1
|
Sánchez CA, Phelps KL, Frank HK, Geldenhuys M, Griffiths ME, Jones DN, Kettenburg G, Lunn TJ, Moreno KR, Mortlock M, Vicente-Santos A, Víquez-R LR, Kading RC, Markotter W, Reeder DM, Olival KJ. Advances in understanding bat infection dynamics across biological scales. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232823. [PMID: 38444339 PMCID: PMC10915549 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the past two decades, research on bat-associated microbes such as viruses, bacteria and fungi has dramatically increased. Here, we synthesize themes from a conference symposium focused on advances in the research of bats and their microbes, including physiological, immunological, ecological and epidemiological research that has improved our understanding of bat infection dynamics at multiple biological scales. We first present metrics for measuring individual bat responses to infection and challenges associated with using these metrics. We next discuss infection dynamics within bat populations of the same species, before introducing complexities that arise in multi-species communities of bats, humans and/or livestock. Finally, we outline critical gaps and opportunities for future interdisciplinary work on topics involving bats and their microbes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hannah K. Frank
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | - Marike Geldenhuys
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Devin N. Jones
- Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | | | - Tamika J. Lunn
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Kelsey R. Moreno
- Department of Psychology, Saint Xavier University, Chicago, IL 60655, USA
| | - Marinda Mortlock
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Luis R. Víquez-R
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - Rebekah C. Kading
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Center for Vector-borne and Infectious Diseases, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Wanda Markotter
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - DeeAnn M. Reeder
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rizzolo JB, Zhu A, Chen R. Wildlife Consumption, Health, and Zoonotic Disease in China After the Emergence of COVID-19. ECOHEALTH 2023; 20:323-342. [PMID: 38006517 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-023-01651-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
There has been much discussion in the conservation and policy realms of COVID-19 as a zoonotic disease, or a disease transmitted from wildlife to humans. However, wildlife consumption in China is not only a potential source of disease but also a practice embedded in complex beliefs about health. This paper used survey data (N = 974) collected in China in June 2021 to examine attitudes and behaviors related to (a) wildlife consumption, (b) Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and (c) zoonotic risk after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. 40.1% of respondents self-reported that they are less likely to consume wild animals since the outbreak of COVID-19. Respondents who used wildlife supplements for TCM, who believed in the benefits of wild animal consumption and fresh slaughter of wildlife, and who had higher levels of agreement with the zoonotic origin of COVID-19 were more likely to report that they had decreased their wildlife consumption after the outbreak of COVID-19. Use of wildlife in TCM significantly increased the odds that a respondent believed that COVID-19 was very likely zoonotic. We discuss how situating wildlife consumption within complex beliefs about health and disease can assist with protecting wildlife and public health in the wake of COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Bell Rizzolo
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
| | - Annah Zhu
- Environmental Policy Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Nsengimana O, Walker FM, Webala PW, Twizeyimana I, Dusabe MC, Sanchez DE, Sobek CJ, Ruhagazi D, Iribagiza P, Muvunyi R, Medellin RA. Our good neighbors: Understanding ecosystem services provided by insectivorous bats in Rwanda. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287536. [PMID: 37352304 PMCID: PMC10289311 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Bats are prodigious consumers of agricultural and forest pests, and are, therefore, a natural asset for agricultural productivity, suppressing populations of such pests. This study provides baseline information of diet of 143 bats belonging to eight insectivorous bat species from agricultural areas of Rwanda while evaluating the effectiveness of bats as pest suppressors. Using DNA metabarcoding to analyze bat fecal pellets, 85 different insect species were detected, with 60% (n = 65), 64% (n = 11) and 78% (n = 9) found to be agricultural pests from eastern, northern and western regions, respectively. Given the high percentages of agricultural pests detected, we submit that Rwandan insectivorous bats have the capacity for biocontrol of agricultural pests. Rwandan bat populations should be protected and promoted since they may foster higher crop yields and sustainable livelihoods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Faith M. Walker
- Bat Ecology & Genetics Lab, School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Paul W. Webala
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Maasai Mara University, Narok, Kenya
| | | | | | - Daniel E. Sanchez
- Bat Ecology & Genetics Lab, School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Colin J. Sobek
- Bat Ecology & Genetics Lab, School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
- The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Deo Ruhagazi
- Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association, Kigali, Rwanda
| | | | | | - Rodrigo A. Medellin
- Institute of Ecology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Soga M, Gaston KJ, Fukano Y, Evans MJ. The vicious cycle of biophobia. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:512-520. [PMID: 36707258 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
People can express irrational fears and disgust responses towards certain wild organisms. This so-called 'biophobia' can be useful and indeed necessary in some circumstances. Biophobia can, however, also lead to excessive distress and anxiety which, in turn, can result in people avoiding interactions with nature. Here, we highlight concern that this reduction in interactions with nature might lead to progressive increases in biophobia, entrenching it more in individuals and across society. We propose the 'vicious cycle of biophobia', a concept that encapsulates how excessive aversion towards nature might emerge and grow in society. The vicious cycle of biophobia risks accelerating the extinction of experience, leading to long-term adverse consequences for the conservation of biodiversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masashi Soga
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
| | - Kevin J Gaston
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Yuya Fukano
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi, Inage, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
| | - Maldwyn J Evans
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan; Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Carandell Baruzzi M. 'Ugly and smelly or useful insect hunters?' Perceptions of and attitudes towards bats in the turn of the twentieth-century public sphere in Barcelona. PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE (BRISTOL, ENGLAND) 2023; 32:103-120. [PMID: 36169341 DOI: 10.1177/09636625221123420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, historians and sociologists of science have shown how turn of the century natural history research and its public communication in Barcelona was intrinsically attached to certain political orientations and the historical context. Likewise, the way society perceived bats and promoted their ecological services has been increasingly researched by the community of bat researchers. In this article, I describe attitudes towards and perceptions of bats in the 'public sphere' of Barcelona in that period and examine them using public communication of science and history of science analytical tools. I performed an exhaustive search of the available newspaper and magazine articles using the Catalan and Spanish words for 'bat' in the online search engines of the national Catalan and Spanish libraries from 1888 to 1929. I compiled and reviewed a wide range of periodicals, covering different political orientations and representing several different types of publication. The articles were classified into four different categories. First, bats were commonly used as a symbol to represent the city and right-wing, conservative politics. Second, bats were often linked to negative adjectives that portrayed them as ugly, disgusting or diabolic. Third, many articles made an active effort to stop children chasing and killing bats. And fourth, I also identified a non-organised group of popularisers across the whole media spectrum who promoted what we call today the ecological services provided by bats, and especially their role as agricultural pest controllers. This study provides a better understanding of science popularisation, and specifically, perceptions of and attitudes towards bats during the studied period. This approach illustrates how historical accounts can be used today to improve perceptions of bats and suggest a more complex context of science popularisation.
