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Mundinger C, Wolf JM, Gogarten JF, Fierz M, Scheuerlein A, Kerth G. Artificially raised roost temperatures lead to larger body sizes in wild bats. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3977-3984.e4. [PMID: 37633280 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Climate warming has major consequences for animal populations, as ambient temperature profoundly influences all organisms' physiology, behavior, or both.1 Body size in many organisms has been found to change with increased ambient temperatures due to influences on metabolism and/or access to resources.2,3,4,5,6 Changes in body size, in turn, can affect the dynamics and persistence of populations.7 Notably, in some species, body size has increased over the last decades in response to warmer temperatures.3,8 This has primarily been attributed to higher food availability,3 but might also result from metabolic savings in warmer environments.9,10 Bechstein's bats (Myotis bechsteinii) grow to larger body sizes in warmer summers,11 which affects their demography as larger females reproduce earlier at the expense of a shorter life expectancy.12,13 However, it remains unclear whether larger body sizes in warmer summers were due to thermoregulatory benefits or due to increased food availability. To disentangle these effects, we artificially heated communal day roosts of wild maternity colonies over four reproductive seasons. We used generalized mixed models to analyze these experimental results along with 25 years of long-term data comprising a total of 741 juveniles. We found that individuals raised in heated roosts grew significantly larger than those raised in unheated conditions. This suggests that metabolic savings in warmer conditions lead to increased body size, potentially resulting in the decoupling of body growth from prey availability. Our study highlights a direct mechanism by which climate change may alter fitness-relevant traits, with potentially dire consequences for population persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Mundinger
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Str. 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Janis M Wolf
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Str. 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Jan F Gogarten
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Str. 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany; Department of Pathogen Evolution, Helmholtz Institute for One Health, Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Greifswald, Fleischmannstraße 42, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marcel Fierz
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Scheuerlein
- Institute for Data Science, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Straße 18, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Str. 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
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2
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Kappeler PM, Benhaiem S, Fichtel C, Fromhage L, Höner OP, Jennions MD, Kaiser S, Krüger O, Schneider JM, Tuni C, van Schaik J, Goymann W. Sex roles and sex ratios in animals. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:462-480. [PMID: 36307924 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In species with separate sexes, females and males often differ in their morphology, physiology and behaviour. Such sex-specific traits are functionally linked to variation in reproductive competition, mate choice and parental care, which have all been linked to sex roles. At the 150th anniversary of Darwin's theory on sexual selection, the question of why patterns of sex roles vary within and across species remains a key topic in behavioural and evolutionary ecology. New theoretical, experimental and comparative evidence suggests that variation in the adult sex ratio (ASR) is a key driver of variation in sex roles. Here, we first define and discuss the historical emergence of the sex role concept, including recent criticisms and rebuttals. Second, we review the various sex ratios with a focus on ASR, and explore its theoretical links to sex roles. Third, we explore the causes, and especially the consequences, of biased ASRs, focusing on the results of correlational and experimental studies of the effect of ASR variation on mate choice, sexual conflict, parental care and mating systems, social behaviour, hormone physiology and fitness. We present evidence that animals in diverse societies are sensitive to variation in local ASR, even on short timescales, and propose explanations for conflicting results. We conclude with an overview of open questions in this field integrating demography, life history and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute of Primatology, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sarah Benhaiem
- Department of Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, D-10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudia Fichtel
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute of Primatology, Kellnerweg 4, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lutz Fromhage
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Ambiotica, University of Jyväskylä, PO Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Oliver P Höner
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, D-10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael D Jennions
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, ANU College of Science, The Australian National University, RN Robertson Building, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Sylvia Kaiser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Badestr. 13, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Oliver Krüger
- Department of Animal Behavior, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Jutta M Schneider
- Department of Biology, Institute of Zoology, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Cristina Tuni
- Department of Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Großhaderner Str 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Jaap van Schaik
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Str. 26, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Goymann
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 6a, D-82319, Seewiesen, Germany
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3
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Kerth G. Long-term field studies in bat research: importance for basic and applied research questions in animal behavior. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022; 76:75. [PMID: 35669868 PMCID: PMC9135593 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03180-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAnimal species differ considerably in longevity. Among mammals, short-lived species such as shrews have a maximum lifespan of about a year, whereas long-lived species such as whales can live for more than two centuries. Because of their slow pace of life, long-lived species are typically of high conservation concern and of special scientific interest. This applies not only to large mammals such as whales, but also to small-sized bats and mole-rats. To understand the typically complex social behavior of long-lived mammals and protect their threatened populations, field studies that cover substantial parts of a species’ maximum lifespan are required. However, long-term field studies on mammals are an exception because the collection of individualized data requires considerable resources over long time periods in species where individuals can live for decades. Field studies that span decades do not fit well in the current career and funding regime in science. This is unfortunate, as the existing long-term studies on mammals yielded exciting insights into animal behavior and contributed data important for protecting their populations. Here, I present results of long-term field studies on the behavior, demography, and life history of bats, with a particular focus on my long-term studies on wild Bechstein’s bats. I show that long-term studies on individually marked populations are invaluable to understand the social system of bats, investigate the causes and consequences of their extraordinary longevity, and assess their responses to changing environments with the aim to efficiently protect these unique mammals in the face of anthropogenic global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Kerth
- Zoological Institute and Museum, Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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4
