1
|
Franks VR, Thorogood R, Brekke P. Parental breeding decisions and genetic quality predict social structure of independent offspring. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:4898-4910. [PMID: 37395642 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17066] [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: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Across the animal kingdom, newly independent juveniles form social associations that influence later fitness, mate choice and gene flow, but little is known about the ontogeny of social environments, particularly in wild populations. Here we test whether associations among young animals form randomly or are influenced by environmental or genetic conditions established by parents. Parents' decisions determine natal birth sites, which could affect who independent young initially encounter; secondly, mate choice determines genetic condition (e.g. inbreeding) of young and the parental care they receive, which can affect sociability. However, genetic and environmental factors are confounded unless related offspring experience different natal environments. Therefore, we used a long-term genetic pedigree, breeding records and social network data from three cohorts of a songbird with high extra-pair paternity (hihi, Notiomystis cincta) to disentangle (1) how nest location and relatedness contribute to association structure once juveniles disperse away from birth sites, and (2) if juvenile and/or parental inbreeding predicts individual sociability. We detected positive spatial autocorrelation: hihi that fledged closer by were more likely to associate even after dispersing, irrespective of genetic relatedness. Juvenile inbreeding did not predict sociability, but those raised by more inbred fathers formed more, stronger, associations, which did not depend on whether that male was the genetic parent or not. These results suggest that the natal environment created by parents, rather than focal genetic condition, establishes the foundation for social associations. Overall, we highlight how social inheritance may play an important role in population dynamics and evolutionary potential in wild animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victoria R Franks
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Chester, Chester, UK
| | - Rose Thorogood
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Patricia Brekke
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hemnani M, Silva PGD, Thompson G, Poeta P, Rebelo H, Mesquita JR. First Report of Alphacoronavirus Circulating in Cavernicolous Bats from Portugal. Viruses 2023; 15:1521. [PMID: 37515207 PMCID: PMC10384150 DOI: 10.3390/v15071521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of novel coronaviruses (CoVs) has emphasized the need to understand their diversity and distribution in animal populations. Bats have been identified as crucial reservoirs for CoVs, and they are found in various bat species worldwide. In this study, we investigated the presence of CoVs of four cavernicolous bats in six locations in the centre and south of Portugal. We collected faeces, anal, and buccal swab samples, as well as air samples from the locations using a Coriolis air sampler. Our results indicate that CoVs were more readily detected in faecal samples compared to anal and buccal swab samples. No CoVs were detected in the air samples. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the detected viruses belong to the Alphacoronavirus genus. This study represents the first report of Alphacoronaviruses circulating in bats in Portugal and highlights the importance of continuous surveillance for novel CoVs in bat populations globally. Ongoing surveillance for CoVs in bat populations is essential as they are a vital source of these viruses. It is crucial to understand the ecological relationships between animals, humans, and the environment to prevent and control the emergence and transmission of infectious diseases. Further ecological studies are needed to investigate the factors contributing to the emergence and transmission of zoonotic viruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahima Hemnani
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Priscilla Gomes da Silva
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório Para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnotlogy and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
| | - Gertrude Thompson
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Patricia Poeta
- Microbiology and Antibiotic Resistance Team (MicroART), Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV-REQUIMTE), University NOVA of Lisbon, 1099-085 Caparica, Portugal
- Veterinary and Animal Research Centre (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- Veterinary and Animal Research Centre, Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Hugo Rebelo
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
- ESS, Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal, 2910-761 Setúbal, Portugal
| | - João R Mesquita
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Harten L, Matalon Y, Galli N, Navon H, Dor R, Yovel Y. Persistent producer-scrounger relationships in bats. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:e1603293. [PMID: 29441356 PMCID: PMC5810609 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1603293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Social foraging theory suggests that group-living animals gain from persistent social bonds, which lead to increased tolerance in competitive foraging and information sharing. Bats are among the most social mammals, often living in colonies of tens to thousands of individuals for dozens of years, yet little is known about their social foraging dynamics. We observed three captive bat colonies for over a year, quantifying >13,000 social foraging interactions. We found that individuals consistently used one of two foraging strategies, either producing (collecting) food themselves or scrounging it directly from the mouth of other individuals. Individual foraging types were consistent over at least 16 months except during the lactation period when females shifted toward producing. Scroungers intentionally selected whom to interact with when socially foraging, thus generating persistent nonrandom social relationships with two to three specific producers. These persistent producer-scrounger relationships seem to reduce aggression over time. Finally, scrounging was highly correlated with vigilance, and we hypothesize that vigilant-prone individuals turn to scrounging in the wild to mitigate the risk of landing on a potentially unsafe fruit tree. We find the bat colony to be a rich and dynamic social system, which can serve as a model to study the role that social foraging plays in the evolution of mammalian sociality. Our results highlight the importance of considering individual tendencies when exploring social behavior patterns of group-living animals. These tendencies further emphasize the necessity of studying social networks over time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lee Harten
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Yasmin Matalon
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Naama Galli
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Hagit Navon
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Roi Dor
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Yossi Yovel
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Russo D, Cistrone L, Budinski I, Console G, Della Corte M, Milighetti C, Di Salvo I, Nardone V, Brigham RM, Ancillotto L. Sociality influences thermoregulation and roost switching in a forest bat using ephemeral roosts. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:5310-5321. [PMID: 28770069 PMCID: PMC5528228 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In summer, many temperate bat species use daytime torpor, but breeding females do so less to avoid interferences with reproduction. In forest-roosting bats, deep tree cavities buffer roost microclimate from abrupt temperature oscillations and facilitate thermoregulation. Forest bats also switch roosts frequently, so thermally suitable cavities may be limiting. We tested how barbastelle bats (Barbastella barbastellus), often roosting beneath flaking bark in snags, may thermoregulate successfully despite the unstable microclimate of their preferred cavities. We assessed thermoregulation patterns of bats roosting in trees in a beech forest of central Italy. Although all bats used torpor, females were more often normothermic. Cavities were poorly insulated, but social thermoregulation probably overcomes this problem. A model incorporating the presence of roost mates and group size explained thermoregulation patterns better than others based, respectively, on the location and structural characteristics of tree roosts and cavities, weather, or sex, reproductive or body condition. Homeothermy was recorded for all subjects, including nonreproductive females: This probably ensures availability of a warm roosting environment for nonvolant juveniles. Homeothermy may also represent a lifesaver for bats roosting beneath loose bark, very exposed to predators, because homeothermic bats may react quickly in case of emergency. We also found that barbastelle bats maintain group cohesion when switching roosts: This may accelerate roost occupation at the end of a night, quickly securing a stable microclimate in the newly occupied cavity. Overall, both thermoregulation and roost-switching patterns were satisfactorily explained as adaptations to a structurally and thermally labile roosting environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Russo
- Wildlife Research UnitDipartimento di AgrariaUniversità degli Studi di Napoli Federico IIPorticiItaly
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | | | - Ivana Budinski
- Department of Genetic ResearchInstitute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”University of BelgradeBelgradeSerbia
| | - Giulia Console
- Dipartimento di BiologiaUniversità degli Studi di FirenzeFirenzeItaly
| | - Martina Della Corte
- Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e FunzionaleUniversità degli Studi di Napoli Federico IINapoliItaly
| | - Claudia Milighetti
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin”Università degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza”RomaItaly
| | - Ivy Di Salvo
- Wildlife Research UnitDipartimento di AgrariaUniversità degli Studi di Napoli Federico IIPorticiItaly
| | - Valentina Nardone
- Wildlife Research UnitDipartimento di AgrariaUniversità degli Studi di Napoli Federico IIPorticiItaly
| | | | - Leonardo Ancillotto
- Wildlife Research UnitDipartimento di AgrariaUniversità degli Studi di Napoli Federico IIPorticiItaly
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zeus VM, Puechmaille SJ, Kerth G. Conspecific and heterospecific social groups affect each other's resource use: a study on roost sharing among bat colonies. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
|
6
|
Santos JD, Meyer CFJ, Ibáñez C, Popa-Lisseanu AG, Juste J. Dispersal and group formation dynamics in a rare and endangered temperate forest bat ( Nyctalus lasiopterus, Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Ecol Evol 2016; 6:8193-8204. [PMID: 27878088 PMCID: PMC5108270 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Revised: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
