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Giunta F, Hernout BV, Langen TA, Twiss MR. A systematic review of trace elements in the tissues of bats (Chiroptera). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 356:124349. [PMID: 38866315 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Bats constitute about 22% of known mammal species; they have various ecological roles and provide many ecosystem services. Bats suffer from several threats caused by anthropization, including exposure to toxic metals and metalloids. We analyzed 75 papers in a systematic literature review to investigate how species, diet, and tissue type impact bioaccumulation. Most studies documented element accumulation in fur, liver, and kidney; at least 36 metals and metalloids have been measured in bat tissues, among the most studied were mercury and zinc. Comparisons with known toxicological thresholds for other mammals showed concerning values for mercury and zinc in bat hair, lead and some essential metals in liver, and iron and calcium in kidneys. Moreover, accumulation patterns in tissues differed depending on bat diet: insectivorous bats showed higher metal concentrations in fur than in liver and kidney while frugivorous species showed higher values in liver and kidney than in fur. Finally, among the bat species that have been studied in more than two papers, the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) show values of mercury in hair and copper in liver that exceed the known thresholds; as does copper in the liver of the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus). Most studies have been conducted in temperate North America and Eurasia, areas with the lowest bat species diversity; there is a paucity of data on tropical bat species. This review points out several information gaps in the understanding of metal contamination in bats, including a lack of measured toxicity thresholds specific for bat tissues. Data on trace element bioaccumulation and its associated health effects on bats is important for conservation of bat species, many of which are threatened.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Giunta
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, otsdam, NY, USA
| | - Beatrice V Hernout
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, otsdam, NY, USA; Institute for a Sustainable Environment, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, Potsdam, NY, USA; Exponent Inc, 1075 Worcester St, Natick, MA, 01760, USA
| | - Tom A Langen
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, otsdam, NY, USA
| | - Michael R Twiss
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, otsdam, NY, USA; Faculty of Science, Algoma University, 1520 Queen Street East, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, P6A 2G4, Canada.
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Lloyd-Jones LR, Bravington MV, Armstrong KN, Lawrence E, Feutry P, Todd CM, Dorrestein A, Welbergen JA, Martin JM, Rose K, Hall J, Phalen DN, Peters I, Baylis SM, Macgregor NA, Westcott DA. Close-kin mark-recapture informs critically endangered terrestrial mammal status. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12512. [PMID: 37532795 PMCID: PMC10397353 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38639-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Reliable information on population size is fundamental to the management of threatened species. For wild species, mark-recapture methods are a cornerstone of abundance estimation. Here, we show the first application of the close-kin mark-recapture (CKMR) method to a terrestrial species of high conservation value; the Christmas Island flying-fox (CIFF). The CIFF is the island's last remaining native terrestrial mammal and was recently listed as critically endangered. CKMR is a powerful tool for estimating the demographic parameters central to CIFF management and circumvents the complications arising from the species' cryptic nature, mobility, and difficult-to-survey habitat. To this end, we used genetic data from 450 CIFFs captured between 2015 and 2019 to detect kin pairs. We implemented a novel CKMR model that estimates sex-specific abundance, trend, and mortality and accommodates observations from the kin-pair distribution of male reproductive skew and mate persistence. CKMR estimated CIFF total adult female abundance to be approximately 2050 individuals (95% CI (950, 4300)). We showed that on average only 23% of the adult male population contributed to annual reproduction and strong evidence for between-year mate fidelity, an observation not previously quantified for a Pteropus species in the wild. Critically, our population estimates provide the most robust understanding of the status of this critically endangered population, informing immediate and future conservation initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke R Lloyd-Jones
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Data61, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Mark V Bravington
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Data61, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia
| | - Kyle N Armstrong
- Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - Emma Lawrence
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Data61, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Pierre Feutry
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia
| | - Christopher M Todd
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - Annabel Dorrestein
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - Justin A Welbergen
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - John M Martin
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
- Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia
- Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia
| | - Karrie Rose
- Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia
| | - Jane Hall
- Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia
| | - David N Phalen
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Isabel Peters
- School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Shane M Baylis
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia
| | - Nicholas A Macgregor
- Parks Australia, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NR, Kent, UK
| | - David A Westcott
- Land and Water, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Atherton, QLD, 4883, Australia
