological Sciences; Faculty of Science; University of Malaya; 50603 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
| | - Tigga Kingston
- Department of Biological Sciences; Texas Tech University; Lubbock TX 79409 USA
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45
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Adams AM, Fenton MB. Identifying peaks in bat activity: a new application of SaTScan’s space–time scan statistic. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2017. [DOI: 10.1071/wr16194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context
Identifying key spatio–temporal periods of an organism’s activity is an important focus of many ecological studies. Bat activity, as assessed by passive acoustic monitoring, can be extremely variable and currently there exists no agreed-upon method for identifying periods of high activity.
Aims
We proposed a new application for the space–time scan statistic (SaTScan) as an objective technique for identifying peak periods of bat activity. We aimed to test the validity of SaTScan as a method for identifying peaks in bat activity and demonstrate its use for assessing species-specific temporal patterns of activity.
Methods
To evaluate the effectiveness of SaTScan for detecting peaks in activity, we compared SaTScan to peaks identified with percentile thresholds. We evaluated peaks in activity across three scales: within nights; among nights at a site; and among sites. We applied SaTScan to demonstrate analysis of species-specific activity as further use of this technique.
Key results
SaTScan was effective at identifying peak time periods that included the majority of the high activity minutes. Timing of peaks of activity was most consistent for Myotis lucifugus during swarming and Lasiurus borealis during migration. All other activity for five species at three sites was indicative of foraging activity, with peaks in the first 5h after sunset.
Conclusions
SaTScan can be a valuable tool for quickly identifying peaks in acoustic activity of bats, with an objective, replicable and statistically sound method that can be applied at many temporal and spatial scales.
Implications
This tool has the potential for many more applications in ecology. Beyond acoustic analyses of bat activity, this technique could easily identify peaks in a research or management context, such as study activity among habitats, commercial developments or years at a single site.
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Nunes H, Rocha FL, Cordeiro-Estrela P. Bats in urban areas of Brazil: roosts, food resources and parasites in disturbed environments. Urban Ecosyst 2016; 20:953-969. [PMID: 32214783 PMCID: PMC7089172 DOI: 10.1007/s11252-016-0632-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Urbanization is a widespread intense land use that generally results in biodiversity decline. Among the taxa capable to adapt to urban landscapes, bats are particularly ubiquitous. Brazil has one of the world's largest diversity of bat species and one of the highest urbanization rates of the world. Yet, few studies have synthesized the biology of bats in urban environments, especially in Brazil. To fill this gap, we systematically reviewed the published scientific literature on the bat fauna found in urban areas of Brazil. The knowledge of urban bats is still incipient and heterogeneously spatially distributed, mostly concentrated in the southeastern region of the country. The assembled list of 84 urban species, of which nineteen are new species records for urban areas (including one new family), represents 47% of the bat richness registered in the country. Thirty-one bat species (37%) were captured exclusively inside forest fragments. Moreover, we provide information on the resources used within the urban matrix by summarizing the roosting sites for 38 bat species, as well as 31 plants consumed by at least twelve bat species. Regarding parasitological aspects, we listed eleven zoonotic parasites hosted by 27 bat species and discussed their potential to become a public health threat. Likewise, we considered the different features linked to urbanization, including impacts on immunity, body condition and susceptibility to acquiring parasites, as possible bat conservation issues. Finally, we defined an agenda for bat studies in urban areas of Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Nunes
- Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Jardim Universitário, s/n, Castelo Branco, João Pessoa, Paraíba 58051-900 Brazil
| | - Fabiana Lopes Rocha
- Departamento de Engenharia e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Campus IV Litoral Norte, Rua da Mangueira s/n. Centro, Rio Tinto, Paraíba 58.297-000 Brazil
| | - Pedro Cordeiro-Estrela
- Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Jardim Universitário, s/n, Castelo Branco, João Pessoa, Paraíba 58051-900 Brazil
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47
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Münzer OM, Schaetz BA, Kurta A. Diet of a Nearctic Species, the Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis), at the Northern Edge of Its Range. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2016. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2016.18.2.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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O'Malley RC, Stanton MA, Gilby IC, Lonsdorf EV, Pusey A, Markham AC, Murray CM. Reproductive state and rank influence patterns of meat consumption in wild female chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii). J Hum Evol 2016; 90:16-28. [PMID: 26767956 PMCID: PMC4715263 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Revised: 09/12/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
An increase in faunivory is a consistent component of human evolutionary models. Animal matter is energy- and nutrient-dense and can provide macronutrients, minerals, and vitamins that are limited or absent in plant foods. For female humans and other omnivorous primates, faunivory may be of particular importance during the costly periods of pregnancy and early lactation. Yet, because animal prey is often monopolizable, access to fauna among group-living primates may be mediated by social factors such as rank. Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) across Africa habitually consume insects and/or vertebrates. However, no published studies have examined patterns of female chimpanzee faunivory during pregnancy and early lactation relative to non-reproductive periods, or by females of different rank. In this study, we assessed the influence of reproductive state and dominance rank on the consumption of fauna (meat and insects) by female chimpanzees of Gombe National Park, Tanzania. Using observational data collected over 38 years, we tested (a) whether faunivory varied by reproductive state, and (b) if high-ranking females spent more time consuming fauna than lower-ranking females. In single-factor models, pregnant females consumed more meat than lactating and baseline (meaning not pregnant and not in early lactation) females, and high-ranking females consumed more meat than lower-ranking females. A two-factor analysis of a subset of well-sampled females identified an interaction between rank and reproductive state: lower-ranking females consumed more meat during pregnancy than lower-ranking lactating and baseline females did. High-ranking females did not significantly differ in meat consumption between reproductive states. We found no relationships between rank or reproductive state with insectivory. We conclude that, unlike insectivory, meat consumption by female chimpanzees is mediated by both reproductive state and social rank. We outline possible mechanisms for these patterns, relate our findings to meat-eating patterns in women from well-studied hunter-gatherer societies, and discuss potential avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert C O'Malley
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, the George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
| | - Margaret A Stanton
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, the George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
| | - Ian C Gilby
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
| | - Elizabeth V Lonsdorf
- Department of Psychology and Biological Foundations of Behavior Program, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA 17603, USA; Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614, USA.