Collapse
|
6
|
Leong R, Lebarbenchon C, Zhang J, Coleman JL. Q-methodology to understand stakeholder discourses on bat conservation and management in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.1003925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-bat interactions are becoming more frequent with growing proximity between people and wildlife. As such, it is important to understand the perspectives of human stakeholders in these interactions, especially considering how media coverage of bats’ potential roles as the reservoirs of the ancestral virus to SARS-Cov2 has exacerbated negative perceptions of bats. We used Q-methodology to describe diverse viewpoints on bat conservation and management and identify areas of consensus among stakeholders in Singapore. We derived perspectives, problems, and priorities for bat conservation and management based on qualitative and quantitative analyses. The results reveal three distinct discourses. The ecocentric viewpoint advocates conserving bats for their intrinsic value. The anthropocentric viewpoint outright rejects the idea of conserving bats because of the perceived public-health threat that bats pose. The third discourse prioritizes educating citizens and enhancing general appreciation for biodiversity. All stakeholders agree on the need to reconsider COVID-19-related concerns about bats and address misconceptions that could hinder conservation. The top recommendation by stakeholders is to assess and improve bat-related attitudes and beliefs so that citizens become more supportive of conserving bats for their inherent value and roles in maintaining Singapore’s ecosystems. Considering both diverging and consensus viewpoints and engaging various stakeholders in conservation and management decisions can yield both attitudinal change and more effective solutions while meeting the ecological and social needs of conservation.
Collapse
|
7
|
Nanni V, Mammola S, Macías-Hernández N, Castrogiovanni A, Salgado AL, Lunghi E, Ficetola GF, Modica C, Alba R, Spiriti MM, Holtze S, de Mello ÉM, De Mori B, Biasetti P, Chamberlain D, Manenti R. Global response of conservationists across mass media likely constrained bat persecution due to COVID-19. BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION 2022; 272:109591. [PMID: 35603331 PMCID: PMC9110911 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Most people lack direct experience with wildlife and form their risk perception primarily on information provided by the media. The way the media frames news may substantially shape public risk perception, promoting or discouraging public tolerance towards wildlife. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, bats were suggested as the most plausible reservoir of the virus, and this became a recurrent topic in media reports, potentially strengthening a negative view of this ecologically important group. We investigated how media framed bats and bat-associated diseases before and during the COVID-19 pandemic by assessing the content of 2651 online reports published across 26 countries, to understand how and how quickly worldwide media may have affected the perception of bats. We show that the overabundance of poorly contextualized reports on bat-associated diseases likely increased the persecution towards bats immediately after the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the subsequent interventions of different conservation communication initiatives allowed pro-conservation messages to resonate across the global media, likely stemming an increase in bat persecution. Our results highlight the modus operandi of the global media regarding topical biodiversity issues, which has broad implications for species conservation. Knowing how the media acts is pivotal for anticipating the propagation of (mis)information and negative feelings towards wildlife. Working together with journalists by engaging in dialogue and exchanging experiences should be central in future conservation management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Nanni
- School for Advanced Studies IUSS, Science, Technology and Society Department, 25100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefano Mammola
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe), Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), Water Research Institute, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IRSA), Largo Tonolli 50, 28922 Verbania Pallanza, Italy
| | - Nuria Macías-Hernández
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe), Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Animal Biology, Edaphology and Geology, University of Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife 38206, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Alessia Castrogiovanni
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Cleoria, 10, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Ana L Salgado
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Enrico Lunghi
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenicka cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Gentile Francesco Ficetola
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Cleoria, 10, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Corrado Modica
- Faunico office of species protection, Leanderstraße 16, 54295 Trier, Germany
| | - Riccardo Alba
- Dept. of Life Science and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina, 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Maria Michela Spiriti
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, 35020 Padua, Italy
- Ethics Laboratory for Veterinary Medicine, Conservation and Animal Welfare, University of Padua, 35020 Padua, Italy
| | - Susanne Holtze
- Department of Reproduction Management, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Érica Munhoz de Mello
- Urban Bats Laboratory, Zoonoses Control Center of Belo Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Barbara De Mori
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, 35020 Padua, Italy
| | - Pierfrancesco Biasetti
- Department of Reproduction Management, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Dan Chamberlain
- Dept. of Life Science and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina, 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Raoul Manenti
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Cleoria, 10, 20133 Milano, Italy
- Laboratory of Subterranean Biology "Enrico Pezzoli", Parco Regionale del Monte Barro, 23851 Galbiate, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Ramanantsalama RV, Goodman SM, Dietrich M, Lebarbenchon C. Interaction between Old World fruit bats and humans: From large scale ecosystem services to zoonotic diseases. Acta Trop 2022; 231:106462. [PMID: 35421381 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
The Old World tropical and subtropical frugivorous bat genus Rousettus (Pteropodidae) contains species with broad distributions, as well as those occurring in restricted geographical areas, particularly islands. Herein we review the role of Rousettus as a keystone species from a global "One Health" approach and related to ecosystem functioning, zoonotic disease and public health. Rousettus are efficient at dispersing seeds and pollinating flowers; their role in forest regeneration is related to their ability to fly considerable distances during nightly foraging bouts and their relatively small body size, which allows them to access fruits in forested areas with closed vegetation. Rousettus are also reservoirs for various groups of pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa), which, by definition, are infectious agents causing disease. The study of day roosts of different species of Rousettus and the successful establishment of captive breeding colonies have provided important details related to the infection dynamics of their associated pathogens. Large-scale conversion of forested areas into agricultural landscapes has increased contact between humans and Rousettus, therefore augmenting the chances of infectious agent spillover. Many crucial scientific details are still lacking related to members of this genus, which have direct bearing on the prevention of emerging disease outbreaks, as well as the conservation of these bats. The public should be better informed on the capacity of fruit bats as keystone species for large scale forest regeneration and in spreading pathogens. Precise details on the transmission of zoonotic diseases of public health importance associated with Rousettus should be given high priority.