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Perony N, Kerth G, Schweitzer F. Data-driven modelling of group formation in the fission-fusion dynamics of Bechstein's bats. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20220170. [PMID: 35506214 PMCID: PMC9065967 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Communal roosting in Bechstein’s bat colonies is characterized by the formation of several groups that use different day roosts and that regularly dissolve and re-merge (fission–fusion dynamics). Analysing data from two colonies of different sizes over many years, we find that (i) the number of days that bats stay in the same roost before changing follows an exponential distribution that is independent of the colony size and (ii) the number and size of groups that bats formed for roosting depend on the size of the colony, such that above a critical colony size two to six groups of different sizes are formed. To model these two observations, we propose an agent-based model in which agents make their decisions about roosts based on both random and social influences. For the latter, they copy the roost preference of another agent which models the transfer of the respective information. Our model is able to reproduce both the distribution of stay length in the same roost and the emergence of groups of different sizes dependent on the colony size. Moreover, we are able to predict the critical system size at which the formation of different groups emerges without global coordination. We further comment on dynamics that bridge the roosting decisions on short time scales (less than 1 day) with the social structures observed at long time scales (more than 1 year).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Perony
- Chair of Systems Design, ETH Zurich, Weinbergstrasse 56/58, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Strasse 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Frank Schweitzer
- Chair of Systems Design, ETH Zurich, Weinbergstrasse 56/58, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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Bond ML, Lee DE, Farine DR, Ozgul A, König B. Sociability increases survival of adult female giraffes. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202770. [PMID: 33563118 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies increasingly show that social connectedness plays a key role in determining survival, in addition to natural and anthropogenic environmental factors. Few studies, however, integrated social, non-social and demographic data to elucidate what components of an animal's socio-ecological environment are most important to their survival. Female giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) form structured societies with highly dynamic group membership but stable long-term associations. We examined the relative contributions of sociability (relationship strength, gregariousness and betweenness), together with those of the natural (food sources and vegetation types) and anthropogenic environment (distance from human settlements), to adult female giraffe survival. We tested predictions about the influence of sociability and natural and human factors at two social levels: the individual and the social community. Survival was primarily driven by individual- rather than community-level social factors. Gregariousness (the number of other females each individual was observed with on average) was most important in explaining variation in female adult survival, more than other social traits and any natural or anthropogenic environmental factors. For adult female giraffes, grouping with more other females, even as group membership frequently changes, is correlated with better survival, and this sociability appears to be more important than several attributes of their non-social environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Bond
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Wild Nature Institute, Concord, NH, USA
| | - D E Lee
- Wild Nature Institute, Concord, NH, USA.,Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - D R Farine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.,Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - A Ozgul
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - B König
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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6
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Mordue S, Aegerter J, Mill A, Dawson DA, Crepaldi C, Wolff K. Population structure, gene flow and relatedness of Natterer’s bats in Northern England. Mamm Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00102-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThere have been significant declines in population numbers of many bat species in the United Kingdom, including Natterer’s batsMyotis nattereri, over the last century, largely due to anthropogenic changes. The philopatry, which temperate-zone bats often exhibit to their natal landscapes, in combination with anthropogenic threats, can lead to fragmentation, isolation and sub-division of populations. This may result in bottlenecks and declines in genetic diversity. Multi-scaled research is required to disentangle how the variation in the physical traits of bat species (e.g. affecting flight), as well as their social and behavioural traits (e.g. community size, migration, breeding systems), may affect the genetic health of populations and provide a potential buffer against fragmentation. We used microsatellite markers to characterise the genetic diversity and population structure present in Natterer’s bat colonies to determine whether summer roosting bat colonies were spatially differentiated or part of a meta-population. Analyses of population structure and measures of genetic relatedness suggest spatially differentiated populations of bats exhibit long term site fidelity to summer roosting sites, whilst high genetic diversity at sites indicates gene exchange occurs via swarming sites. Natterer’s bats in northern England may travel greater distances to swarming sites than has been previously documented.
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7
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Mavrodiev P, Fleischmann D, Kerth G, Schweitzer F. Quantifying individual influence in leading-following behavior of Bechstein's bats. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2691. [PMID: 33514763 PMCID: PMC7846810 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80946-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Leading-following behavior as a way of transferring information about the location of resources is wide-spread in many animal societies. It represents active information transfer that allows a given social species to reach collective decisions in the presence of limited information. Although leading-following behavior has received much scientific interest in the form of field studies, there is a need for systematic methods to quantify and study the individual contributions in this information transfer, which would eventually lead us to hypotheses about the individual mechanisms underlying this behaviour. In this paper we propose a general methodology that allows us to (a) infer individual leading-following behaviour from discrete observational data and (b) quantify individual influence based on methods from social network analysis. To demonstrate our methodology, we analyze longitudinal data of the roosting behavior of two different colonies of Bechstein's bats in different years. Regarding (a) we show how the inference of leading-following events can be calibrated from data making it a general approach when only discrete observations are available. This allows us to address (b) by constructing social networks in which nodes represent individual bats and directed and weighted links-the leading-following events. We then show how social network theory can be used to define and quantify individual influence in a way that reflects the dynamics of the specific social network. We find that individuals can be consistently ranked regarding their influence in the information transfer. Moreover, we identify a small set of individuals that play a central role in leading other bats to roosts. In the case of Bechstein's bats this finding can direct future studies on the individual-level mechanisms that result in such collective pattern. More generally, we posit that our data-driven methodology can be used to quantify leading-following behavior and individual impact in other animal systems, solely based on discrete observational data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavlin Mavrodiev
- Chair of Systems Design, ETH Zurich, Weinbergstrasse 56/58, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Fleischmann
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Strasse 26, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Strasse 26, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Frank Schweitzer
- Chair of Systems Design, ETH Zurich, Weinbergstrasse 56/58, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
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8
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Richardson JL, Michaelides S, Combs M, Djan M, Bisch L, Barrett K, Silveira G, Butler J, Aye TT, Munshi‐South J, DiMatteo M, Brown C, McGreevy TJ. Dispersal ability predicts spatial genetic structure in native mammals persisting across an urbanization gradient. Evol Appl 2021; 14:163-177. [PMID: 33519963 PMCID: PMC7819555 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