For elusive mammals like bats, colonization of new areas and colony formation are poorly understood, as is their relationship with the genetic structure of populations. Understanding dispersal and group formation behaviors is critical not only for a better comprehension of mammalian social dynamics, but also for guiding conservation efforts of rare and endangered species. Using nuclear and mitochondrial markers, we studied patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation among and within breeding colonies of giant noctule bats (Nyctalus lasiopterus), their relation to a new colony still in formation, and the impact of this ongoing process on the regionwide genetic makeup. Nuclear differentiation among colonies was relatively low and mostly nonsignificant. Mitochondrial variation followed this pattern, contrasting with findings for other temperate bat species. Our results suggest that this may indicate a recent population expansion. On average, female giant noctules were not more closely related to other colony members than to foreign individuals. This was also true for members of the newly forming colony and those of another, older group sampled shortly after its formation, suggesting that contrary to findings for other temperate bats, giant noctule colonies are not founded by relatives. However, mother–daughter pairs were found in the same populations more often than expected under random dispersal. Given this indication of philopatry, the lack of mitochondrial differentiation among most colonies in the region is probably due to the combination of a recent population expansion and group formation events.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- João D Santos
- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement Avenue Agropolis 34398 Montpellier France; Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) Faculty of Sciences University of Lisbon 1749-016 Lisbon Portugal
| | - Christoph F J Meyer
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) Faculty of Sciences University of Lisbon 1749-016 Lisbon Portugal; School of Environment and Life Sciences University of Salford Salford M5 4WT United Kingdom
| | - Carlos Ibáñez
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC) Avenida Américo Vespucio s/n 41092 Seville Spain
| | - Ana G Popa-Lisseanu
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC) Avenida Américo Vespucio s/n 41092 Seville Spain
| | - Javier Juste
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC) Avenida Américo Vespucio s/n 41092 Seville Spain
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Avena CV, Parfrey LW, Leff JW, Archer HM, Frick WF, Langwig KE, Kilpatrick AM, Powers KE, Foster JT, McKenzie VJ. Deconstructing the Bat Skin Microbiome: Influences of the Host and the Environment. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1753. [PMID: 27909426 PMCID: PMC5112243 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Bats are geographically widespread and play an important role in many ecosystems, but relatively little is known about the ecology of their associated microbial communities and the role microbial taxa play in bat health, development, and evolution. Moreover, few vertebrate animal skin microbiomes have been comprehensively assessed, and thus characterizing the bat skin microbiome will yield valuable insight into the variability of vertebrate skin microbiomes as a whole. The recent emergence of the skin fungal disease white-nose syndrome highlights the potentially important role bat skin microbial communities could play in bat health. Understanding the determinant of bat skin microbial communities could provide insight into important factors allowing individuals to persist with disease. We collected skin swabs from a total of 11 bat species from the eastern United States (n = 45) and Colorado (n = 119), as well as environmental samples (n = 38) from a subset of sites, and used 16S rRNA marker gene sequencing to observe bacterial communities. In addition, we conducted a literature survey to compare the skin microbiome across vertebrate groups, including the bats presented in this study. Host species, region, and site were all significant predictors of the variability across bat skin bacterial communities. Many bacterial taxa were found both on bats and in the environment. However, some bacterial taxa had consistently greater relative abundances on bat skin relative to their environments. Bats shared many of their abundant taxa with other vertebrates, but also hosted unique bacterial lineages such as the class Thermoleophilia (Actinobacteria). A strong effect of site on the bat skin microbiome indicates that the environment very strongly influences what bacteria are present on bat skin. Bat skin microbiomes are largely composed of site-specific microbiota, but there do appear to be important host-specific taxa. How this translates to differences in host-microbial interactions and bat health remains an important knowledge gap, but this work suggests that habitat variability is very important. We identify some bacterial groups that are more consistent on bats despite site differences, and these may be important ones to study in terms of their function as potential core microbiome members.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine V Avena
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Laura Wegener Parfrey
- Departments of Botany and Zoology, University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jonathan W Leff
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, CO, USA; Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, CO, USA
| | - Holly M Archer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Winifred F Frick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa CruzSanta Cruz, CA, USA; Bat Conservation InternationalAustin, TX, USA
| | - Kate E Langwig
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - A Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey T Foster
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire Durham, NH, USA