Collapse
|
9
|
Ali S, Javid A, Imran M, Khan TM, Phelps K, Olival KJ. Knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes by residents in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan in connection with bats. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2022; 18:43. [PMID: 35659249 PMCID: PMC9166349 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-022-00541-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fruit bats play an important role in pollination and seed dispersal, and their conservation is important to maintain the productivity of some crops and natural ecosystems. The objective of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and perception of fruit bats by orchard farmers and agricultural communities in Pakistan. METHODS The present survey was conducted in two districts (i.e. Sheikhupura and Malakand districts) within Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces based on the higher number of fruit growing areas and bat roosting sites. A total of 200 (100 per district) close-ended questionnaires with 53 questions were administered to randomly selected respondents within the selected communities associated with fruit orchards, including orchard owners, laborers, and members of the surrounding community. Each questionnaire was divided into seven sections (i.e., demographic information, environmental and public health effects of bats, knowledge about bats, perception and control of bats, non-lethal methods adopted to control bats, and different myths about bats). RESULTS A majority of respondents (59%, n = 118) mis-classified bats as birds instead of mammals despite more than 84% reporting that they have observed bats. Nearly 71.5% of orchard farmers perceived that their fruits are contaminated by bats during consumption, and a majority believe that bats destroy orchards (62.5%) and are responsible for spreading disease. Mythology about bats was ambiguous, as 49% of those surveyed did not perceived bats to bring good luck (49%), and 50% did not perceived them to be bad omens either. Most respondents have never killed a bat (68%) nor would they kill a bat if given the opportunity (95%). Regarding the control of bats, the greatest percentage of respondents strongly disagree with shooting bats (36%) and strongly agree with leaving bats alone (42.5%). CONCLUSIONS This study provides a better understanding of the sociodemographic factors associated with knowledge, attitude and perception of bats from fruit orchard owners, labourers and local people. We recommend educational interventions for targeted groups in the community, highlighting the ecosystem services and importance of bat conservation to improve people's current knowledge regarding the role of bats and reduce direct persecution against bats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shahzad Ali
- Wildlife Epidemiology and Molecular Microbiology Laboratory (One Health Research Group), Discipline of Zoology, Department of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Ravi Campus, Pattoki, Pakistan.
- Department of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Ravi Campus, Pattoki, Pakistan.
| | - Arshad Javid
- Department of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Ravi Campus, Pattoki, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Imran
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Tahir Mehmood Khan
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Mohd-Azlan J, Yong JY, Mohd Hazzrol NN, Pengiran P, Atong A, Abdul Aziz S. Local hunting practices and perceptions regarding the distribution and ecological role of the Large Flying Fox (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae: Pteropus vampyrus) in western Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. JOURNAL OF THREATENED TAXA 2022. [DOI: 10.11609/jott.6977.14.1.20387-20399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Pteropodids such as flying foxes are declining rapidly across their range due to human activities, despite their benefit to humans through ecosystem services. The Large Flying Fox Pteropus vampyrus had a wide distribution across Borneo, but is now severely reduced in numbers, and rarely sighted. In order to develop effective conservation and management prescriptions for this species, updated information on its distribution, movement patterns, and the impact of anthropogenic pressure on its survival is crucial. As such, a questionnaire survey was conducted in western Sarawak to determine the occurrence of this species, and the conservation awareness for the species amongst local communities. The survey was conducted at nine sites during November 2018 – March 2019, involving a total of 123 respondents, including hunters (20%) and consumers (35%) of P. vampyrus. Respondents reported that P. vampyrus appears sporadically around the western tip of Borneo, and around the interior parts of western Sarawak, with more than half (51%) of the reported sightings in the interior occurring at fruit orchards during the fruiting and flowering seasons. Despite hunting and consuming this species, over 60% of the respondents felt that P. vampyrus could become an eco-tourism product in their area. Although many respondents viewed flying foxes as pests (47%) or food (52%), there was remarkably high awareness of the ecological roles and conservation needs of this species (76%), suggesting potentially strong support for flying fox conservation at the local level. Challenges associated with the enforcement of wildlife law in the remote parts of Sarawak need to be addressed, alongside strategic education and awareness efforts, which are all vital to achieve successful conservation and protection of this ecologically important species.
