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Huang TK, Feng X, Derbridge JJ, Libby K, Diffendorfer JE, Thogmartin WE, McCracken G, Medellin R, López-Hoffman L. Potential for spatial coexistence of a transboundary migratory species and wind energy development. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17050. [PMID: 39048593 PMCID: PMC11269593 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66490-3] [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: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Global expansion in wind energy development is a notable achievement of the international community's effort to reduce carbon emissions during energy production. However, the increasing number of wind turbines have unintended consequences for migratory birds and bats. Wind turbine curtailment and other mitigation strategies can reduce fatalities, but improved spatial and temporal data are needed to identify the most effective way for wind energy development and volant migratory species to coexist. Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana) account for a large proportion of known bat fatalities at wind facilities in the southwestern US. We examined the geographic concordance between existing wind energy generation facilities, areas of high wind potential amenable for future deployment of wind facilities, and seasonally suitable habitat for these bats. We used ecological niche modeling to determine species distribution during each of 4 seasons. We used a multi-criteria GIS-based approach to produce a wind turbine siting suitability map. We identified seasonal locations with highest and lowest potential for the species' probability of occurrence, providing a potential explanation for the higher observed fatalities during fall migration. Thirty percent of 33,606 wind turbines within the southwestern US occurred in highly suitable areas for Mexican free-tailed bats, primarily in west Texas. There is also broad spatial overlap between areas of high wind potential and areas of suitable habitat for Mexican free-tailed bats. Because of this high degree of overlap, our results indicate that post-construction strategies, such as curtailing the timing of operations and deterrents, would be more effective for bat conservation than strategic siting of new wind energy installations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ta-Ken Huang
- Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, Tamkang University, No.151, Yingzhuan Rd., Tamsui Dist., New Taipei City, 251301, Taiwan
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, 1064 East Lowell Street, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Xiao Feng
- Department of Geography, Florida State University, 113 Collegiate Loop, PO Box 3062190, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Jonathan J Derbridge
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, 1064 East Lowell Street, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Kaitlin Libby
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, 1064 East Lowell Street, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Jay E Diffendorfer
- US Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, P.O. Box 25046, DFC, MS980, Denver, CO, 80225, USA.
| | - Wayne E Thogmartin
- US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI, 54603, USA
| | - Gary McCracken
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department, The University of Tennessee, 569 Dabney Hall, 1416 Circle Dr, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Rodrigo Medellin
- Institute of Ecology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, University City, Coyoacán, 04510, Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Laura López-Hoffman
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, 1064 East Lowell Street, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
- Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, The University of Arizona, 803 E 1St Street, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
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2
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Webster CF, Smotherman M, Pippel M, Brown T, Winkler S, Pieri M, Mai M, Myers EW, Teeling EC, Vernes SC. The genome sequence of Tadarida brasiliensis I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1824 [Molossidae; Tadarida]. Wellcome Open Res 2024; 9:98. [PMID: 38800517 PMCID: PMC11128047 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.20603.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
We present a genome assembly from an individual male Tadarida brasiliensis (The Brazilian free-tailed bat; Chordata; Mammalia; Chiroptera; Molossidae). The genome sequence is 2.28 Gb in span. The majority of the assembly is scaffolded into 25 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the X and Y sex chromosomes assembled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara F. Webster
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Michael Smotherman
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Martin Pippel
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- DRESDEN concept Genome Center, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universitat, Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas Brown
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- DRESDEN concept Genome Center, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universitat, Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sylke Winkler
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- DRESDEN concept Genome Center, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universitat, Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Myrtani Pieri
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Meike Mai
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Eugene W. Myers
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- DRESDEN concept Genome Center, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universitat, Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Emma C. Teeling
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Sonja C. Vernes
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - The Bat1K Consortium
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- DRESDEN concept Genome Center, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universitat, Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridgeshire, CB10 1SA, UK
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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3