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Sánchez CA, Penrose MT, Kessler MK, Becker DJ, McKeown A, Hannappel M, Boyd V, Camus MS, Padgett-Stewart T, Hunt BE, Graves AF, Peel AJ, Westcott DA, Rainwater TR, Chumchal MM, Cobb GP, Altizer S, Plowright RK, Boardman WSJ. Land use, season, and parasitism predict metal concentrations in Australian flying fox fur. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 841:156699. [PMID: 35710009 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Urban-living wildlife can be exposed to metal contaminants dispersed into the environment through industrial, residential, and agricultural applications. Metal exposure carries lethal and sublethal consequences for animals; in particular, heavy metals (e.g. arsenic, lead, mercury) can damage organs and act as carcinogens. Many bat species reside and forage in human-modified habitats and could be exposed to contaminants in air, water, and food. We quantified metal concentrations in fur samples from three flying fox species (Pteropus fruit bats) captured at eight sites in eastern Australia. For subsets of bats, we assessed ectoparasite burden, haemoparasite infection, and viral infection, and performed white blood cell differential counts. We examined relationships among metal concentrations, environmental predictors (season, land use surrounding capture site), and individual predictors (species, sex, age, body condition, parasitism, neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio). As expected, bats captured at sites with greater human impact had higher metal loads. At one site with seasonal sampling, bats had higher metal concentrations in winter than in summer, possibly owing to changes in food availability and foraging. Relationships between ectoparasites and metal concentrations were mixed, suggesting multiple causal mechanisms. There was no association between overall metal load and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio, but mercury concentrations were positively correlated with this ratio, which is associated with stress in other vertebrate taxa. Comparison of our findings to those of previous flying fox studies revealed potentially harmful levels of several metals; in particular, endangered spectacled flying foxes (P. conspicillatus) exhibited high concentrations of cadmium and lead. Because some bats harbor pathogens transmissible to humans and animals, future research should explore interactions between metal exposure, immunity, and infection to assess consequences for bat and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia A Sánchez
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Michael T Penrose
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | | | - Daniel J Becker
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | | | | | - Victoria Boyd
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Health and Biosecurity Business Unit, The Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Melinda S Camus
- Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Ticha Padgett-Stewart
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Brooklin E Hunt
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Amelia F Graves
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Alison J Peel
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Thomas R Rainwater
- Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center and Belle W. Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science, Clemson University, Georgetown, SC, USA
| | | | - George P Cobb
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | - Sonia Altizer
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Raina K Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Wayne S J Boardman
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Pulscher LA, Dierenfeld ES, Welbergen JA, Rose KA, Phalen DN. A comparison of nutritional value of native and alien food plants for a critically endangered island flying-fox. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0250857. [PMID: 34010334 PMCID: PMC8133443 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat loss and alteration are two of the biggest threats facing insular flying-foxes. Altered habitats are often re-vegetated with introduced or domestic plant species on which flying-foxes may forage. However, these alien food plants may not meet the nutritional requirements of flying-foxes. The critically endangered Christmas Island flying-fox (CIFF; Pteropus natalis) is subject to habitat alteration and the introduction of alien food plants, and therefore is a good model species to evaluate the potential impact of alien plant species on insular flying-foxes. In this study, we evaluated nutritional content of native food plants to determine how flying-foxes historically met their nutritional requirements. Furthermore, we compared the nutritional content of native and alien fruits to predict possible impacts of alien plants on insular flying-foxes. Native and alien fruits and flowers, and native foliage (leaves, petals, and petioles) commonly consumed by the CIFF were collected and evaluated for soluble sugars, crude protein, non-fiber carbohydrates, and nine minerals. Evaluation of native food plants suggests that flying-foxes meet energy requirements by consuming fruit and nectar. However, fruit and nectar are low in protein and essential minerals required for demanding life periods; therefore, flying-foxes likely supplement their diets with pollen and foliage. Thus, flying-foxes require a diverse array of plants to meet their nutritional requirements. Compared to native fruits, alien fruits contained significantly higher non-fiber carbohydrates, and this may provide an important energy source, particularly from species that bear fruit year-round. Median mineral concentrations in alien fruit species, however, were deficient compared to native fruits, suggesting major (or even seasonal) shifts in the proportion of alien species in the CIFF diet could lead to nutritional imbalances. This study confirms the need to quantify nutritional parameters in addition to feeding ecology when evaluating habitat quality to inform conservation actions that can be applied both locally and globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A. Pulscher
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Ellen S. Dierenfeld
- Ellen S. Dierenfeld, LLC, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Nottingham Trent University, Southwell, United Kingdom
| | - Justin A. Welbergen
- Hawksbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Karrie A. Rose
- Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Mosman, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David N. Phalen
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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