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Isidoro-Ayza M, Klein BS. Pathogenic strategies of Pseudogymnoascus destructans during torpor and arousal of hibernating bats. Science 2024; 385:194-200. [PMID: 38991070 DOI: 10.1126/science.adn5606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Millions of hibernating bats across North America have died from white-nose syndrome (WNS), an emerging disease caused by a psychrophilic (cold-loving) fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, that invades their skin. Mechanisms of P. destructans invasion of bat epidermis remain obscure. Guided by our in vivo observations, we modeled hibernation with a newly generated little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) keratinocyte cell line. We uncovered the stealth intracellular lifestyle of P. destructans, which inhibits apoptosis of keratinocytes and spreads through the cells by two epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-dependent mechanisms: active penetration during torpor and induced endocytosis during arousal. Melanin of endocytosed P. destructans blocks endolysosomal maturation, facilitating P. destructans survival and germination after return to torpor. Blockade of EGFR aborts P. destructans entry into keratinocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Isidoro-Ayza
- Department of Pediatrics, Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Bruce S Klein
- Department of Pediatrics, Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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2
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Buigues J, Viñals A, Martínez-Recio R, Monrós JS, Sanjuán R, Cuevas JM. Full-genome sequencing of dozens of new DNA viruses found in Spanish bat feces. Microbiol Spectr 2024:e0067524. [PMID: 38990026 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00675-24] [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: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Bats are natural hosts of multiple viruses, many of which have clear zoonotic potential. The search for emerging viruses has been aided by the implementation of metagenomic tools, which have also enabled the detection of unprecedented viral diversity. Currently, this search is mainly focused on RNA viruses, which are largely over-represented in databases. To compensate for this research bias, we analyzed fecal samples from 189 Spanish bats belonging to 22 different species using viral metagenomics. This allowed us to identify 52 complete or near-complete viral genomes belonging to the families Adenoviridae, Circoviridae, Genomoviridae, Papillomaviridae, Parvoviridae, Polyomaviridae and Smacoviridae. Of these, 30 could constitute new species, doubling the number of viruses currently described in Europe. These findings open the door to a more thorough analysis of bat DNA viruses and their zoonotic potential. IMPORTANCE Metagenomics has become a fundamental tool to characterize the global virosphere, allowing us not only to understand the existing viral diversity and its ecological implications but also to identify new and emerging viruses. RNA viruses have a higher zoonotic potential, but this risk is also present for some DNA virus families. In our study, we analyzed the DNA fraction of fecal samples from 22 Spanish bat species, identifying 52 complete or near-complete genomes of different viral families with zoonotic potential. This doubles the number of genomes currently described in Europe. Metagenomic data often produce partial genomes that can be difficult to analyze. Our work, however, has characterized a large number of complete genomes, thus facilitating their taxonomic classification and enabling different analyses to be carried out to evaluate their zoonotic potential. For example, recombination studies are relevant since this phenomenon could play a major role in cross-species transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Buigues
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), Universitat de València and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, València, Spain
| | - Adrià Viñals
- Institut Cavanilles de Biodiversitat i Biologia Evolutiva, Universitat de València, València, Spain
| | - Raquel Martínez-Recio
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), Universitat de València and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, València, Spain
| | - Juan S Monrós
- Institut Cavanilles de Biodiversitat i Biologia Evolutiva, Universitat de València, València, Spain
| | - Rafael Sanjuán
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), Universitat de València and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, València, Spain
- Department of Genetics, Universitat de València, València, Spain
| | - José M Cuevas
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio), Universitat de València and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, València, Spain
- Department of Genetics, Universitat de València, València, Spain
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3
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Cocchi M, Barboza CM, Garcia JG, Zamudio RM, Champi A, Novaes RLM, Costa-Neto SF, Moratelli R, Batista HBCR. Investigation of Rabies virus in wild mammals of the atlantic forest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2024:10.1007/s42770-024-01443-6. [PMID: 38980651 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-024-01443-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