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Rummel AD, Sierra MM, Quinn BL, Swartz SM. Hair, there and everywhere: A comparison of bat wing sensory hair distribution. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2023; 306:2681-2692. [PMID: 36790015 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25176] [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: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Bat wing membranes are composed of specialized skin that is covered with small sensory hairs which are likely mechanosensory and have been suggested to help bats sense airflow during flight. These sensory hairs have to date been studied in only a few of the more than 1,400 bat species around the world. Little is known about the diversity of the sensory hair network across the bat phylogeny. In this study, we use high-resolution photomicrographs of preserved bat wings from 17 species in 12 families to characterize the distribution of sensory hairs along the wing and among species. We identify general patterns of sensory hair distribution across species, including the apparent relationships of sensory hairs to intramembranous wing muscles, the network of connective tissues in the wing membrane, and the bones of the forelimb. We also describe distinctive clustering of these sensory structures in some species. We also quantified sensory hair density in several regions of interest in the propatagium, plagiopatagium, and dactylopagatia, finding that sensory hair density was higher proximally than distally. This examination of the anatomical organization of the sensory hair network in a comparative context provides a framework for existing research on sensory hair function and highlights avenues for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea D Rummel
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Melissa M Sierra
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Brooke L Quinn
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Sharon M Swartz
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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4
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Malan G, Harris E, Harris T, Monadjem A. A Bat Hawk Macheiramphus alcinus pair preyed primarily on bats and birds that forage in clutter-edge and open-air habitat groups. AFRICAN ZOOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2022.2110386] [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)
- G Malan
- Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - E Harris
- Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa
- Humane Solutions Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - T Harris
- Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - A Monadjem
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eswatini, Kwaluseni, Eswatini
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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5
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Menz MHM, Scacco M, Bürki-Spycher HM, Williams HJ, Reynolds DR, Chapman JW, Wikelski M. Individual tracking reveals long-distance flight-path control in a nocturnally migrating moth. Science 2022; 377:764-768. [PMID: 35951704 DOI: 10.1126/science.abn1663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Each year, trillions of insects make long-range seasonal migrations. These movements are relatively well understood at a population level, but how individual insects achieve them remains elusive. Behavioral responses to conditions en route are little studied, primarily owing to the challenges of tracking individual insects. Using a light aircraft and individual radio tracking, we show that nocturnally migrating death's-head hawkmoths maintain control of their flight trajectories over long distances. The moths did not just fly with favorable tailwinds; during a given night, they also adjusted for head and crosswinds to precisely hold course. This behavior indicates that the moths use a sophisticated internal compass to maintain seasonally beneficial migratory trajectories independent of wind conditions, illuminating how insects traverse long distances to take advantage of seasonal resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myles H M Menz
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.,College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Martina Scacco
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Hannah J Williams
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Don R Reynolds
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TB, UK.,Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ, UK
| | - Jason W Chapman
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.,Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.,Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
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6
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Prakash S, Markfort CD. A Monte-Carlo based 3-D ballistics model for guiding bat carcass surveys using environmental and turbine operational data. Ecol Modell 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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7
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Pterosaurs evolved a muscular wing-body junction providing multifaceted flight performance benefits: Advanced aerodynamic smoothing, sophisticated wing root control, and wing force generation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2107631118. [PMID: 34663691 PMCID: PMC8612209 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2107631118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Pterosaurs were the first vertebrate flyers and lived for over 160 million years. However, aspects of their flight anatomy and flight performance remain unclear. Using laser-stimulated fluorescence, we observed direct soft tissue evidence of a wing root fairing in a pterosaur, a feature that smooths out the wing–body junction, reducing associated drag, as in modern aircraft and flying animals. Unlike bats and birds, the pterosaur wing root fairing was unique in being primarily made of muscle rather than fur or feathers. As a muscular feature, pterosaurs appear to have used their fairing to access further flight performance benefits through sophisticated control of their wing root and contributions to wing elevation and/or anterior wing motion during the flight stroke. This study underscores the value of using new instrumentation to fill knowledge gaps in pterosaur flight anatomy and evolution.
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8
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Richardson CS, Hood W, Allen L, Hristov N, Ineson K, Reichard J, McCracken G, Kurta A, Reynolds DS. Thomas H. Kunz. Physiol Biochem Zool 2021. [DOI: 10.1086/714937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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9
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O'Mara MT, Amorim F, Scacco M, McCracken GF, Safi K, Mata V, Tomé R, Swartz S, Wikelski M, Beja P, Rebelo H, Dechmann DKN. Bats use topography and nocturnal updrafts to fly high and fast. Curr Biol 2021; 31:1311-1316.e4. [PMID: 33545045 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.12.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
During the day, flying animals exploit the environmental energy landscape by seeking out thermal or orographic uplift, or extracting energy from wind gradients.1-6 However, most of these energy sources are not thought to be available at night because of the lower thermal potential in the nocturnal atmosphere, as well as the difficulty of locating features that generate uplift. Despite this, several bat species have been observed hundreds to thousands of meters above the ground.7-9 Individuals make repeated, energetically costly high-altitude ascents,10-13 and others fly at some of the fastest speeds observed for powered vertebrate flight.14 We hypothesized that bats use orographic uplift to reach high altitudes,9,15-17 and that both this uplift and bat high-altitude ascents would be highly predictable.18 By superimposing detailed three-dimensional GPS tracking of European free-tailed bats (Tadarida teniotis) on high-resolution regional wind data, we show that bats do indeed use the energy of orographic uplift to climb to over 1,600 m, and also that they reach maximum sustained self-powered airspeeds of 135 km h-1. We show that wind and topography can predict areas of the landscape able to support high-altitude ascents, and that bats use these locations to reach high altitudes while reducing airspeeds. Bats then integrate wind conditions to guide high-altitude ascents, deftly exploiting vertical wind energy in the nocturnal landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Teague O'Mara
- Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA, USA; Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Francisco Amorim
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Martina Scacco
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Gary F McCracken
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Kamran Safi
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Vanessa Mata
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Tomé
- Instituto Dom Luiz (IDL), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sharon Swartz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Pedro Beja
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal; CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, Institute of Agronomy, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Hugo Rebelo
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal; CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, Institute of Agronomy, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Dina K N Dechmann
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
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10
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Abstract
There are at least eight ways that wings potentially produce sound. Five mechanisms are aerodynamic sounds, created by airflow, and three are structural sound created by interactions of solid surfaces. Animal flight is low Mach (M), meaning all animals move at <30% of the speed of sound. Thus in aerodynamic mechanisms the effects of air compressibility can be ignored, except in mechanism #1. Mechanism #1 is trapped air, in which air approaches or exceeds Mach 1 as it escapes a constriction. This mechanism is hypothetical but likely. #2 is Gutin sound, the aerodynamic reaction to lift and drag. This mechanism is ubiquitous in flight, and generates low frequency sound such as the humming of hummingbirds or insect wing tones. #3 is turbulence-generated atonal whooshing sounds, which are also widespread in animal flight. #4 are whistles, tonal sounds generated by geometry-induced flow feedback. This mechanism is hypothetical. #5 is aeroelastic flutter, sound generated by elasticity-induced feedback that is usually but not always tonal. This is widespread in birds (feathers are predisposed to flutter) but apparently not bats or insects. Mechanism #6 is rubbing sound (including stridulation), created when bird feathers or insect wings slide past each other. Atonal rubbing sounds are widespread in bird flight and insects; tonal stridulation is widespread in insects. #7 is percussion, created when two stiff elements collide and vibrate, and is present in some birds and insects. Mechanism #8 are tymbals and other bistable conformations. These are stiff elements that snap back and forth between two conformations, producing impulsive, atonal sound. Tymbals are widespread in insects but not birds or bats; insect cuticle appears predisposed to form tymbals. There are few examples of bat wing sounds: are bats intrinsically quiet, or just under-studied? These mechanisms, especially Gutin sound, whooshes, and rubbing (#2, #3, and #6) are prominent cues in ordinary flight of all flying animals, and are the "acoustic substrate" available to be converted from an adventitious sound (cue) into a communication signal. For instance, wing sounds have many times evolved into signals that are incorporated into courtship displays. Conversely, these are the sounds selected to be suppressed if quiet flight is selected for. The physical mechanisms that underlie animal sounds provide context for understanding the ways in which signals and cues may evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Clark
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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11
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Haest B, Stepanian PM, Wainwright CE, Liechti F, Bauer S. Climatic drivers of (changes in) bat migration phenology at Bracken Cave (USA). GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:768-780. [PMID: 33151018 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is drastically changing the timing of biological events across the globe. Changes in the phenology of seasonal migrations between the breeding and wintering grounds have been observed across biological taxa, including birds, mammals, and insects. For birds, strong links have been shown between changes in migration phenology and changes in weather conditions at the wintering, stopover, and breeding areas. For other animal taxa, the current understanding of, and evidence for, climate (change) influences on migration still remains rather limited, mainly due to the lack of long-term phenology datasets. Bracken Cave in Texas (USA) holds one of the largest bat colonies of the world. Using weather radar data, a unique 23-year (1995-2017) long time series was recently produced of the spring and autumn migration phenology of Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) at Bracken Cave. Here, we analyse these migration phenology time series in combination with gridded temperature, precipitation, and wind data across Mexico and southern USA, to identify the climatic drivers of (changes in) bat migration phenology. Perhaps surprisingly, our extensive spatiotemporal search did not find temperature to influence either spring or autumn migration. Instead, spring migration phenology seems to be predominantly driven by wind conditions at likely wintering or spring stopover areas during the migration period. Autumn migration phenology, on the other hand, seems to be dominated by precipitation to the east and north-east of Bracken Cave. Long-term changes towards more frequent migration and favourable wind conditions have, furthermore, allowed spring migration to occur 16 days earlier. Our results illustrate how some of the remaining knowledge gaps on the influence of climate (change) on bat migration and abundance can be addressed using weather radar analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgen Haest
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Phillip M Stepanian
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Charlotte E Wainwright
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Felix Liechti
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Silke Bauer
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
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12