As the rate of urbanization continues to increase globally, a growing body of research is emerging that investigates how urbanization shapes the movement-and consequent gene flow-of species in cities. Of particular interest are native species that persist in cities, either as small relict populations or as larger populations of synanthropic species that thrive alongside humans in new urban environments. In this study, we used genomic sequence data (SNPs) and spatially explicit individual-based analyses to directly compare the genetic structure and patterns of gene flow in two small mammals with different dispersal abilities that occupy the same urbanized landscape to evaluate how mobility impacts genetic connectivity. We collected 215 white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) and 380 big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) across an urban-to-rural gradient within the Providence, Rhode Island (U.S.A.) metropolitan area (population =1,600,000 people). We found that mice and bats exhibit clear differences in their spatial genetic structure that are consistent with their dispersal abilities, with urbanization having a stronger effect on Peromyscus mice. There were sharp breaks in the genetic structure of mice within the Providence urban core, as well as reduced rates of migration and an increase in inbreeding with more urbanization. In contrast, bats showed very weak genetic structuring across the entire study area, suggesting a near-panmictic gene pool likely due to the ability to disperse by flight. Genetic diversity remained stable for both species across the study region. Mice also exhibited a stronger reduction in gene flow between island and mainland populations than bats. This study represents one of the first to directly compare multiple species within the same urban-to-rural landscape gradient, an important gap to fill for urban ecology and evolution. Moreover, here we document the impacts of dispersal capacity on connectivity for native species that have persisted as the urban landscape matrix expands.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sozos Michaelides
- Department of Natural Resources ScienceUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRIUSA
| | - Matthew Combs
- Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology DepartmentColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Mihajla Djan
- Department of Natural Resources ScienceUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRIUSA
- Department of Biology and EcologyFaculty of SciencesUniversity of Novi SadNovi SadSerbia
| | - Lianne Bisch
- Department of BiologyProvidence CollegeProvidenceRIUSA
| | - Kerry Barrett
- Department of BiologyProvidence CollegeProvidenceRIUSA
| | | | - Justin Butler
- Department of BiologyUniversity of RichmondRichmondVAUSA
| | - Than Thar Aye
- Department of BiologyUniversity of RichmondRichmondVAUSA
| | | | - Michael DiMatteo
- State Health LaboratoryRhode Island Department of HealthProvidenceRIUSA
| | - Charles Brown
- Division of Fish & WildlifeRhode Island Department of Environmental ManagementWest KingstonRIUSA
| | - Thomas J. McGreevy
- Department of Natural Resources ScienceUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRIUSA
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9
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Katsis LKD, Linton DM, Macdonald DW. The effect of group size, reproductive condition and time period on sexual segregation patterns in three vespertilionid bat species. J Zool (1987) 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. K. D. Katsis
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) Department of Zoology The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre University of Oxford Tubney UK
| | - D. M. Linton
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) Department of Zoology The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre University of Oxford Tubney UK
| | - D. W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) Department of Zoology The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre University of Oxford Tubney UK
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10
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Evans JC, Lindholm AK, König B. Long-term overlap of social and genetic structure in free-ranging house mice reveals dynamic seasonal and group size effects. Curr Zool 2020; 67:59-69. [PMID: 33654491 PMCID: PMC7901755 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Associating with relatives in social groups can bring benefits such as reduced risk of aggression and increased likelihood of cooperation. Competition among relatives over limited resources, on the other hand, can induce individuals to alter their patterns of association. Population density might further affect the costs and benefits of associating with relatives by altering resource competition or by changing the structure of social groups; preventing easy association with relatives. Consequently, the overlap between genetic and social structure is expected to decrease with increasing population size, as well as during times of increased breeding activity. Here, we use multi-layer network techniques to quantify the similarity between long-term, high resolution genetic, and behavioral data from a large population of free-ranging house mice (Mus musculus domesticus), studied over 10 years. We infer how the benefit of associating with genetically similar individuals might fluctuate in relation to breeding behavior and environmental conditions. We found a clear seasonal effect, with decreased overlap between social and genetic structure during summer months, characterized by high temperatures and high breeding activity. Though the effect of overall population size was relatively weak, we found a clear decrease in the overlap between genetic similarity and social associations within larger groups. As well as longer-term within-group changes, these results reveal population-wide short-term shifts in how individuals associate with relatives. Our study suggests that resource competition modifies the trade-off between the costs and benefits of interacting with relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian C Evans
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
- Address correspondence to Julian C. Evans. E-mail:
| | - Anna K Lindholm
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
| | - Barbara König
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
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11
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Lumsden LF, Griffiths SR, Silins JE, Bennett AF. Roosting behaviour and the tree-hollow requirements of bats: insights from the lesser long-eared bat (Nyctophilus geoffroyi) and Gould’s wattled bat (Chalinolobus gouldii)
in south-eastern Australia. AUST J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/zo20072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Access to suitable roosts is critical for the conservation of tree-hollow roosting bats worldwide. Availability of roost sites is influenced by human land-use, but also by the roosting requirements and behaviour of species. We investigated roosting behaviour of the lesser long-eared bat (Nyctophilus geoffroyi) and Gould’s wattled bat (Chalinolobus gouldii) in a rural landscape in south-eastern Australia. Forty-five N. geoffroyi and 27 C. gouldii were fitted with radio-transmitters, resulting in the location of 139 and 89 roosts, respectively. Most (88%) roosts occupied by male N. geoffroyi contained only a single individual. During the breeding season female colonies were larger, with maternity roosts containing 18.3 ± 5.7 (s.e.) individuals. Mean colony sizes for C. gouldii were 8.7 ± 1.4 individuals. Both species shifted roosts frequently: on average, individual N. geoffroyi moved every 2.2 ± 0.23 days and C. gouldii every 2.2 ± 0.14 days. Notably, lactating female N. geoffroyi shifted roosts more frequently than non-breeding females. Individuals of both species roosted within a discrete area, with roosts typically <300 m apart; and consistently returned there from foraging up to 12 km distant. This roosting behaviour highlights three important requirements: (1) a relatively large overall number of hollows to support a population; (2) discrete roost areas with a high density of suitable hollows in close proximity; and (3) a range of hollow types to provide the specialised roosts required, particularly for breeding.
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12
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Male long-distance migrant turned sedentary; The West European pond bat (Myotis dasycneme) alters their migration and hibernation behaviour. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217810. [PMID: 31658268 PMCID: PMC6816563 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
During autumn in the temperate zone, insectivorous male bats face a profound energetic challenge, as in the same period they have to make energy choices related to hibernation, mating and migration. To investigate these energetic trade-offs, we compared the body mass of male and female pond bats (Myotis dasycneme) through the summer season, characterized the known hibernacula in terms of male or female bias, and subsequently compared their population trend during two study periods, between 1930–1980 and 1980–2015. Towards the end of summer, males began losing weight whilst females were simultaneously accumulating fat, suggesting that males were pre-occupied with mating. We also found evidence for a recent adaptation to this energetic trade-off, males have colonised winter roosts in formerly unoccupied areas, which has consequently led to a change in the migration patterns for the male population of this species. As male bats do not assist in raising offspring, males have ample time to restore their energy balance after hibernation. Our results suggest that choosing a hibernacula closer to the summer range not only decreases energy cost needed for migration, it also lengthens the mating season of the individual male. Our findings have important conservation implications, as male and female biased hibernation assemblages may differ critically in terms of microclimate preferences.