| | - Valerie J McKenzie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Fischer K, Zeus V, Kwasnitschka L, Kerth G, Haase M, Groschup MH, Balkema-Buschmann A. Insectivorous bats carry host specific astroviruses and coronaviruses across different regions in Germany. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2016; 37:108-16. [PMID: 26584511 PMCID: PMC7106178 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2015.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Revised: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Recently several infectious agents with a zoonotic potential have been detected in different bat species. However, there is still a lack of knowledge on the transmission dynamics within and between bat species, as well as from bats to other mammals. To better understand these processes, it is important to compare the phylogenetic relationships between different agents to that of their respective hosts. In this study, we analysed more than 950 urine, faeces and oral swab samples collected from 653 bats from mainly four species (Myotis nattereri, Myotis bechsteinii, Myotis daubentonii, and Plecotus auritus) for the presence of coronavirus, paramyxovirus and astrovirus related nucleic acids located in three different regions of Germany. Using hemi-nested reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR amplification of fragments within the highly conserved regions of the respective RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) genes, we detected astrovirus sequences at an overall detection rate of 25.8% of the analysed animals, with a maximum of 65% in local populations. The detection rates for coronaviruses and paramyxoviruses were distinctly lower, ranging between 1.4% and 3.1%. Interestingly, the sequence similarities in samples collected from the same bat species in different geographical areas were distinctly larger than the sequence similarities between samples from different species sampled at the same location. This indicates that host specificity may be more important than host ecology for the presence of certain viruses in bats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Fischer
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Veronika Zeus
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Johann Sebastian Bach-Str. 11/12, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Linda Kwasnitschka
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Johann Sebastian Bach-Str. 11/12, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Martin Haase
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Soldmannstraße 23, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Martin H Groschup
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Anne Balkema-Buschmann
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Fornůsková A, Petit EJ, Bartonička T, Kaňuch P, Butet A, Řehák Z, Bryja J. Strong matrilineal structure in common pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) is associated with variability in echolocation calls. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alena Fornůsková
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology; AS CR; Květná 8 603 65 Brno Czech Republic
- Department of Botany and Zoology; Faculty of Science; Masaryk University; Kotlářská 2 611 37 Brno Czech Republic
- UMR CNRS 6553 ECOBIO; Université Rennes 1; Rennes France
| | - Eric J. Petit
- UMR CNRS 6553 ECOBIO; Université Rennes 1; Rennes France
- Ecology and Ecosystem Health; UMR 985 Agrocampus Ouest-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; F-35042 Rennes France
| | - Tomáš Bartonička
- Department of Botany and Zoology; Faculty of Science; Masaryk University; Kotlářská 2 611 37 Brno Czech Republic
| | - Peter Kaňuch
- Institute of Forest Ecology SAS; Zvolen Slovakia
| | - Alain Butet
- UMR CNRS 6553 ECOBIO; Université Rennes 1; Rennes France
| | - Zdeněk Řehák
- Department of Botany and Zoology; Faculty of Science; Masaryk University; Kotlářská 2 611 37 Brno Czech Republic
| | - Josef Bryja
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology; AS CR; Květná 8 603 65 Brno Czech Republic
- Department of Botany and Zoology; Faculty of Science; Masaryk University; Kotlářská 2 611 37 Brno Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Silvis A, Kniowski AB, Gehrt SD, Ford WM. Roosting and foraging social structure of the endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis). PLoS One 2014; 9:e96937. [PMID: 24816811 PMCID: PMC4016147 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2013] [Accepted: 04/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Social dynamics are an important but poorly understood aspect of bat ecology. Herein we use a combination of graph theoretic and spatial approaches to describe the roost and social network characteristics and foraging associations of an Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) maternity colony in an agricultural landscape in Ohio, USA. We tracked 46 bats to 50 roosts (423 total relocations) and collected 2,306 foraging locations for 40 bats during the summers of 2009 and 2010. We found the colony roosting network was highly centralized in both years and that roost and social networks differed significantly from random networks. Roost and social network structure also differed substantially between years. Social network structure appeared to be unrelated to segregation of roosts between age classes. For bats whose individual foraging ranges were calculated, many shared foraging space with at least one other bat. Compared across all possible bat dyads, 47% and 43% of the dyads showed more than expected overlap of foraging areas in 2009 and 2010 respectively. Colony roosting area differed between years, but the roosting area centroid shifted only 332 m. In contrast, whole colony foraging area use was similar between years. Random roost removal simulations suggest that Indiana bat colonies may be robust to loss of a limited number of roosts but may respond differently from year to year. Our study emphasizes the utility of graphic theoretic and spatial approaches for examining the sociality and roosting behavior of bats. Detailed knowledge of the relationships between social and spatial aspects of bat ecology could greatly increase conservation effectiveness by allowing more structured approaches to roost and habitat retention for tree-roosting, socially-aggregating bat species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Silvis
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Andrew B. Kniowski
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Stanley D. Gehrt
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - W. Mark Ford