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Lawson M, Jenne D, Thresher R, Houck D, Wimsatt J, Straw B. An investigation into the potential for wind turbines to cause barotrauma in bats. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242485. [PMID: 33382709 PMCID: PMC7774848 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The high rates of bat mortality caused by operating wind turbines is a concern for wind energy and wildlife stakeholders. One theory that explains the mortality is that bats are not only killed by impact trauma, but also by barotrauma that results from exposure to the pressure variations caused by rotating turbine blades. To date, no published research has calculated the pressure changes that bats may be exposed to when flying near wind turbines and then used these data to estimate the likelihood that turbines cause barotrauma in bats. To address this shortcoming, we performed computational fluid dynamics simulations of a wind turbine and analytical calculations of blade-tip vortices to estimate the characteristics of the sudden pressure changes bats may experience when flying near a utility-scale wind turbine. Because there are no data available that characterize the pressure changes that cause barotrauma in bats, we compared our results to changes in pressure levels that cause barotrauma and mortality in other mammals of similar size. This comparison shows that the magnitude of the low-pressures bats experience when flying near wind turbines is approximately 8 times smaller than the pressure that causes mortality in rats, the smallest mammal for which data are available. The magnitude of the high-pressures that bats may experience are approximately 80 times smaller than the exposure level that causes 50% mortality in mice, which have a body mass similar to several bat species that are killed by wind turbines. Further, our results show that for a bat to experience the largest possible magnitude of low- and high-pressures, they must take very specific and improbable flight paths that skim the surface of the blades. Even a small change in the flight path results in the bat being hit by the blade or experiencing a much smaller pressure change. Accordingly, if bats have a physiological response to rapid low- and high-pressure exposure that is similar to other mammals, we conclude that it is unlikely that barotrauma is responsible for a significant number of turbine-related bat fatalities, and that impact trauma is the likely cause of the majority of wind-turbine-related bat fatalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Lawson
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Dale Jenne
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Robert Thresher
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Daniel Houck
- Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey Wimsatt
- West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Bethany Straw
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
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13
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López-Aguirre C, Hand SJ, Koyabu D, Tu VT, Wilson LAB. Phylogeny and foraging behaviour shape modular morphological variation in bat humeri. J Anat 2020; 238:1312-1329. [PMID: 33372711 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Bats show a remarkable ecological diversity that is reflected both in dietary and foraging guilds (FGs). Cranial ecomorphological adaptations linked to diet have been widely studied in bats, using a variety of anatomical, computational and mathematical approaches. However, foraging-related ecomorphological adaptations and the concordance between cranial and postcranial morphological adaptations remain unexamined in bats and limited to the interpretation of traditional aerodynamic properties of the wing (e.g. wing loading [WL] and aspect ratio [AR]). For this reason, the postcranial ecomorphological diversity in bats and its drivers remain understudied. Using 3D virtual modelling and geometric morphometrics (GMM), we explored the phylogenetic, ecological and biological drivers of humeral morphology in bats, evaluating the presence and magnitude of modularity and integration. To explore decoupled patterns of variation across the bone, we analysed whole-bone shape, diaphyseal and epiphyseal shape. We also tested whether traditional aerodynamic wing traits correlate with humeral shape. By studying 37 species from 20 families (covering all FGs and 85% of dietary guilds), we found similar patterns of variation in whole-bone and diaphyseal shape and unique variation patterns in epiphyseal shape. Phylogeny, diet and FG significantly correlated with shape variation at all levels, whereas size only had a significant effect on epiphyseal morphology. We found a significant phylogenetic signal in all levels of humeral shape. Epiphyseal shape significantly correlated with wing AR. Statistical support for a diaphyseal-epiphyseal modular partition of the humerus suggests a functional partition of shape variability. Our study is the first to show within-structure modular morphological variation in the appendicular skeleton of any living tetrapod. Our results suggest that diaphyseal shape correlates more with phylogeny, whereas epiphyseal shape correlates with diet and FG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo López-Aguirre
- Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Suzanne J Hand
- Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Daisuke Koyabu
- Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.,Department of Molecular Craniofacial Embryology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Vuong Tan Tu
- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam.,Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Laura A B Wilson
- Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Archaeology & Anthropology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia C. Anderson
- School of Biology University of St Andrews Sir Harold Mitchell BuildingGreenside Place St AndrewsKY16 9THUK
| | - Graeme D. Ruxton
- School of Biology University of St Andrews Sir Harold Mitchell BuildingGreenside Place St AndrewsKY16 9THUK
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15
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Tracing the geographic origin of common pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) swarming at a mass hibernaculum. Mamm Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-020-00057-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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16
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Abstract
For centuries, people believed that bats possessed sinister powers. Bats are thought to be ancestral hosts to many deadly viruses affecting humans including Ebola, rabies, and most recently SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. However, bats themselves tolerate these viruses without ill effects. The second power that bats have is their longevity. Bats live much longer than similar-sized land mammals. Here we review how bats' ability to control inflammation may be contributing to their longevity. The underlying mechanisms may hold clues to developing new treatments for age-related diseases. Now may be the time to use science to exploit the secret powers of bats for human benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Gorbunova
- Departments of Biology and Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
| | - Andrei Seluanov
- Departments of Biology and Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Brian K Kennedy
- Departments of Biochemistry and Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117596, Singapore; Centre for Healthy Longevity, National University Health System, Singapore 117609, Singapore; Singapore Institute of Clinical Sciences, A(∗)STAR, Singapore 117609, Singapore.