With the successful control of rabies transmitted by dogs in Brazil, wild animals have played a relevant epidemiological role in the transmission of rabies virus (RABV). Bats, non-human primates and wild canines are the main wild animals that transmit RABV in the country. It is worth highlighting the possibility of synanthropic action of these species, when they become adapted to urban areas, causing infections in domestic animals and eventually in humans. This work aimed to evaluate the circulation of RABV in the Pedra Branca Forest, an Atlantic Forest area, located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Southeast Brazil. Saliva and blood samples were obtained from 60 individuals of eight species of bats, captured with mist nets, and 13 individuals of callitrichid primates, captured with tomahawk traps. Saliva samples were subjected to Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), targeting the RABV N gene, with all samples being negative. Blood samples of all animals were submitted to the Rapid Fluorescent Focus Inhibition Test (RFFIT) to detect neutralizing antibodies (Ab) for RABV. Six bat samples (8%) were seropositive for RABV with antibody titers greater than or equal to 0.1 IU/mL. The detection of Ab but not viral RNA indicates exposure rather than current RABV transmission in the analyzed populations. The results presented here reinforce the importance of serological studies in wildlife to access RABV circulation in a region.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Cocchi
- Universidade Federal do ABC, Paulista, Brasil.
| | - C M Barboza
- Universidade Federal do ABC, Paulista, Brasil
| | - J G Garcia
- Universidade Federal do ABC, Paulista, Brasil
| | - R M Zamudio
- Universidade Federal do ABC, Paulista, Brasil
| | - A Champi
- Universidade Federal do ABC, Paulista, Brasil
| | - R L M Novaes
- Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - S F Costa-Neto
- Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - R Moratelli
- Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - H B C R Batista
- Instituto Pasteur, Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de São Paulo, Santo André, Brasil
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4
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Gutiérrez EG, Maldonado JE, Castellanos-Morales G, Eguiarte LE, Martínez-Méndez N, Ortega J. Unraveling genomic features and phylogenomics through the analysis of three Mexican endemic Myotis genomes. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17651. [PMID: 38993980 PMCID: PMC11238727 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Genomic resource development for non-model organisms is rapidly progressing, seeking to uncover molecular mechanisms and evolutionary adaptations enabling thriving in diverse environments. Limited genomic data for bat species hinder insights into their evolutionary processes, particularly within the diverse Myotis genus of the Vespertilionidae family. In Mexico, 15 Myotis species exist, with three-M. vivesi, M. findleyi, and M. planiceps-being endemic and of conservation concern. Methods We obtained samples of Myotis vivesi, M. findleyi, and M. planiceps for genomic analysis. Each of three genomic DNA was extracted, sequenced, and assembled. The scaffolding was carried out utilizing the M. yumanensis genome via a genome-referenced approach within the ntJoin program. GapCloser was employed to fill gaps. Repeat elements were characterized, and gene prediction was done via ab initio and homology methods with MAKER pipeline. Functional annotation involved InterproScan, BLASTp, and KEGG. Non-coding RNAs were annotated with INFERNAL, and tRNAscan-SE. Orthologous genes were clustered using Orthofinder, and a phylogenomic tree was reconstructed using IQ-TREE. Results We present genome assemblies of these endemic species using Illumina NovaSeq 6000, each exceeding 2.0 Gb, with over 90% representing single-copy genes according to BUSCO analyses. Transposable elements, including LINEs and SINEs, constitute over 30% of each genome. Helitrons, consistent with Vespertilionids, were identified. Values around 20,000 genes from each of the three assemblies were derived from gene annotation and their correlation with specific functions. Comparative analysis of orthologs among eight Myotis species revealed 20,820 groups, with 4,789 being single copy orthogroups. Non-coding RNA elements were annotated. Phylogenomic tree analysis supported evolutionary chiropterans' relationships. These resources contribute significantly to understanding gene evolution, diversification patterns, and aiding conservation efforts for these endangered bat species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgar G. Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Zoología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Jesus E. Maldonado
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, D.C., United States of America
| | - Gabriela Castellanos-Morales
- Departamento de Conservación de la Biodiversidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Villahermosa (ECOSUR-Villahermosa), Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico
| | - Luis E. Eguiarte
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Norberto Martínez-Méndez
- Departamento de Zoología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Jorge Ortega
- Departamento de Zoología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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Parker MC, Fritts SR, Weaver SP, Meierhofer MB, Dutton J. Inter- and intraspecific variability of total mercury concentrations in bats of Texas (USA). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 259:119570. [PMID: 38971354 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to mercury (Hg) may cause deleterious health effects in wildlife, including bats. Texas produces more Hg pollution than any other state in the United States, yet only one study has examined Hg accumulation in bats. This study measured the concentration of total Hg (THg) in fur (n = 411) collected from ten bat species across 32 sites in eastern and central Texas, USA. Fur THg concentrations were compared among species, and when samples sizes were large enough, between sex and life stage within a species, and the proximity to coal-fired power plants. For all sites combined and species with a sample size ≥8, mean THg concentrations (μg/g dry weight) were greatest in tri-colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus; 6.04), followed by evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis; 5.89), cave myotis (Myotis velifer; 2.11), northern yellow bats (Lasiurus intermedius; 1.85), Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis; 1.03), and red bats (Lasiurus borealis/blossevillii; 0.974), and lowest in hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus; 0.809). Within a species, fur THg concentrations did not significantly vary between sex for the five examined species (red bat, northern yellow bat, cave myotis, evening bat, Brazilian free-tailed bat) and only between life stage in evening bats. Site variations in fur THg concentrations were observed for evening bats, tri-colored bats, and Brazilian free-tailed bats. Evening bats sampled closer to point sources of Hg pollution had greater fur THg concentrations than individuals sampled further away. Sixteen percent of evening bats and 8.7% of tri-colored bats had a fur THg concentration exceeding the 10 μg/g toxicity threshold level, suggesting that THg exposure may pose a risk to the health of bats in Texas, particularly those residing in east Texas and on the upper Gulf coast. The results of this study can be incorporated into future management and recovery plans for bats in Texas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Parker
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
| | - Sarah R Fritts
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
| | | | - Melissa B Meierhofer
- Department of Rangeland, Wildlife & Fisheries Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA; Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13, 00100, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Jessica Dutton
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
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Portillo A, Vega CM, Mena JL, Bonifaz E, Ascorra C, Silman MR, Fernandez LE. Mercury bioaccumulation in bats in Madre de Dios, Peru: implications for Hg bioindicators for tropical ecosystems impacted by artisanal and small-scale gold mining. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 33:457-469. [PMID: 38097853 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-023-02719-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) endangers human and wildlife health globally, primarily due to its release from artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM). During gold extraction, Hg is emitted into the environment and converted to highly toxic methylmercury by microorganisms. In Madre de Dios (MDD), Peru, ASGM dominates the economy and has transformed rainforests into expansive deforested areas punctuated by abandoned mining ponds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of bats as bioindicators for mercury pollution intensity in tropical terrestrial ecosystems impacted by ASGM. We collected 290 bat fur samples from three post-ASGM sites and one control site in Madre de Dios. Our results showed a wide Hg distribution in bats (0.001 to 117.71 mg/kg) strongly influenced by feeding habits. Insectivorous and piscivorous bats from ASGM sites presented elevated levels of Hg surpassing the mercury small mammal threshold for small mammals (10 mg/kg). We observed the highest reported fur mercury concentrations for insectivorous Neotropical bats reported to date (Rhynchonycteris naso, 117 mg/kg). Our findings further confirm that Hg emissions from ASGM are entering local food webs and exposing wildlife species at several trophic levels to higher levels of Hg than in areas not impacted by mining. We also found that three bat genera consistently showed increased Hg levels in ASGM sites relative to controls indicating potential usefulness as bioindicators of mercury loading in terrestrial ecosystems impacted by artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Portillo
- Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco, Museo de Historia Natural, Paraninfo Universitario (Plaza de armas s/n), Cusco, Perú.