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13
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Harten L, Prat Y, Ben Cohen S, Dor R, Yovel Y. Food for Sex in Bats Revealed as Producer Males Reproduce with Scrounging Females. Curr Biol 2019; 29:1895-1900.e3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.04.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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14
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Mandl JN, Schneider C, Schneider DS, Baker ML. Going to Bat(s) for Studies of Disease Tolerance. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2112. [PMID: 30294323 PMCID: PMC6158362 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
A majority of viruses that have caused recent epidemics with high lethality rates in people, are zoonoses originating from wildlife. Among them are filoviruses (e.g., Marburg, Ebola), coronaviruses (e.g., SARS, MERS), henipaviruses (e.g., Hendra, Nipah) which share the common features that they are all RNA viruses, and that a dysregulated immune response is an important contributor to the tissue damage and hence pathogenicity that results from infection in humans. Intriguingly, these viruses also all originate from bat reservoirs. Bats have been shown to have a greater mean viral richness than predicted by their phylogenetic distance from humans, their geographic range, or their presence in urban areas, suggesting other traits must explain why bats harbor a greater number of zoonotic viruses than other mammals. Bats are highly unusual among mammals in other ways as well. Not only are they the only mammals capable of powered flight, they have extraordinarily long life spans, with little detectable increases in mortality or senescence until high ages. Their physiology likely impacted their history of pathogen exposure and necessitated adaptations that may have also affected immune signaling pathways. Do our life history traits make us susceptible to generating damaging immune responses to RNA viruses or does the physiology of bats make them particularly tolerant or resistant? Understanding what immune mechanisms enable bats to coexist with RNA viruses may provide critical fundamental insights into how to achieve greater resilience in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith N. Mandl
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McGill Research Center for Complex Traits, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Caitlin Schneider
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McGill Research Center for Complex Traits, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - David S. Schneider
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Michelle L. Baker
- Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Health and Biosecurity Business Unit, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Geelong, VIC, Australia
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15
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Garg KM, Chattopadhyay B, Ramakrishnan U. Social structure of the harem-forming promiscuous fruit bat, Cynopterus sphinx, is the harem truly important? ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:172024. [PMID: 29515899 PMCID: PMC5830788 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.172024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Bats are social animals and display a diverse variety of mating and social systems, with most species exhibiting some form of polygyny. Their social organization is fluid and individuals frequently switch partners and roosting sites. While harem-like social organization is observed in multiple tropical species, its importance is contested in many of them. In this study, we investigated the role of harems in the social organization of the old world fruit bat Cynopterus sphinx. Based on regular behavioural observations over a period of 20 months and genetic data from microsatellite markers, we observed that the social organization is flexible, individuals regularly shift between roosts and the social organization resembles a fission-fusion society. Behavioural and genetic analyses suggest that the harems are not strict units of social structure, and the colony does not show signatures of subdivision with harems as behavioural units. We also observed that there was no correlation between individuals with high association index and pairwise relatedness. Our findings indicate that similar to the mating system, the social organization of C. sphinx can also be categorized as a fission-fusion society, and hence the term 'harem' is a misnomer. We conclude that the social system of C. sphinx is flexible, with multi-male multi-female organization, and individuals tend to be loyal to a given area rather than a roost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kritika M Garg
- Ecology and Evolution, National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, Bellary Road, Bangalore 560065, India
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Balaji Chattopadhyay
- Ecology and Evolution, National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, Bellary Road, Bangalore 560065, India
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Uma Ramakrishnan
- Ecology and Evolution, National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, Bellary Road, Bangalore 560065, India
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16
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Stanley CR, Mettke-Hofmann C, Hager R, Shultz S. Social stability in semiferal ponies: networks show interannual stability alongside seasonal flexibility. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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17
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Harten L, Matalon Y, Galli N, Navon H, Dor R, Yovel Y. Persistent producer-scrounger relationships in bats. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:e1603293. [PMID: 29441356 PMCID: PMC5810609 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1603293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Social foraging theory suggests that group-living animals gain from persistent social bonds, which lead to increased tolerance in competitive foraging and information sharing. Bats are among the most social mammals, often living in colonies of tens to thousands of individuals for dozens of years, yet little is known about their social foraging dynamics. We observed three captive bat colonies for over a year, quantifying >13,000 social foraging interactions. We found that individuals consistently used one of two foraging strategies, either producing (collecting) food themselves or scrounging it directly from the mouth of other individuals. Individual foraging types were consistent over at least 16 months except during the lactation period when females shifted toward producing. Scroungers intentionally selected whom to interact with when socially foraging, thus generating persistent nonrandom social relationships with two to three specific producers. These persistent producer-scrounger relationships seem to reduce aggression over time. Finally, scrounging was highly correlated with vigilance, and we hypothesize that vigilant-prone individuals turn to scrounging in the wild to mitigate the risk of landing on a potentially unsafe fruit tree. We find the bat colony to be a rich and dynamic social system, which can serve as a model to study the role that social foraging plays in the evolution of mammalian sociality. Our results highlight the importance of considering individual tendencies when exploring social behavior patterns of group-living animals. These tendencies further emphasize the necessity of studying social networks over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee Harten
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Yasmin Matalon
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Naama Galli
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Hagit Navon
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Roi Dor
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Yossi Yovel
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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18
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Huguin M, Arechiga-Ceballos N, Delaval M, Guidez A, de Castro IJ, Lacoste V, Salmier A, Setién AA, Silva CR, Lavergne A, de Thoisy B. How Social Structure Drives the Population Dynamics of the Common Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus, Phyllostomidae). J Hered 2017; 109:393-404. [DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esx111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maïlis Huguin
- Kwata NGO, Cayenne, French Guiana
- Laboratoire des Interactions Virus Hôtes, Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, French Guiana
| | - Nidia Arechiga-Ceballos
- Laboratorio de Rabia, Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos. Mexico DF, Mexico
| | | | - Amandine Guidez
- Laboratoire des Interactions Virus Hôtes, Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, French Guiana
| | - Isaï Jorge de Castro
- Laboratório de Mamíferos, Instituto de Pesquisas Científicas e Tecnológicas do Estado do Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Vincent Lacoste
- Laboratoire des Interactions Virus Hôtes, Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, French Guiana
| | - Arielle Salmier
- Laboratoire des Interactions Virus Hôtes, Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, French Guiana
| | - Alvaro Aguilar Setién
- Unidad de Investigación Médica en Inmunología, Coordinación de Investigación, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México DF, Mexico
| | - Claudia Regina Silva
- Laboratório de Mamíferos, Instituto de Pesquisas Científicas e Tecnológicas do Estado do Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Anne Lavergne
- Laboratoire des Interactions Virus Hôtes, Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, French Guiana
| | - Benoit de Thoisy
- Kwata NGO, Cayenne, French Guiana
- Laboratoire des Interactions Virus Hôtes, Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, French Guiana