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Silvis A, Ford WM, Britzke ER, Johnson JB. Association, roost use and simulated disruption of Myotis septentrionalis maternity colonies. Behav Processes 2014; 103:283-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2014.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2013] [Revised: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 01/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
12
|
Bechstein’s bats maintain individual social links despite a complete reorganisation of their colony structure. Naturwissenschaften 2013; 100:895-8. [PMID: 23949307 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-013-1090-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2013] [Revised: 07/31/2013] [Accepted: 08/03/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
|
13
|
Moussy C, Hosken D, Mathews F, Smith G, Aegerter J, Bearhop S. Migration and dispersal patterns of bats and their influence on genetic structure. Mamm Rev 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2907.2012.00218.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Moussy
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; University of Exeter; Tremough Campus, Penryn; Cornwall; TR10 9EZ; UK
| | - D.J. Hosken
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; University of Exeter; Tremough Campus, Penryn; Cornwall; TR10 9EZ; UK
| | - F. Mathews
- University of Exeter, Hatherly Laboratories; Prince of Wales Road; Exeter; EX4 4PS; UK
| | - G.C. Smith
- The Food and Environment Research Agency; Sand Hutton; York; YO41 1LZ; UK
| | - J.N. Aegerter
- The Food and Environment Research Agency; Sand Hutton; York; YO41 1LZ; UK
| | - S. Bearhop
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; University of Exeter; Tremough Campus, Penryn; Cornwall; TR10 9EZ; UK
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ancillotto L, Serangeli MT, Russo D. Spatial Proximity between Newborns Influences the Development of Social Relationships in Bats. Ethology 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.02016.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
15
|
Thorington KK, Weigl PD. Persistence of southern flying squirrel winter aggregations: roles of kinship, familiarity, and intruder squirrels. J Mammal 2011. [DOI: 10.1644/10-mamm-a-388.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
|
16
|
Kerth G, VAN Schaik J. Causes and consequences of living in closed societies: lessons from a long-term socio-genetic study on Bechstein's bats. Mol Ecol 2011; 21:633-46. [PMID: 21883583 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05233.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the ecological, behavioural and genetic factors influencing animal social systems is crucial to investigating the evolution of sociality. Despite the recent advances in population genetic methods and the analysis of social interactions, long-term studies exploring the causes and consequences of social systems in wild mammals are rare. Here, we provide a synthesis of 15 years of data on the Bechstein's bat (Myotis bechsteinii), a species that raises its young in closed societies of 10-45 females living together for their entire lives and where immigration is virtually absent. We discuss the potential causes and consequences of living in closed societies, based on the available data on Bechstein's bat and other species with similar social systems. Using a combination of observational and genetic data on the bats together with genetic data on an ecto-parasite, we suggest that closed societies in Bechstein's bats are likely caused by a combination of benefits from cooperation with familiar colony members and parasite pressure. Consequences of this peculiar social system include increased sensitivity to demographic fluctuations and limits to dispersal during colony foundation, which have broad implications for conservation. We also hope to illustrate by synthesizing the results of this long-term study the diversity of tools that can be applied to hypothesize about the factors influencing a species' social system. We are convinced that with the expansion of the number of social mammals for which comparably detailed socio-genetic long-term data are available, future comparative studies will provide deeper insights into the evolution of closed societies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- G Kerth
- Zoological Institute & Museum, Greifswald University, J.-S.-Bach-Str. 11/12, D-17489 Greifswald, Germany Max-Planck-Institute for Ornithology, D-82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
|
18
|
Individuals and populations: the role of long-term, individual-based studies of animals in ecology and evolutionary biology. Trends Ecol Evol 2010; 25:562-73. [PMID: 20828863 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2010.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 501] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2010] [Revised: 08/01/2010] [Accepted: 08/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Many important questions in ecology and evolutionary biology can only be answered with data that extend over several decades and answering a substantial proportion of questions requires records of the life histories of recognisable individuals. We identify six advantages that long-term, individual based studies afford in ecology and evolution: (i) analysis of age structure; (ii) linkage between life history stages; (iii) quantification of social structure; (iv) derivation of lifetime fitness measures; (v) replication of estimates of selection; (vi) linkage between generations, and we review their impact on studies in six key areas of evolution and ecology. Our review emphasises the unusual opportunities and productivity of long-term, individual-based studies and documents the important role that they play in research on ecology and evolutionary biology as well as the difficulties they face.
Collapse
|
19
|
Thorington KK, Metheny JD, Kalcounis-Rueppell MC, Weigl PD. Genetic relatedness in winter populations of seasonally gregarious southern flying squirrels,Glaucomys volans. J Mammal 2010. [DOI: 10.1644/09-mamm-a-238.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
|