| | - Claudia M Vega
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Perú
| | - Jose Luis Mena
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Biomédicas (INICIB), Universidad Ricardo Palma, Lima, Perú
| | - Emilio Bonifaz
- Museo de Historia Natural Vera Alleman Haeghebaert, Universidad Ricardo Palma, Lima, Peru
| | - Cesar Ascorra
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Perú
| | - Miles R Silman
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Perú
- Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, USA
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, USA
| | - Luis E Fernandez
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Perú
- Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, USA
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, USA
- Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institute for Science, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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Zou W, Wu P, Wei X, Zhou D, Deng Y, Jiang Y, Luo B, Liu W, Huo J, Peng S, Feng J. Artificial light affects foraging behavior of a synanthropic bat. Integr Zool 2024; 19:710-720. [PMID: 37987100 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12787] [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] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night has been considered an emerging threat to global biodiversity. However, the impacts of artificial light on foraging behavior in most wild animals remain largely unclear. Here, we aimed to assess whether artificial light affects foraging behavior in Asian parti-colored bats (Vespertilio sinensis). We manipulated the spectra of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting in a laboratory. Using video and audio recording, we monitored foraging onset, total foraging time, food consumption, freezing behavior (temporary cessation of body movement), and echolocation vocalizations in triads of bats under each lighting condition. Analyses showed that the foraging activities of experimental bats were reduced under LED light. Green, yellow, and red light had greater negative effects on bats' foraging onset, total foraging time, and food consumption than white and blue light. LED light of different spectra induced increased freezing time and echolocation vocalizations in captive bats, except for the white light. The peak wavelength of light emission correlated positively with freezing time, estimated echolocation pulse rate (the number of echolocation pulses per minute), and foraging onset, but negatively with total foraging time and food consumption. These results demonstrate that artificial light disturbs foraging behavior in Asian parti-colored bats. Our findings have implications for understanding the influencing mechanism of light pollution on bat foraging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyu Zou
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Pan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Xinyi Wei
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Daying Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Yingchun Deng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yunke Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Bo Luo
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
- Liziping Giant Panda's Ecology and Conservation Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province, Nanchong, China
| | - Wenqin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Jiaxin Huo
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Shichen Peng
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
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Novaes RLM, Almeida B, Cláudio VC, Costa-Neto SF, Couto ALG, Schmidt E, Bertocchi NA, Costa JO, Ferreira CF, de Oliveira AMR, Dos Santos MLM, Monteverde TSD, de Abreu EMN, Cunha ENP, Borges AR, Garcia JG, Barboza CM, Cocchi M, Batista HBCR, Moratelli R. Rabies virus circulation in a highly diverse bat assemblage from a high-risk area for zoonoses outbreaks in the Brazilian Amazon. Acta Trop 2024; 257:107309. [PMID: 38955321 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107309] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Bats are the second most diverse order of mammals and play a central role in ecosystem dynamics. They are also important reservoirs of potentially zoonotic microorganisms, of which rabies virus is the most lethal among the bat-transmitted zoonotic pathogens. Importantly, recent outbreaks of human rabies have been reported from the Brazilian Amazon. Here we present a survey of bat species and rabies virus (RABV) circulation in a bat assemblage in the Marajó region, northern Brazil. Using data from mist-net captures and bioacoustic sampling, 56 bat species were recorded along the Jacundá River basin over a 10-day expedition in November 2022. For the investigation of RABV, we used the direct fluorescent antibody test (DFAT) and the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT). In total, 159 bat individuals from 22 species were investigated for RABV. Five adults of the common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, showed RABV-specific antibodies in serum samples. Additionally, we report on local residents with injuries caused by D. rotundus bites and the occurrence of colonies of non-hematophagous bats from different species roosting inside human residences. This scenario raises concerns about the risks of new cases of human rabies and other zoonotic diseases associated with bats in the region and highlights the need for epidemiological surveillance and mitigation measures to prevent outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brunna Almeida