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17
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18
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Voigt CC, Kravchenko K, Liechti F, Bumrungsri S. Skyrocketing Flights as a Previously Unrecognized Behaviour of Open-Space Foraging Bats. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2019.21.2.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christian C. Voigt
- Department Evolutionary Ecology Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kseniia Kravchenko
- Department Evolutionary Ecology Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Liechti
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, CH-6204 Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Sara Bumrungsri
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
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19
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Risk Modeling of Bat Rabies in the Caribbean Islands. Trop Med Infect Dis 2020; 5:tropicalmed5010035. [PMID: 32121504 PMCID: PMC7157685 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed5010035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Rabies surveillance and control measures vary significantly between Caribbean islands. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends certain groups of U.S. travelers to any Caribbean island receive pre-exposure rabies immunization. However, most islands self-declare as "rabies free", and have never publicly released data to support rabies-free claims. We used the Analytic Hierarchy Process to create pairwise comparison values among five risk factors determined by subject matter experts. Risk factor weights were calculated and used in a geospatial analysis to calculate a risk value for each island nation (higher values indicate higher risk). Risk values ranged from 8.73 (Trinidad) to 1.57 (The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands). All four countries that have documented occurrences of laboratory confirmed rabid bats were ranked highest (Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Cuba, Dominican Republic), as well as Haiti. The top five highest risk countries that currently have no reports of bat rabies include St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, and Dominica. This study reviews the inter-island movement potential of bats, designates areas of high risk for bat-associated rabies within the Caribbean islands, and demonstrates a need for further surveillance efforts in bat populations within islands that self-declare as rabies free.
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20
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Loureiro LO, Engstrom MD, Lim BK. Comparative phylogeography of mainland and insular species of Neotropical molossid bats ( Molossus). Ecol Evol 2020; 10:389-409. [PMID: 31993120 PMCID: PMC6972955 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Historical events, habitat preferences, and geographic barriers might result in distinct genetic patterns in insular versus mainland populations. Comparison between these two biogeographic systems provides an opportunity to investigate the relative role of isolation in phylogeographic patterns and to elucidate the importance of evolution and demographic history in population structure. Herein, we use a genotype-by-sequencing approach (GBS) to explore population structure within three species of mastiff bats (Molossus molossus, M. coibensis, and M. milleri), which represent different ecological histories and geographical distributions in the genus. We tested the hypotheses that oceanic straits serve as barriers to dispersal in Caribbean bats and that isolated island populations are more likely to experience genetic drift and bottlenecks in comparison with highly connected ones, thus leading to different phylogeographic patterns. We show that population structures vary according to general habitat preferences, levels of population isolation, and historical fluctuations in climate. In our dataset, mainland geographic barriers played only a small role in isolation of lineages. However, oceanic straits posed a partial barrier to the dispersal for some populations within some species (M. milleri), but do not seem to disrupt gene flow in others (M. molossus). Lineages on distant islands undergo genetic bottlenecks more frequently than island lineages closer to the mainland, which have a greater exchange of haplotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia O. Loureiro
- Department of Natural HistoryRoyal Ontario MuseumTorontoONCanada
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
| | - Mark D. Engstrom
- Department of Natural HistoryRoyal Ontario MuseumTorontoONCanada
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
| | - Burton K. Lim
- Department of Natural HistoryRoyal Ontario MuseumTorontoONCanada
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21
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Azofeifa Y, Estrada-Villegas S, Mavárez J, Nassar JM. Activity of Aerial Insectivorous Bats in Two Rice Fields in the Northwestern Llanos of Venezuela. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2019. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2019.21.1.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yara Azofeifa
- Centro de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Aptdo. 20632, Carretera Panamericana km 11, Caracas 1020-A, Miranda, Venezuela
| | - Sergio Estrada-Villegas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, P.O. Box 1881, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201-1881, USA
| | - Jesús Mavárez
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, UMR UGA-USMB-CNRS 5553 Université Grenoble Alpes, CS 40700 38058 Grenoble, cedex 9, France
| | - Jafet M. Nassar
- Centro de Ecología, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Aptdo. 20632, Carretera Panamericana km 11, Caracas 1020-A, Miranda, Venezuela