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19
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Stumpf M, Meier F, Grosche L, Halczok TK, Schaik JV, Kerth G. How Do Young Bats Find Suitable Swarming and Hibernation Sites? Assessing the Plausibility of the Maternal Guidance Hypothesis Using Genetic Maternity Assignment for two European Bat Species. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2017. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2017.19.2.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maike Stumpf
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Loitzerstrasse 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Frauke Meier
- Echolot GbR, Eulerstasse 12, 48155 Münster, Germany
| | - Lena Grosche
- Echolot GbR, Eulerstasse 12, 48155 Münster, Germany
| | - Tanja K. Halczok
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Loitzerstrasse 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jaap Van Schaik
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Loitzerstrasse 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Loitzerstrasse 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
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20
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Angley LP, Combs M, Firth C, Frye MJ, Lipkin I, Richardson JL, Munshi-South J. Spatial variation in the parasite communities and genomic structure of urban rats in New York City. Zoonoses Public Health 2017; 65:e113-e123. [PMID: 29143489 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) are a globally distributed pest. Urban habitats can support large infestations of rats, posing a potential risk to public health from the parasites and pathogens they carry. Despite the potential influence of rodent-borne zoonotic diseases on human health, it is unclear how urban habitats affect the structure and transmission dynamics of ectoparasite and microbial communities (all referred to as "parasites" hereafter) among rat colonies. In this study, we use ecological data on parasites and genomic sequencing of their rat hosts to examine associations between spatial proximity, genetic relatedness and the parasite communities associated with 133 rats at five sites in sections of New York City with persistent rat infestations. We build on previous work showing that rats in New York carry a wide variety of parasites and report that these communities differ significantly among sites, even across small geographical distances. Ectoparasite community similarity was positively associated with geographical proximity; however, there was no general association between distance and microbial communities of rats. Sites with greater overall parasite diversity also had rats with greater infection levels and parasite species richness. Parasite community similarity among sites was not linked to genetic relatedness of rats, suggesting that these communities are not associated with genetic similarity among host individuals or host dispersal among sites. Discriminant analysis identified site-specific associations of several parasite species, suggesting that the presence of some species within parasite communities may allow researchers to determine the sites of origin for newly sampled rats. The results of our study help clarify the roles that colony structure and geographical proximity play in determining the ecology of R. norvegicus as a significant urban reservoir of zoonotic diseases. Our study also highlights the spatial variation present in urban rat parasite communities, indicating that rats across New York City are not reservoirs for a homogenous set of parasites and pathogens. As a result, the epidemiological risks may be similarly heterogeneous for people in urban habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- L P Angley
- Department of Biology, Providence College, Providence, RI, USA
| | - M Combs
- Louis Calder Center and Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Armonk, NY, USA
| | - C Firth
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - M J Frye
- New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, Cornell University, Geneva, NY, USA
| | - I Lipkin
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - J L Richardson
- Department of Biology, Providence College, Providence, RI, USA
| | - J Munshi-South
- Louis Calder Center and Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Armonk, NY, USA
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21
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Comparative phylogeography of a vulnerable bat and its ectoparasite reveals dispersal of a non-mobile parasite among distinct evolutionarily significant units of the host. CONSERV GENET 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-017-1024-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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22
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Fleischer T, Gampe J, Scheuerlein A, Kerth G. Rare catastrophic events drive population dynamics in a bat species with negligible senescence. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7370. [PMID: 28779071 PMCID: PMC5544728 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06392-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are remarkably long-lived with lifespans exceeding even those of same-sized birds. Despite a recent interest in the extraordinary longevity of bats very little is known about the shape of mortality over age, and how mortality rates are affected by the environment. Using a large set of individual-based data collected over 19 years in four free-ranging colonies of Bechstein's bats (Myotis bechsteinii), we found no increase in the rate of mortality and no decrease in fertility demonstrating no senescence until high ages. Our finding of negligible senescence is highly unusual for long-lived mammals, grouping Bechstein's bats with long-lived seabirds. The most important determinant of adult mortality was one particular winter season, which affected all ages and sizes equally. Apart from this winter, mortality risk did not differ between the winter and the summer season. Colony membership, a proxy for local environmental conditions, also had no effect. In addition to their implications for understanding the extra-ordinary longevity in bats, our results have strong implications for the conservation of bats, since rare catastrophic mortality events can only be detected in individual based long-term field studies. With many bat species globally threatened, such data are crucial for the successful implementation of conservation programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni Fleischer
- Applied Zoology and Conservation, Zoological Institute, University of Greifswald, Johann, Sebastian Bach-Strasse 11/12, 17487, Greifswald, Germany.
- Evolutionary Biodemography, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Konrad-Zuse-Str., 1 D-18057, Rostock, Germany.
| | - Jutta Gampe
- Statistical Demography, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Konrad-Zuse-Str., 1 D-18057, Rostock, Germany
| | - Alexander Scheuerlein
- Evolutionary Biodemography, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Konrad-Zuse-Str., 1 D-18057, Rostock, Germany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Applied Zoology and Conservation, Zoological Institute, University of Greifswald, Johann, Sebastian Bach-Strasse 11/12, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
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23
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Griffiths SR, Bender R, Godinho LN, Lentini PE, Lumsden LF, Robert KA. Bat boxes are not a silver bullet conservation tool. Mamm Rev 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen R. Griffiths
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution; La Trobe University; Plenty Road Bundoora, 3086 Victoria Australia
| | - Robert Bender
- Friends of Wilson Reserve; The Boulevard Ivanhoe East, 3079 Victoria Australia
| | - Lisa N. Godinho
- School of BioSciences; The University of Melbourne; Royal Parade Parkville, 3010 Victoria Australia
| | - Pia E. Lentini
- Quantitative and Applied Ecology Group; School of BioSciences; The University of Melbourne; Royal Parade Parkville, 3010 Victoria Australia
| | - Linda F. Lumsden
- Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research; Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning; 123 Brown Street Heidelberg, 3084 Victoria Australia
| | - Kylie A. Robert
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution; La Trobe University; Plenty Road Bundoora, 3086 Victoria Australia
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24
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Guo W, Yu W, Wang X, Csorba G, Li F, Li Y, Wu Y. First Record of the Collared Sprite, Thainycteris aureocollaris (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from China. MAMMAL STUDY 2017. [DOI: 10.3106/041.042.0204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Weijian Guo
- Key Laboratory of Conservation and Application in Biodiversity of South China, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wenhua Yu
- Key Laboratory of Conservation and Application in Biodiversity of South China, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Conservation and Application in Biodiversity of South China, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Gabor Csorba
- Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, H-1088 Budapest, Baross u. 13, Hungary
| | - Fang Li
- Key Laboratory of Conservation and Application in Biodiversity of South China, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yuchun Li
- Marine College, Shandong University (Weihai), Weihai 264209, China
| | - Yi Wu
- Key Laboratory of Conservation and Application in Biodiversity of South China, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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25