Collapse
|
11
|
Ramírez-Fráncel LA, García-Herrera LV, Losada-Prado S, Reinoso-Flórez G, Sánchez-Hernández A, Estrada-Villegas S, Lim BK, Guevara G. Bats and their vital ecosystem services: a global review. Integr Zool 2022; 17:2-23. [PMID: 34003577 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Bats play crucial ecosystem services as seed dispersers, pollinators, controllers of insects, and nutrient recyclers. However, there has not been a thorough global review evaluating these roles in bats across all biogeographical regions of the world. We reviewed the literature published during the last two decades and identified 283 relevant studies: 78 dealt with the control of potential insect pests by bats, 80 related to the suppression of other arthropods, 60 on the dispersal of native or endemic seeds, 11 dealt with the dispersal of seeds of introduced plants, 29 on the pollination of native or endemic plants, 1 study on pollination of introduced plants, and 24 on the use of guano as fertilizer. Our literature search showed that queries combining the terms "seed dispersal," "insectivorous bats," "nectarivorous bats," "use of guano," and "ecosystem services" returned 577 studies, but half were experimental in nature. We found that the evaluation of ecosystem services by bats has been mostly conducted in the Neotropical and Palearctic regions. To detect differences across relevant studies, and to explain trends in the study of ecosystem services provided by bats, we performed generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) fitted with a Poisson distribution to analyze potential differences among sampling methods. We identified 409 bat species that provide ecosystem services, 752 insect species consumed by bats and 549 plant species either dispersed or pollinated by bats. Our review summarizes the importance of conserving bat populations and the ecological services they provide, which is especially important during the current pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leidy Azucena Ramírez-Fráncel
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas & Grupo de Investigación en Zoología (GIZ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia.,Programa para la Conservación de los Murciélagos de Colombia, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
| | - Leidy Viviana García-Herrera
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas & Grupo de Investigación en Zoología (GIZ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia.,Programa para la Conservación de los Murciélagos de Colombia, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
| | - Sergio Losada-Prado
- Departamento de Biología & Grupo de Investigación en Zoología (GIZ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
| | - Gladys Reinoso-Flórez
- Departamento de Biología & Grupo de Investigación en Zoología (GIZ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
| | - Alfonso Sánchez-Hernández
- Departamento de Matemáticas y Estadística, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
| | - Sergio Estrada-Villegas
- Programa para la Conservación de los Murciélagos de Colombia, Bogotá D.C., Colombia.,Yale School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Republic of Panama
| | - Burton K Lim
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Giovany Guevara
- Departamento de Biología & Grupo de Investigación en Zoología (GIZ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Wilson AG, Fehlner-Gardiner C, Wilson S, Pierce KN, McGregor GF, González C, Luszcz TMJ. Assessing the extent and public health impact of bat predation by domestic animals using data from a rabies passive surveillance program. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 2:e0000357. [PMID: 36962180 PMCID: PMC10021327 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Domestic animals can serve as consequential conveyors of zoonotic pathogens across wildlife-human interfaces. Still, there has been little study on how different domestic species and their behaviors influence the zoonotic risk to humans. In this study, we examined patterns of bat encounters with domestic animals that resulted in submission for testing at the rabies laboratories of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) during 2014-2020. Our goals were specifically to examine how the number of bats submitted and the number of rabies positive bats varied by the type of domestic animal exposure and whether domestic cats were indoor or free-roaming. The CFIA reported 6258 bat submissions for rabies testing, of which 41.5% and 8.7% had encounter histories with cats and dogs, respectively. A much smaller fraction of bat submissions (0.3%) had exposure to other domestic animals, and 49.5% had no domestic animal exposure. For the bat submissions related to cats, and where lifestyle was noted, 91.1% were associated with free-roaming cats and 8.9% with indoor cats. Model results indicated the probability of a rabies-positive bat was the highest with a history of dog association (20.2%), followed by bats with no animal exposure (16.7%), free-roaming cats (6.9%), cats with unspecified histories (6.0%) and the lowest probability associated with non-free-roaming (indoor) cats (3.8%). Although there was lower rabies prevalence in bats associated with cats compared to dogs, the 4.8 fold higher number of cat-bat interactions cumulatively leads to a greater overall rabies exposure risk to humans from any free-roaming outdoor cats. This study suggests that free-roaming owned cats may have an underappreciated role in cryptic rabies exposures in humans and as a significant predator of bats. Preventing free-roaming in cats is a cost-effective and underutilized public health recommendation for rabies prevention that also synergistically reduces the health burden of other feline-associated zoonotic diseases and promotes feline welfare and wildlife conservation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy G Wilson
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christine Fehlner-Gardiner
- Centre of Expertise for Rabies, Ottawa Laboratory Fallowfield, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Scott Wilson
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Wildlife Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Karra N Pierce
- Wildlife Center of Virginia, Waynesboro, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Glenna F McGregor
- Animal Health Centre, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Catalina González
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Tanya M J Luszcz
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Penticton, British Columbia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Darras KFA, Yusti E, Huang JC, Zemp D, Kartono AP, Wanger TC. Bat point counts: A novel sampling method shines light on flying bat communities. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:17179-17190. [PMID: 34938501 PMCID: PMC8668732 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging technologies based on the detection of electro-magnetic energy offer promising opportunities for sampling biodiversity. We exploit their potential by showing here how they can be used in bat point counts-a novel method to sample flying bats-to overcome shortcomings of traditional sampling methods, and to maximize sampling coverage and taxonomic resolution of this elusive taxon with minimal sampling bias. We conducted bat point counts with a sampling rig combining a thermal scope to detect bats, an ultrasound recorder to obtain echolocation calls, and a near-infrared camera to capture bat morphology. We identified bats with a dedicated identification key combining acoustic and morphological features, and compared bat point counts with the standard bat sampling methods of mist-netting and automated ultrasound recording in three oil palm plantation sites in Indonesia, over nine survey nights. Based on rarefaction and extrapolation sampling curves, bat point counts were similarly effective but more time-efficient than the established methods for sampling the oil palm species pool in our study. Point counts sampled species that tend to avoid nets and those that are not echolocating, and thus cannot be detected acoustically. We identified some bat sonotypes with near-infrared imagery, and bat point counts revealed strong sampling biases in previous studies using capture-based methods, suggesting similar biases in other regions might exist. Our method should be tested in a wider range of habitats and regions to assess its performance. However, while capture-based methods allow to identify bats with absolute and internal morphometry, and unattended ultrasound recorders can effectively sample echolocating bats, bat point counts are a promising, non-invasive, and potentially competitive new tool for sampling all flying bats without bias and observing their behavior in the wild.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Felix Arno Darras