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Vinícius C Cláudio
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Sócrates F Costa-Neto
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ademar Luiz G Couto
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ellen Schmidt
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Natasha A Bertocchi
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Claudio F Ferreira
- Secretaria de Saúde Pública do Estado do Pará, Divisão de Vigilância em Saúde - Nível Central, 66093-677, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Adi Marcus R de Oliveira
- Secretaria de Saúde Pública do Estado do Pará, Divisão de Vigilância em Saúde - Nível Central, 66093-677, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Mara Lucia M Dos Santos
- Secretaria de Saúde Pública do Estado do Pará, Divisão de Vigilância em Saúde - Nível Central, 66093-677, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Thays Steffanny D Monteverde
- Secretaria de Saúde Pública do Estado do Pará, Divisão de Vigilância em Saúde - Nível Central, 66093-677, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Elke Maria N de Abreu
- Secretaria de Saúde Pública do Estado do Pará, Divisão de Vigilância em Saúde - Nível Central, 66093-677, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Erickson N P Cunha
- Secretaria de Saúde Pública do Estado do Pará, 8º Centro Regional de Saúde, 68800-000, Breves, PA, Brazil
| | - Ailton R Borges
- Secretaria de Saúde Pública do Estado do Pará, 8º Centro Regional de Saúde, 68800-000, Breves, PA, Brazil
| | - Jaíne G Garcia
- Instituto Pasteur de São Paulo, Setor de Virologia, 01311-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Camila M Barboza
- Instituto Pasteur de São Paulo, Setor de Virologia, 01311-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Micheli Cocchi
- Instituto Pasteur de São Paulo, Setor de Virologia, 01311-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Ricardo Moratelli
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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9
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Giunta F, Hernout BV, Langen TA, Twiss MR. A systematic review of trace elements in the tissues of bats (Chiroptera). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 356:124349. [PMID: 38866315 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Bats constitute about 22% of known mammal species; they have various ecological roles and provide many ecosystem services. Bats suffer from several threats caused by anthropization, including exposure to toxic metals and metalloids. We analyzed 75 papers in a systematic literature review to investigate how species, diet, and tissue type impact bioaccumulation. Most studies documented element accumulation in fur, liver, and kidney; at least 36 metals and metalloids have been measured in bat tissues, among the most studied were mercury and zinc. Comparisons with known toxicological thresholds for other mammals showed concerning values for mercury and zinc in bat hair, lead and some essential metals in liver, and iron and calcium in kidneys. Moreover, accumulation patterns in tissues differed depending on bat diet: insectivorous bats showed higher metal concentrations in fur than in liver and kidney while frugivorous species showed higher values in liver and kidney than in fur. Finally, among the bat species that have been studied in more than two papers, the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) show values of mercury in hair and copper in liver that exceed the known thresholds; as does copper in the liver of the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus). Most studies have been conducted in temperate North America and Eurasia, areas with the lowest bat species diversity; there is a paucity of data on tropical bat species. This review points out several information gaps in the understanding of metal contamination in bats, including a lack of measured toxicity thresholds specific for bat tissues. Data on trace element bioaccumulation and its associated health effects on bats is important for conservation of bat species, many of which are threatened.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Giunta
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, otsdam, NY, USA
| | - Beatrice V Hernout
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, otsdam, NY, USA; Institute for a Sustainable Environment, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, Potsdam, NY, USA; Exponent Inc, 1075 Worcester St, Natick, MA, 01760, USA
| | - Tom A Langen
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, otsdam, NY, USA
| | - Michael R Twiss
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, otsdam, NY, USA; Faculty of Science, Algoma University, 1520 Queen Street East, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, P6A 2G4, Canada.