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Jebb D, Foley NM, Kerth G, Teeling EC. The complete mitochondrial genome of the Bechstein's bat, Myotis bechsteinii (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae). MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES 2017; 2:92-94. [PMID: 33473727 PMCID: PMC7800535 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2017.1280701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we present the complete mitochondrial genome of the Bechstein's bat, Myotis bechsteinii. The mitogenome is 17,151 bp in length and is AT-rich with base composition A (27.8%), C (22%), G (16.1%), and T (34.1%). The mitogenome shows conserved gene content and order similar with other mammalian mitogenomes, being composed of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and one control region. The majority of genes are encoded on the H-Strand except for ND6 and 8 tRNAs as found in other bat species. The field identification of Myotis bechsteinii was confirmed by phylogenetic analyses using datasets comprising whole mitogenomes and COXI. This mitogenome is a resource for future studies of Myotis bats and other mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Jebb
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Nicole M Foley
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Applied Zoology and Conservation, Zoological Institute, Greifswald University, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Emma C Teeling
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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26
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Zeus VM, Puechmaille SJ, Kerth G. Conspecific and heterospecific social groups affect each other's resource use: a study on roost sharing among bat colonies. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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27
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Hammarin AL, Berndtsson LT, Falk K, Nedinge M, Olsson G, Lundkvist Å. Lyssavirus-reactive antibodies in Swedish bats. Infect Ecol Epidemiol 2016; 6:31262. [PMID: 27974131 PMCID: PMC5156864 DOI: 10.3402/iee.v6.31262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION To study the presence of European bat lyssavirus (EBLV) infections in bat reservoirs in Sweden, active surveillance was performed during the summers from 2008 to 2013. MATERIAL AND METHODS Bat specimens were collected at >20 bat colonies in the central, southeastern, and southern parts of Sweden. In total, blood and saliva of 452 bats were examined by a virus neutralization test and by reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCRs). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION EBLV neutralizing antibodies were detected in 14 Daubenton's bats (Myotis daubentonii), all trapped in Skåne or Småland (south and southeast of Sweden). The result was not unexpected since EBLV has been shown to be present in many neighboring countries, for example, Denmark, Finland, Germany, and Norway. However, Sweden has been regarded free of rabies in terrestrial mammals since 1896. Although very rare, spillover of EBLV into other animals and humans have occurred, and the risk of EBLV infection to other species including humans should not be ignored. This is the first report of lyssavirus infection in Swedish bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Lena Hammarin
- Department of Microbiology, Public Health Agency of Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Kerstin Falk
- Department of Microbiology, Public Health Agency of Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marie Nedinge
- Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gert Olsson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Åke Lundkvist
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Zoonosis Science Center and Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, and Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden;
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28
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Patriquin KJ, Leonard ML, Broders HG, Ford WM, Britzke ER, Silvis A. Weather as a proximate explanation for fission–fusion dynamics in female northern long-eared bats. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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29
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Dekeukeleire D, Janssen R, Haarsma AJ, Bosch T, Schaik JV. Swarming Behaviour, Catchment Area and Seasonal Movement Patterns of the Bechstein's Bats: Implications for Conservation. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2016. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2016.18.2.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daan Dekeukeleire
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department Biology Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - René Janssen
- Bionet Natuuronderzoek, Valderstraat 39, 6171EL, Stein, The Netherlands
| | - Anne-Jifke Haarsma
- Animal Ecology & Ecophysiology group, Institute for Water and Wetland research, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, 6500GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Thijs Bosch
- Ad Hoc Zoogdieronderzoek, Oude Velperweg 34, 6824HE, Arnhem, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap Van Schaik
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Strasse, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
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30
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Monks JM, O'Donnell CFJ. Social implications of a colony collapse in a highly structured vertebrate species (long-tailed bat, Chalinolobus tuberculatus
). Anim Conserv 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. M. Monks
- Science and Policy Group; Department of Conservation; P O Box 5244 Dunedin New Zealand
| | - C. F. J. O'Donnell
- Science and Policy Group; Department of Conservation; Private Bag 4715; Christchurch Mail Centre; Christchurch New Zealand
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31
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Host social organization and mating system shape parasite transmission opportunities in three European bat species. Parasitol Res 2016; 116:589-599. [PMID: 27858154 PMCID: PMC5258804 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5323-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
For non-mobile parasites living on social hosts, infection dynamics are strongly influenced by host life history and social system. We explore the impact of host social systems on parasite population dynamics by comparing the infection intensity and transmission opportunities of three mite species of the genus Spinturnix across their three European bat hosts (Myotis daubentonii, Myotis myotis, Myotis nattereri) during the bats’ autumn mating season. Mites mainly reproduce in host maternity colonies in summer, but as these colonies are closed, opportunities for inter-colony transmission are limited to host interactions during the autumn mating season. The three investigated hosts differ considerably in their social system, most notably in maternity colony size, mating system, and degree of male summer aggregation. We observed marked differences in parasite infection during the autumn mating period between the species, closely mirroring the predictions made based on the social systems of the hosts. Increased host aggregation sizes in summer yielded higher overall parasite prevalence and intensity, both in male and female hosts. Moreover, parasite levels in male hosts differentially increased throughout the autumn mating season in concordance with the degree of contact with female hosts afforded by the different mating systems of the hosts. Critically, the observed host-specific differences have important consequences for parasite population structure and will thus affect the coevolutionary dynamics between the interacting species. Therefore, in order to accurately characterize host-parasite dynamics in hosts with complex social systems, a holistic approach that investigates parasite infection and transmission across all periods is warranted.
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Naidoo T, Schoeman MC, Goodman SM, Taylor PJ, Lamb JM. Discordance between mitochondrial and nuclear genetic structure in the bat Chaerephon pumilus (Chiroptera: Molossidae) from southern Africa. Mamm Biol 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2015.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Flanders J, Inoue-Murayama M, Rossiter SJ, Hill DA. Female philopatry and limited male-biased dispersal in the Ussuri tube-nosed bat, Murina ussuriensis. J Mammal 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyv200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractMale-biased dispersal and female philopatry are common traits among social mammals, often leading to elevated relatedness within social groups. However, exceptions do occur, with documented cases of female-biased dispersal, dispersal by both sexes, and philopatry of both sexes. In this study, we examined levels of dispersal and relatedness based on analyses of the mitochondrial D-loop and 12 nuclear microsatellite markers in the woodland specialist Ussuri tube-nosed bat ( Murina ussuriensis ), a relatively widespread, yet locally rare species that is thought to be threatened by loss of its forest habitats across its range. A total of 85 individuals were captured in lowland temperate forest on the island of Yakushima and 28 individuals in montane forest in Hokkaido, Japan. In the former, haplotypes showed extreme spatial clustering among females consistent with strong philopatry, but spatial mixing among males suggesting dispersal over short distances. These findings were broadly supported by microsatellite analyses, which indicated considerable genealogical structure within sampling locations but a lack of spatial structure, again indicating that some gene flow does occur in one or both sexes. The Hokkaido data, although limited, did not show these patterns and instead suggest that differences in environmental and behavioral variables may influence movement ecology of individuals at these 2 sites and consequently fine-scale genetic structure within this species.