- AgroecologyDepartment of Crop SciencesUniversity of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
- Sustainable Agriculture & Technology LabSchool of EngineeringWestlake UniversityHangzhouChina
| | | | | | - Delphine‐Clara Zemp
- Biodiversity, Macroecology and BiogeographyUniversity of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
- Laboratory of Conservation BiologyInstitute of BiologyUniversity of NeuchâtelNeuchâtelSwitzerland
| | - Agus Priyono Kartono
- Department of Forest Resources Conservation and EcotourismFaculty of ForestryIPB UniversityBogorIndonesia
| | - Thomas Cherico Wanger
- Sustainable Agriculture & Technology LabSchool of EngineeringWestlake UniversityHangzhouChina
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment and Resources of Zhejiang ProvinceWestlake UniversityHangzhouChina
- GlobalAgroforestryNetwork.orgChina
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Charlebois S, Music J. SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic and Food Safety Oversight: Implications in Canada and Coping Strategies. Foods 2021; 10:2241. [PMID: 34681290 PMCID: PMC8534857 DOI: 10.3390/foods10102241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has created enormous societal disruptions in the Western world, including Canada, with serious implications for food safety. Since the start of the pandemic, many scholars have investigated the issue of food safety through different lenses. In this review, two research thrusts were identified, the epidemiology of the virus and food safety oversight. Both were challenged by the pandemic in Canada and elsewhere. In this paper, we first present how Canada experienced the pandemic. We then present how epidemiology and food safety oversight were affected by the virus and how the spread exposed gaps in Canada's food safety system. We explain how Canada was not adequately prepared to face the food safety challenges posed by SARS-CoV-2. The review ends with an explanation on how risk perceptions will be altered by the pandemic in Canada and how food safety systems will adjust to better anticipate systemic risks in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Janet Music
- Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B2X 3T5, Canada;
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Abstract
CoVID-19 is a multi-symptomatic disease which has made a global impact due to its ability to spread rapidly, and its relatively high mortality rate. Beyond the heroic efforts to develop vaccines, which we do not discuss herein, the response of scientists and clinicians to this complex problem has reflected the need to detect CoVID-19 rapidly, to diagnose patients likely to show adverse symptoms, and to treat severe and critical CoVID-19. Here we aim to encapsulate these varied and sometimes conflicting approaches and the resulting data in terms of chemistry and biology. In the process we highlight emerging concepts, and potential future applications that may arise out of this immense effort.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yimon Aye
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)1015LausanneSwitzerland
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Lundberg P, Ojala A, Suominen KM, Lilley T, Vainio A. Disease Avoidance Model Explains the Acceptance of Cohabitation With Bats During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Psychol 2021; 12:635874. [PMID: 34335357 PMCID: PMC8322757 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.635874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats and humans have a close relationship based on cohabitation, with bats taking roost in buildings. It has been suggested that bats function as a reservoir of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the COVID-19 disease in humans. A misconception that bats can spread SARS-CoV-2 to humans may have increased negative emotions toward bats and reduced individuals' acceptance of cohabitation with bats during the COVID-19 pandemic. By applying the disease avoidance model, we tested whether knowledge about bats would be associated with reduced negative emotions toward bats, which in turn would be associated with increased acceptance of cohabitation with bats. Moreover, we tested whether previous experiences of bats, perceived COVID-19 risk, age, gender and level of education would be associated with negative emotions and acceptance of bats. A quantitative survey (N = 577) collected during the COVID-19 pandemic in Finland was analyzed with multiple linear regression. The results supported the disease avoidance model. Negative emotions toward bats reduced the acceptance of cohabitation with bats. However, knowledge about bats was associated with increased acceptance of bats both directly, as well as indirectly, via reduced negative emotions. Moreover, perceived COVID-19 risk was associated with increased negative emotions toward bats, and reduced acceptance of bats. Females were more likely than other respondents to report negative emotions, and reduced acceptance of cohabitation with bats. Prior experience of bats was associated with increased acceptance of bats as neighbors. These findings suggest that COVID-19 pandemic may threaten the existence of bats if no action is taken. The findings highlight the importance of correcting misunderstandings about non-human species as transmitters of diseases to humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Piia Lundberg
- BatLab Finland, Zoology Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ann Ojala
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kati M. Suominen
- BatLab Finland, Zoology Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Thomas Lilley
- BatLab Finland, Zoology Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Annukka Vainio
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), Department of Forest Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Shapiro JT, Víquez-R L, Leopardi S, Vicente-Santos A, Mendenhall IH, Frick WF, Kading RC, Medellín RA, Racey P, Kingston T. Setting the Terms for Zoonotic Diseases: Effective Communication for Research, Conservation, and Public Policy. Viruses 2021; 13:1356. [PMID: 34372562 PMCID: PMC8310020 DOI: 10.3390/v13071356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many of the world's most pressing issues, such as the emergence of zoonotic diseases, can only be addressed through interdisciplinary research. However, the findings of interdisciplinary research are susceptible to miscommunication among both professional and non-professional audiences due to differences in training, language, experience, and understanding. Such miscommunication contributes to the misunderstanding of key concepts or processes and hinders the development of effective research agendas and public policy. These misunderstandings can also provoke unnecessary fear in the public and have devastating effects for wildlife conservation. For example, inaccurate communication and subsequent misunderstanding of the potential associations between certain bats and zoonoses has led to persecution of diverse bats worldwide and even government calls to cull them. Here, we identify four types of miscommunication driven by the use of terminology regarding bats and the emergence of zoonotic diseases that we have categorized based on their root causes: (1) incorrect or overly broad use of terms; (2) terms that have unstable usage within a discipline, or different usages among disciplines; (3) terms that are used correctly but spark incorrect inferences about biological processes or significance in the audience; (4) incorrect inference drawn from the evidence presented. We illustrate each type of miscommunication with commonly misused or misinterpreted terms, providing a definition, caveats and common misconceptions, and suggest alternatives as appropriate. While we focus on terms specific to bats and disease ecology, we present a more general framework for addressing miscommunication that can be applied to other topics and disciplines to facilitate more effective research, problem-solving, and public policy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julie Teresa Shapiro