| | - Anne Pusey
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - A Catherine Markham
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, the George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA; Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
| | - Carson M Murray
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, the George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
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49
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Maas B, Karp DS, Bumrungsri S, Darras K, Gonthier D, Huang JCC, Lindell CA, Maine JJ, Mestre L, Michel NL, Morrison EB, Perfecto I, Philpott SM, Şekercioğlu ÇH, Silva RM, Taylor PJ, Tscharntke T, Van Bael SA, Whelan CJ, Williams-Guillén K. Bird and bat predation services in tropical forests and agroforestry landscapes. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015. [PMID: 26202483 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Understanding distribution patterns and multitrophic interactions is critical for managing bat- and bird-mediated ecosystem services such as the suppression of pest and non-pest arthropods. Despite the ecological and economic importance of bats and birds in tropical forests, agroforestry systems, and agricultural systems mixed with natural forest, a systematic review of their impact is still missing. A growing number of bird and bat exclosure experiments has improved our knowledge allowing new conclusions regarding their roles in food webs and associated ecosystem services. Here, we review the distribution patterns of insectivorous birds and bats, their local and landscape drivers, and their effects on trophic cascades in tropical ecosystems. We report that for birds but not bats community composition and relative importance of functional groups changes conspicuously from forests to habitats including both agricultural areas and forests, here termed 'forest-agri' habitats, with reduced representation of insectivores in the latter. In contrast to previous theory regarding trophic cascade strength, we find that birds and bats reduce the density and biomass of arthropods in the tropics with effect sizes similar to those in temperate and boreal communities. The relative importance of birds versus bats in regulating pest abundances varies with season, geography and management. Birds and bats may even suppress tropical arthropod outbreaks, although positive effects on plant growth are not always reported. As both bats and birds are major agents of pest suppression, a better understanding of the local and landscape factors driving the variability of their impact is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bea Maas
- Agroecology, Georg-August University, Grisebachstraße 6, 37077, Goettingen, Germany. .,Division of Tropical Ecology and Animal Biodiversity, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Daniel S Karp
- The Nature Conservancy, 201 Mission Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94105, U.S.A.,Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Mulford Hall, 130 Hilgard Way, Berkeley, CA, 94720, U.S.A
| | - Sara Bumrungsri
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand 15 Karnjanavanich Rd., Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand
| | - Kevin Darras
- Agroecology, Georg-August University, Grisebachstraße 6, 37077, Goettingen, Germany
| | - David Gonthier
- The Nature Conservancy, 201 Mission Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94105, U.S.A.,School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, U.S.A
| | - Joe C-C Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Box 43131, Lubbock, TX, 79409, U.S.A.,Southeast Asian Bat Conservation and Research Unit, Department of Biological Science, Box 43131, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409-3131, U.S.A
| | - Catherine A Lindell
- Integrative Biology Department, Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, 288 Farm Lane RM 203, East Lansing, MI, 48824, U.S.A
| | - Josiah J Maine
- Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University, 1125 Lincoln Dr., Carbondale, IL, 62901, U.S.A
| | - Laia Mestre
- CREAF, Carretera de Bellaterra a l'Autònoma, s/n, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès,, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal i d'Ecologia, Universitat Autònoma, Carretera de Bellaterra a l'Autònoma, s/n, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nicole L Michel
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, 117 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5C8, Canada
| | - Emily B Morrison
- Integrative Biology Department, Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, 288 Farm Lane RM 203, East Lansing, MI, 48824, U.S.A
| | - Ivette Perfecto
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, U.S.A
| | - Stacy M Philpott
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95062, U.S.A
| | - Çagan H Şekercioğlu
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Rm. 201, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, U.S.A.,College of Sciences, Koç University, Rumelifeneri, Sariyer, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Roberta M Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rodovia Ilhéus-Itabuna, km 16, 45662-900, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Peter J Taylor
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, 4000, South Africa.,SARChI Chair on Biodiversity Value & Change and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences, University of Venda, P. Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
| | - Teja Tscharntke
- Agroecology, Georg-August University, Grisebachstraße 6, 37077, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Sunshine A Van Bael
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, 6823 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA, 70118, U.S.A.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama
| | - Christopher J Whelan
- Illinois Natural History Survey, c/o Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL, 60607, U.S.A
| | - Kimberly Williams-Guillén
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, U.S.A.,Paso Pacífico, PO Box 1244, Ventura, CA, 94302, U.S.A
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McFarlane DA, Rentergem GV, Ruina A, Lundberg J, Christenson K. Estimating Colony Size of the Wrinkle-Lipped Bat,Chaerephon plicatus(Chiroptera: Molossidae) at Gomantong, Sabah, by Quantitative Image Analysis. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2015. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2015.17.1.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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