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Samoray ST, Cotham SN, Gumbert MW. Spring Migration Behavior of a Perimyotis subflavus (Tri-Colored Bat) from Tennessee. SOUTHEAST NAT 2019. [DOI: 10.1656/058.018.0302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T. Samoray
- Copperhead Environmental Consulting, Inc., 471 Main Street, Paint Lick, KY 40461
| | - Shelby N. Cotham
- Copperhead Environmental Consulting, Inc., 471 Main Street, Paint Lick, KY 40461
| | - Mark W. Gumbert
- Copperhead Environmental Consulting, Inc., 471 Main Street, Paint Lick, KY 40461
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23
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Roby PL, Gumbert MW, Lacki MJ. Nine years of Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) spring migration behavior. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) congregates in large hibernation groups in winter and travels after spring emergence to form summer maternity colonies, but information on migration behavior in this species remains limited to mostly band recovery observations. We tracked female Indiana bats in spring migration toward summer grounds using aerial radiotelemetry. Adult female Indiana bats were radiotagged in spring from 2009 through 2017, with 15 individuals successfully tracked to summer grounds and an additional 11 bats located in summer grounds via aerial telemetry after migration was complete. This resulted in the location of 17 previously unknown summer grounds for female Indiana bats, including adding Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to the summer maternity range. Two of the colonies identified in this study were south of the previously known southernmost colony in Tennessee, expanding the summer maternity range for the species by 178 km. Time-stamped location fixes along the migration path provided information about nightly and overall distances traveled, duration of travel, migration speed, and weather-related influences on bat behavior. Bats traveled 164.6 ± 26.2 km (± SE) on average from hibernacula to summer grounds and were migrating for an average of 7.3 ± 1.4 calendar nights. Bats alternated between foraging and traveling throughout each night of their migration route. Nightly migration rate was 9.9 ± 0.8 km/h and bats were active on the landscape for an average of 6.1 ± 0.4 h/night. Lower nighttime temperatures and lower barometric pressure correlated with use of layover areas during a migration night. Understanding bat behavior during migration can provide pertinent information for land managers to consider in efforts to conserve potential migration corridors, foraging areas, and roosting habitats of species in decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piper L Roby
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Copperhead Environmental Consulting, Inc., Paint Lick, KY, USA
| | - Mark W Gumbert
- Copperhead Environmental Consulting, Inc., Paint Lick, KY, USA
| | - Michael J Lacki
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
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24
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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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25
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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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26
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O'Mara MT, Scharf AK, Fahr J, Abedi-Lartey M, Wikelski M, Dechmann DKN, Safi K. Overall Dynamic Body Acceleration in Straw-Colored Fruit Bats Increases in Headwinds but Not With Airspeed. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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O'Mara MT, Wikelski M, Kranstauber B, Dechmann DKN. Common noctules exploit low levels of the aerosphere. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:181942. [PMID: 30891300 PMCID: PMC6408413 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.181942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Aerial habitats present a challenge to find food across a large potential search volume, particularly for insectivorous bats that rely on echolocation calls with limited detection range and may forage at heights over 1000 m. To understand how bats use vertical space, we tracked one to five foraging flights of eight common noctules (Nyctalus noctula). Bats were tracked for their full foraging session (87.27 ± 24 min) using high-resolution atmospheric pressure radio transmitters that allowed us to calculate height and wingbeat frequency. Bats used diverse flight strategies, but generally flew lower than 40 m, with scouting flights to 100 m and a maximum of 300 m. We found no influence of weather on height, and high-altitude ascents were not preceded by an increase in foraging effort. Wingbeat frequency was independent from climbing or descending flight, and bats skipped wingbeats or glided in 10% of all observations. Wingbeat frequency was positively related to capture mass, and wingbeat frequency was positively related to time of night, indicating an effect of load increase over a foraging bout. Overall, individuals used a wide range of airspace including altitudes that put them at increased risk from human-made structures. Further work is needed to test the context of these flight decisions, particularly as individuals migrate throughout Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Teague O'Mara
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätstrasse 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätstrasse 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Bart Kranstauber
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Dina K. N. Dechmann
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätstrasse 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
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29