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Fischer K, Zeus V, Kwasnitschka L, Kerth G, Haase M, Groschup MH, Balkema-Buschmann A. Insectivorous bats carry host specific astroviruses and coronaviruses across different regions in Germany. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2016; 37:108-16. [PMID: 26584511 PMCID: PMC7106178 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2015.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Revised: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Recently several infectious agents with a zoonotic potential have been detected in different bat species. However, there is still a lack of knowledge on the transmission dynamics within and between bat species, as well as from bats to other mammals. To better understand these processes, it is important to compare the phylogenetic relationships between different agents to that of their respective hosts. In this study, we analysed more than 950 urine, faeces and oral swab samples collected from 653 bats from mainly four species (Myotis nattereri, Myotis bechsteinii, Myotis daubentonii, and Plecotus auritus) for the presence of coronavirus, paramyxovirus and astrovirus related nucleic acids located in three different regions of Germany. Using hemi-nested reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR amplification of fragments within the highly conserved regions of the respective RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) genes, we detected astrovirus sequences at an overall detection rate of 25.8% of the analysed animals, with a maximum of 65% in local populations. The detection rates for coronaviruses and paramyxoviruses were distinctly lower, ranging between 1.4% and 3.1%. Interestingly, the sequence similarities in samples collected from the same bat species in different geographical areas were distinctly larger than the sequence similarities between samples from different species sampled at the same location. This indicates that host specificity may be more important than host ecology for the presence of certain viruses in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Fischer
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Veronika Zeus
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Johann Sebastian Bach-Str. 11/12, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Linda Kwasnitschka
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Johann Sebastian Bach-Str. 11/12, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Martin Haase
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Soldmannstraße 23, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Martin H Groschup
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| | - Anne Balkema-Buschmann
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
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O’ Donnell CFJ, Richter S, Dool S, Monks JM, Kerth G. Genetic diversity is maintained in the endangered New Zealand long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus) despite a closed social structure and regular population crashes. CONSERV GENET 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-015-0763-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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van Schaik J, Dekeukeleire D, Kerth G. Host and parasite life history interplay to yield divergent population genetic structures in two ectoparasites living on the same bat species. Mol Ecol 2015; 24:2324-35. [PMID: 25809613 DOI: 10.1111/mec.13171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Revised: 03/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Host-parasite interactions are ubiquitous in nature. However, how parasite population genetic structure is shaped by the interaction between host and parasite life history remains understudied. Studies comparing multiple parasites infecting a single host can be used to investigate how different parasite life history traits interplay with host behaviour and life history. In this study, we used 10 newly developed microsatellite loci to investigate the genetic structure of a parasitic bat fly (Basilia nana). Its host, the Bechstein's bat (Myotis bechsteinii), has a social system and roosting behaviour that restrict opportunities for parasite transmission. We compared fly genetic structure to that of the host and another parasite, the wing-mite, Spinturnix bechsteini. We found little spatial or temporal genetic structure in B. nana, suggesting a large, stable population with frequent genetic exchange between fly populations from different bat colonies. This contrasts sharply with the genetic structure of the wing-mite, which is highly substructured between the same bat colonies as well as temporally unstable. Our results suggest that although host and parasite life history interact to yield similar transmission patterns in both parasite species, the level of gene flow and eventual spatiotemporal genetic stability is differentially affected. This can be explained by the differences in generation time and winter survival between the flies and wing-mites. Our study thus exemplifies that the population genetic structure of parasites on a single host can vary strongly as a result of how their individual life history characteristics interact with host behaviour and life history traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- J van Schaik
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Strasse, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany
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Davy CM, Martinez-Nunez F, Willis CKR, Good SV. Spatial genetic structure among bat hibernacula along the leading edge of a rapidly spreading pathogen. CONSERV GENET 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-015-0719-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Males and females gain differentially from sociality in a promiscuous fruit bat Cynopterus sphinx. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0122180. [PMID: 25794185 PMCID: PMC4368723 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Accepted: 02/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sociality emerges when the benefits of group living outweigh its costs. While both males and females are capable of strong social ties, the evolutionary drivers for sociality and the benefits accrued maybe different for each sex. In this study, we investigate the differential reproductive success benefits of group membership that males and females might obtain in the promiscuous fruit bat Cynopterus sphinx. Individuals of this species live in flexible social groups called colonies. These colonies are labile and there is high turnover of individuals. However, colony males sire more offspring within the colony suggesting that being part of a colony may result in reproductive benefits for males. This also raises the possibility that long-term loyalty towards the colony may confer additional advantage in terms of higher reproductive success. We used ten seasons of genetic parentage data to estimate reproductive success and relatedness of individuals in the colony. We used recapture data to identify long and short-term residents in the colony as well as to obtain rates of recapture for males and females. Our results reveal that males have a significantly higher chance of becoming long-term residents (than females), and these long-term resident males gain twice the reproductive success compared to short-term resident males. We also observed that long-term resident females are related to each other and also achieve higher reproductive success than short-term resident females. In contrast, long-term resident males do not differ from short-term resident males in their levels of relatedness. Our results re-iterate the benefits of sociality even in species that are promiscuous and socially labile and possible benefits of maintaining a colony.
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Fleischmann D, Kerth G. Roosting behavior and group decision making in 2 syntopic bat species with fission-fusion societies. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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van Schaik J, Kerth G, Bruyndonckx N, Christe P. The effect of host social system on parasite population genetic structure: comparative population genetics of two ectoparasitic mites and their bat hosts. BMC Evol Biol 2014; 14:18. [PMID: 24479530 PMCID: PMC3925363 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-14-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2013] [Accepted: 01/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The population genetic structure of a parasite, and consequently its ability to adapt to a given host, is strongly linked to its own life history as well as the life history of its host. While the effects of parasite life history on their population genetic structure have received some attention, the effect of host social system has remained largely unstudied. In this study, we investigated the population genetic structure of two closely related parasitic mite species (Spinturnix myoti and Spinturnix bechsteini) with very similar life histories. Their respective hosts, the greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) and the Bechstein’s bat (Myotis bechsteinii) have social systems that differ in several substantial features, such as group size, mating system and dispersal patterns. Results We found that the two mite species have strongly differing population genetic structures. In S. myoti we found high levels of genetic diversity and very little pairwise differentiation, whereas in S. bechsteini we observed much less diversity, strongly differentiated populations and strong temporal turnover. These differences are likely to be the result of the differences in genetic drift and dispersal opportunities afforded to the two parasites by the different social systems of their hosts. Conclusions Our results suggest that host social system can strongly influence parasite population structure. As a result, the evolutionary potential of these two parasites with very similar life histories also differs, thereby affecting the risk and evolutionary pressure exerted by each parasite on its host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaap van Schaik
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Strasse, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany.