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Luis Víquez-R
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany;
| | - Stefania Leopardi
- Laboratory of Emerging Viral Zoonoses, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy;
| | - Amanda Vicente-Santos
- Graduate Program in Population Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA;
| | - Ian H. Mendenhall
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore;
| | - Winifred F. Frick
- Bat Conservation International, Austin, TX 78746, USA;
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Rebekah C. Kading
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA;
| | - Rodrigo A. Medellín
- Institute of Ecology, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico;
| | - Paul Racey
- The Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Exeter TR10 9FE, UK;
| | - Tigga Kingston
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Cerri J, Mori E, Ancillotto L, Russo D, Bertolino S. COVID-19, media coverage of bats and related Web searches: a turning point for bat conservation? Mamm Rev 2021; 52:16-25. [PMID: 34548738 PMCID: PMC8447447 DOI: 10.1111/mam.12261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
SARS‐CoV‐2, the virus that caused the COVID‐19 pandemic, is genomically similar to a SARS‐like beta‐coronavirus found in Asian rhinolophid bats. This evolutionary relationship impressed the global media, which then emphasised bats as key actors in the spillover that resulted in the pandemic. In this study, we highlight changes in the traditional and new media coverage of bats and in Internet search volumes that occurred since the beginning of the COVID‐19 pandemic in 2020. We analysed Google and Wikipedia searches for bats and coronaviruses in 21 countries and eight languages, as well as television broadcasts in the USA, some of which have global coverage, between January 2016 and December 2020. In January 2020, the amount of television news about bats boomed, and news associated with the term ‘bat’ shifted to COVID‐19‐related topics. A nearly identical pattern was observed in Google searches during 2020 at the global scale. The daily time series of television coverage and Internet search volumes on bats and coronavirus in the USA covaried in the first quarter of 2020, in line with the existence of a media bubble. Time‐series analysis revealed that both the Google Trends index and visits to Wikipedia pages about bats boomed in early 2020, despite the fact that this time of year is usually characterised by low search volumes. Media coverage emphasised, correctly or not, the role of bats in the COVID‐19 pandemic and amplified public interest in bats worldwide. The public image of these mammals, in many cases threatened and important ecosystem service providers, was seriously compromised. We therefore recommend that policymakers and journalists prioritise scientifically accurate communication campaigns about bats, which would help counteract the surge in bat persecution, and leverage interest towards positive human–bat interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Cerri
- Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies University of Primorska Glagoljaška 8 6000 Koper Slovenia
| | - Emiliano Mori
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri Via Madonna del Piano 10 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Florence) Italy
| | - Leonardo Ancillotto
- Wildlife Research Unit Dipartimento di Agraria Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Via Università, 100 80055 Portici NA Italy
| | - Danilo Russo
- Wildlife Research Unit Dipartimento di Agraria Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Via Università, 100 80055 Portici NA Italy
| | - Sandro Bertolino
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi Università degli Studi di Torino Via Accademia Albertina 13 10123 Torino Italy
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Mammola S, Lunghi E, Bilandžija H, Cardoso P, Grimm V, Schmidt SI, Hesselberg T, Martínez A. Collecting eco-evolutionary data in the dark: Impediments to subterranean research and how to overcome them. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:5911-5926. [PMID: 34141192 PMCID: PMC8207145 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Caves and other subterranean habitats fulfill the requirements of experimental model systems to address general questions in ecology and evolution. Yet, the harsh working conditions of these environments and the uniqueness of the subterranean organisms have challenged most attempts to pursuit standardized research.Two main obstacles have synergistically hampered previous attempts. First, there is a habitat impediment related to the objective difficulties of exploring subterranean habitats and our inability to access the network of fissures that represents the elective habitat for the so-called "cave species." Second, there is a biological impediment illustrated by the rarity of most subterranean species and their low physiological tolerance, often limiting sample size and complicating laboratory experiments.We explore the advantages and disadvantages of four general experimental setups (in situ, quasi in situ, ex situ, and in silico) in the light of habitat and biological impediments. We also discuss the potential of indirect approaches to research. Furthermore, using bibliometric data, we provide a quantitative overview of the model organisms that scientists have exploited in the study of subterranean life.Our over-arching goal is to promote caves as model systems where one can perform standardized scientific research. This is important not only to achieve an in-depth understanding of the functioning of subterranean ecosystems but also to fully exploit their long-discussed potential in addressing general scientific questions with implications beyond the boundaries of this discipline.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Mammola
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe)Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS)University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Dark‐MEG: Molecular Ecology GroupWater Research Institute (IRSA)National Research Council (CNR)VerbaniaItaly
| | - Enrico Lunghi
- Key Laboratory of the Zoological Systematics and EvolutionInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Museo di Storia Naturale dell'Università degli Studi di Firenze“La Specola”FirenzeItaly
| | - Helena Bilandžija
- Department of Molecular BiologyRudjer Boskovic InstituteZagrebCroatia
| | - Pedro Cardoso
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe)Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS)University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Volker Grimm
- Department of Ecological ModellingHelmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZLeipzigGermany
- Plant Ecology and Nature ConservationUniversity of PotsdamPotsdamGermany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Susanne I. Schmidt
- Institute of HydrobiologyBiology Centre CASČeské BudějoviceCzech Republic
| | | | - Alejandro Martínez
- Dark‐MEG: Molecular Ecology GroupWater Research Institute (IRSA)National Research Council (CNR)VerbaniaItaly
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Aziz SA, McConkey KR, Tanalgo K, Sritongchuay T, Low MR, Yong JY, Mildenstein TL, Nuevo-Diego CE, Lim VC, Racey PA. The Critical Importance of Old World Fruit Bats for Healthy Ecosystems and Economies. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.641411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive documentation of the ecological and economic importance of Old World fruit bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) and the many threats they face from humans, negative attitudes towards pteropodids have persisted, fuelled by perceptions of bats as being pests and undesirable neighbours. Such long-term negativity towards bats is now further exacerbated by more recent disease-related concerns, particularly associated with the current COVID-19 pandemic. There remains an urgent need to investigate and highlight the positive and beneficial aspects of bats across the Old World. While previous reviews have summarised these extensively, numerous new studies conducted over the last 36 years have provided further valuable data and insights which warrant an updated review. Here we synthesise research on pteropodid-plant interactions, comprising diet, ecological roles, and ecosystem services, conducted during 1985-2020. We uncovered a total of 311 studies covering 75 out of the known 201 pteropodid species (37%), conducted in 47 countries. The majority of studies documented diet (52% of all studies; 67 pteropodid species), followed by foraging movement (49%; 50 pteropodid species), with fewer studies directly investigating the roles played by pteropodids in seed dispersal (24%; 41 pteropodid species), pollination (14%; 19 pteropodid species), and conflict with fruit growers (12%; 11 pteropodid species). Pteropodids were recorded feeding on 1072 plant species from 493 genera and 148 families, with fruits comprising the majority of plant parts consumed, followed by flowers/nectar/pollen, leaves, and other miscellaneous parts. Sixteen pteropodid species have been confirmed to act as pollinators for a total of 21 plant species, and 29 pteropodid species have been confirmed to act as seed dispersers for a total of 311 plant species. Anthropogenic threats disrupting bat-plant interactions in the Old World include hunting, direct persecution, habitat loss/disturbance, invasive species, and climate change, leading to ecosystem-level repercussions. We identify notable research gaps and important research priorities to support conservation action for pteropodids.
Collapse
|
21
|
Plowright RK, Reaser JK, Locke H, Woodley SJ, Patz JA, Becker DJ, Oppler G, Hudson PJ, Tabor GM. Land use-induced spillover: a call to action to safeguard environmental, animal, and human health. Lancet Planet Health 2021; 5:e237-e245. [PMID: 33684341 PMCID: PMC7935684 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(21)00031-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The rapid global spread and human health impacts of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, show humanity's vulnerability to zoonotic disease pandemics. Although anthropogenic land use change is known to be the major driver of zoonotic pathogen spillover from wildlife to human populations, the scientific underpinnings of land use-induced zoonotic spillover have rarely been investigated from the landscape perspective. We call for interdisciplinary collaborations to advance knowledge on land use implications for zoonotic disease emergence with a view toward informing the decisions needed to protect human health. In particular, we urge a mechanistic focus on the zoonotic pathogen infect-shed-spill-spread cascade to enable protection of landscape immunity-the ecological conditions that reduce the risk of pathogen spillover from reservoir hosts-as a conservation and biosecurity priority. Results are urgently needed to formulate an integrated, holistic set of science-based policy and management measures that effectively and cost-efficiently minimise zoonotic disease risk. We consider opportunities to better institute the necessary scientific collaboration, address primary technical challenges, and advance policy and management issues that warrant particular attention to effectively address health security from local to global scales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raina K Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA.
| | - Jamie K Reaser
- Center for Large Landscape Conservation, Bozeman, MT, USA; Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA; University of Rhode Island, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Harvey Locke
- Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, Canmore, AB, Canada
| | | | - Jonathan A Patz
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Daniel J Becker
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Gabriel Oppler
- Center for Large Landscape Conservation, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Peter J Hudson
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Gary M Tabor
- Center for Large Landscape Conservation, Bozeman, MT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Rocha R, López-Baucells A, Fernández-Llamazares Á. Ethnobiology of Bats: Exploring Human-Bat Inter-Relationships in a Rapidly Changing World. J ETHNOBIOL 2021. [DOI: 10.2993/0278-0771-41.1.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Rocha
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Adrià López-Baucells
- Global Change and Conservation (GCC), Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Álvaro Fernández-Llamazares
- Global Change and Conservation (GCC), Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Low MR, Hoong WZ, Shen Z, Murugavel B, Mariner N, Paguntalan LM, Tanalgo K, Aung MM, Sheherazade ., Bansa LA, Sritongchuay T, Preble JH, Aziz SA. Bane or Blessing? Reviewing Cultural Values of Bats across the Asia-Pacific Region. J ETHNOBIOL 2021. [DOI: 10.2993/0278-0771-41.1.18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mary-Ruth Low
- Project Pteropus, Rimba, 22-3A, Casa Kiara II, Jalan Kiara 5, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Zhiyuan Shen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Baheerathan Murugavel
- IISER TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE), School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | | | | | - Krizler Tanalgo
- Landscape Ecology Group, Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, China
| | - Moe Moe Aung
- Department of Zoology, University of Mandalay, Mandalay, Myanmar
| | - . Sheherazade
- Wildlife Conservation Society Indonesia Program, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Lawrence Alan Bansa
- Faculty of Natural Science and Sustainability, University College Sabah Foundation, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Tuanjit Sritongchuay
- Landscape Ecology Group, Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, China
| | - Jason Hideki Preble
- Department of Social Informatics, Biosphere Informatics Laboratory, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Sheema Abdul Aziz
- Project Pteropus, Rimba, 22-3A, Casa Kiara II, Jalan Kiara 5, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Rocha R, Fernández-Llamazares Á, López-Baucells A, Andriamitandrina SFM, Andriatafika ZE, Temba EM, Torrent L, Burgas D, Cabeza M. Human-Bat Interactions in Rural Southwestern Madagascar through a Biocultural Lens. J ETHNOBIOL 2021. [DOI: 10.2993/0278-0771-41.1.53] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Rocha
- Global Change and Conservation (GCC), Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Álvaro Fernández-Llamazares