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Voigt CC, Frick WF, Holderied MW, Holland R, Kerth G, Mello MAR, Plowright RK, Swartz S, Yovel Y. PRINCIPLES AND PATTERNS OF BAT MOVEMENTS: FROM AERODYNAMICS TO ECOLOGY. QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 2019; 92:267-287. [PMID: 29861509 DOI: 10.1086/693847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Movement ecology as an integrative discipline has advanced associated fields because it presents not only a conceptual framework for understanding movement principles but also helps formulate predictions about the consequences of movements for animals and their environments. Here, we synthesize recent studies on principles and patterns of bat movements in context of the movement ecology paradigm. The motion capacity of bats is defined by their highly articulated, flexible wings. Power production during flight follows a U-shaped curve in relation to speed in bats yet, in contrast to birds, bats use mostly exogenous nutrients for sustained flight. The navigation capacity of most bats is dominated by the echolocation system, yet other sensory modalities, including an iron-based magnetic sense, may contribute to navigation depending on a bat's familiarity with the terrain. Patterns derived from these capacities relate to antagonistic and mutualistic interactions with food items. The navigation capacity of bats may influence their sociality, in particular, the extent of group foraging based on eavesdropping on conspecifics' echolocation calls. We infer that understanding the movement ecology of bats within the framework of the movement ecology paradigm provides new insights into ecological processes mediated by bats, from ecosystem services to diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian C Voigt
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research 10315 Berlin, Germany, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Winifred F Frick
- Bat Conservation International Austin, Texas 78716 USA, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, California 95064 USA
| | - Marc W Holderied
- School of Biological Sciences, Bristol University Bristol BS8 1TQ United Kingdom
| | - Richard Holland
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW United Kingdom
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Applied Zoology and Conservation, University of Greifswald D-17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marco A R Mello
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Minas Gerais 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Raina K Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University Bozeman, Montana 59717 USA
| | - Sharon Swartz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and School of Engineering, Brown University Providence, Rhode Island 02912 USA
| | - Yossi Yovel
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, and the "Sagol" School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University Tel-Aviv, Israel
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30
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Håkansson J, Jakobsen L, Hedenström A, Johansson LC. Body lift, drag and power are relatively higher in large-eared than in small-eared bat species. J R Soc Interface 2018; 14:rsif.2017.0455. [PMID: 29070593 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2017.0455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats navigate the dark using echolocation. Echolocation is enhanced by external ears, but external ears increase the projected frontal area and reduce the streamlining of the animal. External ears are thus expected to compromise flight efficiency, but research suggests that very large ears may mitigate the cost by producing aerodynamic lift. Here we compare quantitative aerodynamic measures of flight efficiency of two bat species, one large-eared (Plecotus auritus) and one small-eared (Glossophaga soricina), flying freely in a wind tunnel. We find that the body drag of both species is higher than previously assumed and that the large-eared species has a higher body drag coefficient, but also produces relatively more ear/body lift than the small-eared species, in line with prior studies on model bats. The measured aerodynamic power of P. auritus was higher than predicted from the aerodynamic model, while the small-eared species aligned with predictions. The relatively higher power of the large-eared species results in lower optimal flight speeds and our findings support the notion of a trade-off between the acoustic benefits of large external ears and aerodynamic performance. The result of this trade-off would be the eco-morphological correlation in bat flight, with large-eared bats generally adopting slow-flight feeding strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Håkansson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Lasse Jakobsen
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Anders Hedenström
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
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Recording animal vocalizations from a UAV: bat echolocation during roost re-entry. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7779. [PMID: 29773821 PMCID: PMC5958051 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26122-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are rising in popularity for wildlife monitoring, but direct recordings of animal vocalizations have not yet been accomplished, likely due to the noise generated by the UAV. Echolocating bats, especially Tadarida brasiliensis, are good candidates for UAV recording due to their high-speed, high-altitude flight. Here, we use a UAV to record the signals of bats during morning roost re-entry. We designed a UAV to block the noise of the propellers from the receiving microphone, and report on the characteristics of bioacoustic recordings from a UAV. We report the first published characteristics of echolocation signals from bats during group flight and cave re-entry. We found changes in inter-individual time-frequency shape, suggesting that bats may use differences in call design when sensing in complex groups. Furthermore, our first documented successful recordings of animals in their natural habitat demonstrate that UAVs can be important tools for bioacoustic monitoring, and we discuss the ethical considerations for such monitoring.