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Laine VN, Lilley TM, Norrdahl K, Primmer CR. Population Genetics of Daubenton's Bat (Myotis daubentonii) in the Archipelago Sea, SW Finland. ANN ZOOL FENN 2013. [DOI: 10.5735/085.050.0505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Nokireki T, Huovilainen A, Lilley T, Kyheröinen EM, Ek-Kommonen C, Sihvonen L, Jakava-Viljanen M. Bat rabies surveillance in Finland. BMC Vet Res 2013; 9:174. [PMID: 24011337 PMCID: PMC3846527 DOI: 10.1186/1746-6148-9-174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2013] [Accepted: 09/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In 1985, a bat researcher in Finland died of rabies encephalitis caused by European bat lyssavirus type 2 (EBLV-2), but an epidemiological study in 1986 did not reveal EBLV-infected bats. In 2009, an EBLV-2-positive Daubenton’s bat was detected. The EBLV-2 isolate from the human case in 1985 and the isolate from the bat in 2009 were genetically closely related. In order to assess the prevalence of EBLVs in Finnish bat populations and to gain a better understanding of the public health risk that EBLV-infected bats pose, a targeted active surveillance project was initiated. Results Altogether, 1156 bats of seven species were examined for lyssaviruses in Finland during a 28–year period (1985–2012), 898 in active surveillance and 258 in passive surveillance, with only one positive finding of EBLV-2 in a Daubenton’s bat in 2009. In 2010–2011, saliva samples from 774 bats of seven species were analyzed for EBLV viral RNA, and sera from 423 bats were analyzed for the presence of bat lyssavirus antibodies. Antibodies were detected in Daubenton’s bats in samples collected from two locations in 2010 and from one location in 2011. All seropositive locations are in close proximity to the place where the EBLV-2 positive Daubenton’s bat was found in 2009. In active surveillance, no EBLV viral RNA was detected. Conclusions These data suggest that EBLV-2 may circulate in Finland, even though the seroprevalence is low. Our results indicate that passive surveillance of dead or sick bats is a relevant means examine the occurrence of lyssavirus infection, but the number of bats submitted for laboratory analysis should be higher in order to obtain reliable information on the lyssavirus situation in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiina Nokireki
- Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, Mustialankatu 3, Helsinki FI-00790, Finland.
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Melber M, Fleischmann D, Kerth G. Female Bechstein's Bats Share Foraging Sites with Maternal Kin but do not Forage Together with them - Results from a Long-Term Study. Ethology 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Markus Melber
- Zoological Institute and Museum; University of Greifswald; Greifswald Germany
| | - Daniela Fleischmann
- Zoological Institute and Museum; University of Greifswald; Greifswald Germany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Zoological Institute and Museum; University of Greifswald; Greifswald Germany
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Female Bechstein's bats adjust their group decisions about communal roosts to the level of conflict of interests. Curr Biol 2013; 23:1658-62. [PMID: 23954425 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.06.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2013] [Revised: 05/31/2013] [Accepted: 06/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Most social animals depend on group decisions for coordination. Recent models suggest that the level of interindividual conflict strongly influences whether groups reach a consensus during decision making. However, few experimental studies have explored how wild animals make group decisions in situations with conflicting interests. Such experimental data are particularly lacking for animal societies with regular fission and fusion of subgroups. In this long-term study, we varied the level of conflict of interest among members of three wild Bechstein's bat (Myotis bechsteinii) colonies with high fission-fusion dynamics experimentally to explore whether the bats adapt their group decisions about communal roosts accordingly. In situations with low levels of conflict of interest, a minority of bats experiencing a roost as suitable was sufficient for a group consensus to use it communally. In contrast, if their interests diverged strongly, the bats no longer sought a compromise, but based their roosting decisions on individual preferences instead. Our results demonstrate that the rules applied to make group decisions can vary with the level of conflict among the individual interests of group members. Our findings are in agreement with predictions of the models and provide evidence for highly flexible group decisions within species.
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Wittiger L, Boesch C. Female gregariousness in Western Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) is influenced by resource aggregation and the number of females in estrus. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1534-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Patriquin KJ, Palstra F, Leonard ML, Broders HG. Female northern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) that roost together are related. Behav Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/art012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Nichols HJ, Jordan NR, Jamie GA, Cant MA, Hoffman JI. Fine-scale spatiotemporal patterns of genetic variation reflect budding dispersal coupled with strong natal philopatry in a cooperatively breeding mammal. Mol Ecol 2012; 21:5348-62. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2012] [Revised: 07/07/2012] [Accepted: 07/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hazel J. Nichols
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge; CB2 3EJ; UK
| | - Neil R. Jordan
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge; CB2 3EJ; UK
| | - Gabriel A. Jamie
- Department of Zoology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge; CB2 3EJ; UK
| | - Michael A. Cant
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; University of Exeter; Cornwall Campus; Cornwall; TR10 9EZ; UK
| | - Joseph I. Hoffman
- Department of Animal Behaviour; University of Bielefeld; Postfach 100131; Bielefeld; 33501; Germany
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Perrin
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Kappeler PM, Fichtel C. Female reproductive competition in Eulemur rufifrons: eviction and reproductive restraint in a plurally breeding Malagasy primate. Mol Ecol 2011; 21:685-98. [PMID: 21880091 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05255.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In mammals with female philopatry, co-resident females inevitably compete with each other for resources or reproductive opportunities, thereby reducing the kin-selected benefits of altruism towards relatives. These counteracting forces of cooperation and competition among kin should be particularly pronounced in plurally breeding species with limited alternative breeding opportunities outside the natal group. However, little is still known about the costs of reproductive competition on females' fitness and the victims' potential counter-strategies. Here we summarize long-term behavioural, demographic and genetic data collected on a plurally breeding primate from Madagascar to illuminate mechanisms and effects of female reproductive competition, focusing on forcible eviction and potential reproductive restraint. The main results of our study indicate that females in groups of redfronted lemurs (Eulemur rufifrons) above a critical size suffer from competition from their close relatives: females in larger groups face an increased probability of not giving birth as well as a higher probability of being evicted, especially during the annual mating and birth seasons. Eviction is not predicted by the number of adult females, the number of close female relatives, female age or inter-annual variation in rainfall but only by total group size. Thus, eviction in this species is clearly linked with reproductive competition, it cannot be forestalled by reproductive restraint or having many relatives in the group, and it occurs in the absence of a clear dominance hierarchy. Our study therefore also underscores the notion that potential inclusive fitness benefits from living with relatives may have been generally over-rated and should not be taken for granted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany.
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