- Global Change and Conservation (GCC), Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Adrià López-Baucells
- Global Change and Conservation (GCC), Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Santatra F. M. Andriamitandrina
- Global Change and Conservation (GCC), Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Zo Emmanuel Andriatafika
- Global Change and Conservation (GCC), Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eric Marcel Temba
- Global Change and Conservation (GCC), Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Laura Torrent
- Global Change and Conservation (GCC), Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Daniel Burgas
- Global Change and Conservation (GCC), Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mar Cabeza
- Global Change and Conservation (GCC), Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Salinas-Ramos VB, Mori E, Bosso L, Ancillotto L, Russo D. Zoonotic Risk: One More Good Reason Why Cats Should Be Kept Away from Bats. Pathogens 2021; 10:304. [PMID: 33807760 PMCID: PMC8002059 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10030304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are often unfairly depicted as the direct culprit in the current COVID-19 pandemic, yet the real causes of this and other zoonotic spillover events should be sought in the human impact on the environment, including the spread of domestic animals. Here, we discuss bat predation by cats as a phenomenon bringing about zoonotic risks and illustrate cases of observed, suspected or hypothesized pathogen transmission from bats to cats, certainly or likely following predation episodes. In addition to well-known cases of bat rabies, we review other diseases that affect humans and might eventually reach them through cats that prey on bats. We also examine the potential transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the causal agent of COVID-19, from domestic cats to bats, which, although unlikely, might generate a novel wildlife reservoir in these mammals, and identify research and management directions to achieve more effective risk assessment, mitigation or prevention. Overall, not only does bat killing by cats represent a potentially serious threat to biodiversity conservation, but it also bears zoonotic implications that can no longer be neglected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valeria B. Salinas-Ramos
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy; (V.B.S.-R.); (L.A.)
| | - Emiliano Mori
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy;
| | - Luciano Bosso
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy; (V.B.S.-R.); (L.A.)
| | - Leonardo Ancillotto
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy; (V.B.S.-R.); (L.A.)
| | - Danilo Russo
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy; (V.B.S.-R.); (L.A.)
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Cooke SJ, Cramp RL, Madliger CL, Bergman JN, Reeve C, Rummer JL, Hultine KR, Fuller A, French SS, Franklin CE. Conservation physiology and the COVID-19 pandemic. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coaa139. [PMID: 33469469 PMCID: PMC7805516 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health measures have had unanticipated effects on ecosystems and biodiversity. Conservation physiology and its mechanistic underpinnings are well positioned to generate robust data to inform the extent to which the Anthropause has benefited biodiversity through alterations in disturbance-, pollution- and climate change-related emissions. The conservation physiology toolbox includes sensitive biomarkers and tools that can be used both retroactively (e.g. to reconstruct stress in wildlife before, during and after lockdown measures) and proactively (e.g. future viral waves) to understand the physiological consequences of the pandemic. The pandemic has also created new risks to ecosystems and biodiversity through extensive use of various antimicrobial products (e.g. hand cleansers, sprays) and plastic medical waste. Conservation physiology can be used to identify regulatory thresholds for those products. Moreover, given that COVID-19 is zoonotic, there is also opportunity for conservation physiologists to work closely with experts in conservation medicine and human health on strategies that will reduce the likelihood of future pandemics (e.g. what conditions enable disease development and pathogen transfer) while embracing the One Health concept. The conservation physiology community has also been impacted directly by COVID-19 with interruptions in research, training and networking (e.g. conferences). Because this is a nascent discipline, it will be particularly important to support early career researchers and ensure that there are recruitment pathways for the next generation of conservation physiologists while creating a diverse and inclusive community. We remain hopeful for the future and in particular the ability of the conservation physiology community to deliver relevant, solutions-oriented science to guide decision makers particularly during the important post-COVID transition and economic recovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Rebecca L Cramp
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Christine L Madliger
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Jordanna N Bergman
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Connor Reeve
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Jodie L Rummer
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - Kevin R Hultine
- Department of Research, Conservation and Collections, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ 85008, USA
| | - Andrea Fuller
- Brain Function Research Group, Department of Research, Conservation and Collections, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown 2193, South Africa
| | - Susannah S French
- The Department of Biology and The Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | - Craig E Franklin
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Clayton E, Munir M. Fundamental Characteristics of Bat Interferon Systems. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:527921. [PMID: 33363045 PMCID: PMC7759481 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.527921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Interferons are an essential component of the innate arm of the immune system and are arguably one of the most important lines of defence against viruses. The human IFN system and its functionality has already been largely characterized and studied in detail. However, the IFN systems of bats have only been marginally examined to date up until the recent developments of the Bat1k project which have now opened new opportunities in research by identifying six new bat genomes to possess novel genes that are likely associated with viral tolerance exhibited in bats. Interestingly, bats have been hypothesized to possess the ability to establish a host-virus relationship where despite being infected, they exhibit limited signs of disease and still retain the ability to transmit the disease into other susceptible hosts. Bats are one of the most abundant and widespread vertebrates on the planet and host many zoonotic viruses that are highly pathogenic to humans. Several genomics, immunological, and biological features are thought to underlie novel antiviral mechanisms of bats. This review aims to explore the bat IFN system and developments in its diverse IFN features, focusing mainly on the model species, the Australian black flying fox (Pteropus alecto), while also highlighting bat innate immunity as an exciting and fruitful area of research to understand their ability to control viral-mediated pathogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily Clayton
- Department of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Muhammad Munir
- Department of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|