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32
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Medellin RA, Rivero M, Ibarra A, de la Torre JA, Gonzalez-Terrazas TP, Torres-Knoop L, Tschapka M. Follow me: foraging distances of Leptonycteris yerbabuenae (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Sonora determined by fluorescent powder. J Mammal 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyy016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo A Medellin
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ap., Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Marina Rivero
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ap., Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Ana Ibarra
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ap., Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - J Antonio de la Torre
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ap., Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Tania P Gonzalez-Terrazas
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ap., Ciudad de México, Mexico
- Institute for Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, Ulm, Germany
| | - Leonora Torres-Knoop
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ap., Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Marco Tschapka
- Institute for Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, Ulm, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa Ancón, Panamá
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33
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Müller R. Quantitative approaches to sensory information encoding by bat noseleaves and pinnae. CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2017-0117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The biosonar systems of horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae) and Old World round leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideridae) incorporate a pervasive dynamic at the interfaces for ultrasound emission (noseleaves) and reception (pinnae). Changes in the shapes of these structures alter the acoustic characteristics of the biosonar system and could hence influence the encoding of sensory information. The focus of the present work is on approaches that can be used to investigate the hypothesis that the interface dynamic effects sensory information encoding. Mutual information can be used as a metric to quantify the extent to which the different ultrasonic emission and reception characteristics (beampatterns) provide independent views of the environment. Two different quantitative approaches have been taken to evaluate the relationship between dynamically encoded additional sensory information and sensing performance in finding the direction of a biosonar target. The first approach is to determine an upper bound on the number of different directions that can be distinguished by virtue of distinct spectral signatures. The second approach is based on a lower bound (Cramér–Rao) on the variance of direction estimates. All these different metrics demonstrate that the peripheral dynamics seen in bats result in the encoding of additional sensory information that is suitable for enhancing biosonar performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rolf Müller
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; Shandong University – Virginia Tech International Laboratory, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; Shandong University – Virginia Tech International Laboratory, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China
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34
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Roeleke M, Bumrungsri S, Voigt CC. Bats probe the aerosphere during landscape-guided altitudinal flights. Mamm Rev 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Roeleke
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research; Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17 10315 Berlin Germany
- Germany and Department of Animal Behaviour; Freie Universität Berlin; Takustr. 6 14195,Berlin Germany
| | - Sara Bumrungsri
- Department of Biology; Prince of Songkla University; Hat Yai Songkla 90112 Thailand
| | - Christian C. Voigt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research; Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17 10315 Berlin Germany
- Germany and Department of Animal Behaviour; Freie Universität Berlin; Takustr. 6 14195,Berlin Germany
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Chin DD, Matloff LY, Stowers AK, Tucci ER, Lentink D. Inspiration for wing design: how forelimb specialization enables active flight in modern vertebrates. J R Soc Interface 2017; 14:20170240. [PMID: 28592663 PMCID: PMC5493806 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2017.0240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Harnessing flight strategies refined by millions of years of evolution can help expedite the design of more efficient, manoeuvrable and robust flying robots. This review synthesizes recent advances and highlights remaining gaps in our understanding of how bird and bat wing adaptations enable effective flight. Included in this discussion is an evaluation of how current robotic analogues measure up to their biological sources of inspiration. Studies of vertebrate wings have revealed skeletal systems well suited for enduring the loads required during flight, but the mechanisms that drive coordinated motions between bones and connected integuments remain ill-described. Similarly, vertebrate flight muscles have adapted to sustain increased wing loading, but a lack of in vivo studies limits our understanding of specific muscular functions. Forelimb adaptations diverge at the integument level, but both bird feathers and bat membranes yield aerodynamic surfaces with a level of robustness unparalleled by engineered wings. These morphological adaptations enable a diverse range of kinematics tuned for different flight speeds and manoeuvres. By integrating vertebrate flight specializations-particularly those that enable greater robustness and adaptability-into the design and control of robotic wings, engineers can begin narrowing the wide margin that currently exists between flying robots and vertebrates. In turn, these robotic wings can help biologists create experiments that would be impossible in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana D Chin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Laura Y Matloff
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Amanda Kay Stowers
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Emily R Tucci
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - David Lentink
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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Nusová G, šemeláková M, paučulovÁ L, Uhrin M, Kañuch P. Haplotype diversity in common pipistrelle’s mass hibernacula from central Europe. Biologia (Bratisl) 2017. [DOI: 10.1515/biolog-2017-0061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Schunk C, Swartz SM, Breuer KS. The influence of aspect ratio and stroke pattern on force generation of a bat-inspired membrane wing. Interface Focus 2017; 7:20160083. [PMID: 28163875 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2016.0083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspect ratio (AR) is one parameter used to predict the flight performance of a bat species based on wing shape. Bats with high AR wings are thought to have superior lift-to-drag ratios and are therefore predicted to be able to fly faster or to sustain longer flights. By contrast, bats with lower AR wings are usually thought to exhibit higher manoeuvrability. However, the half-span ARs of most bat wings fall into a narrow range of about 2.5-4.5. Furthermore, these predictions do not take into account the wide variation in flapping motion observed in bats. To examine the influence of different stroke patterns, we measured lift and drag of highly compliant membrane wings with different bat-relevant ARs. A two degrees of freedom shoulder joint allowed for independent control of flapping amplitude and wing sweep. We tested five models with the same variations of stroke patterns, flapping frequencies and wind speed velocities. Our results suggest that within the relatively small AR range of bat wings, AR has no clear effect on force generation. Instead, the generation of lift by our simple model mostly depends on wingbeat frequency, flapping amplitude and freestream velocity; drag is mostly affected by the flapping amplitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosima Schunk
- School of Engineering , Brown University , Providence, RI 02912 , USA
| | - Sharon M Swartz
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Kenneth S Breuer
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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