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10
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Duco RAJ, Villancio GG, Paller VGV, Alviola PA. Gastrointestinal parasitic helminths of bats from a cave in Luzon Island, Philippines. Helminthologia 2024; 61:151-165. [PMID: 39040805 PMCID: PMC11260316 DOI: 10.2478/helm-2024-0016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Bats are often associated with several zoonotic diseases, including helminth infections. Despite their potential detrimental effects on both human and bat populations, information on helminth parasites of Philippine bats remains scarce. Here, we identify gastrointestinal helminths parasitizing bats collected from a cave complex in Cavinti, Laguna Province, Philippines, determine their prevalence (P) and mean intensity (MI), and investigate relationship of helminth prevalence and intensity with bat host characteristics including sex, diet, age, and roosting habit. We isolated 581 individuals of helminths representing six taxa (three trematodes, two nematodes, one cestode) from the gastrointestinal tract of sampled bats. Helminths were observed in 82 out of 172 bats captured (P = 47.67%), with Miniopteruspaululus having the highest infection rate (P = 91.3%) and highest MI (18 ± 4.5/infected bat). Helminths parasitizing endemic bat species from the Philippines, such as Rhinolophus rufus, Rhinolophus inops, Hipposideros pygmaeus, and Ptenochirus jagori were reported here for the first time. We provide new host records for other helminth species and report the presence of two parasites, Plagiorchis sp. and Toxocara sp., known for their zoonotic potential. These data will contribute to efforts in identifying parasites and diseases harbored by bats in the country and develop additional conservation measures for bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. A. J. Duco
- Biodiversity Research Laboratory, Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City1101, Philippines
| | - G. G. Villancio
- School of Environmental Science and Management, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna4031, Philippines
| | - V. G. V. Paller
- Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna4031, Philippines
| | - P. A. Alviola
- Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna4031, Philippines
- Museum of Natural History, CFNR Quadrangle, Upper Campus, University of the Philippines Los Baños College, Laguna4031, Philippines; Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna4031, Philippines
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11
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Vieira TB, Alexandre RJR, Pena SA, Correia LL, Brasil ADS, Aguiar LMDS, De Marco P, Ditchfield AD. Some bats are here: Reducing the Wallacean shortfall of bats in the amazon. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11392. [PMID: 38840584 PMCID: PMC11150423 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The Amazon rainforest has approximately 23% of its sampled area dedicated to bats, making it one of the least sampled and most diverse regions for bats in Brazil. The lack of sampling results in a lack of knowledge regarding the accurate geographical distribution of bat species. This lack is referred to as the Wallacean shortfall, which should be addressed with primary data obtained from in situ collections. However, the use of Species Distribution Models (SDMs) can help alleviate this gap. The states of Pará and Acre are located in the Brazilian Amazon. So, our objective is to decrease the Wallacean shortfall concerning Amazonian bat species. To achieve this, we provide (i) a list of bat species sampled in the states of Pará and Acre in the last 5 years (2017 to 2022); (ii) the potential distribution of species considered as new occurrences for the region; and (iii) the potential distribution of species classified as Data Deficient (DD) and Near Threatened (NT) according to the IUCN classification. With 96 nights of collection and 129,600 m2h of mist netting, we obtained 75 bat species, with an estimated total of 94.78 species. Additionally, 21 species were considered as range extensions. The Brazilian Amazon region has a vast geographic expanse and few established research centers, resulting in a limited sampling of bats and other biological groups. Furthermore, we draw attention to the significant number of bat species with expanded geographical distributions, with 21 out of the 75 sampled species. This should be a reminder that primary biogeographic data is still necessary for the neotropical region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Bernardi Vieira
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Faculdade de Ciências Biológicas (FCB)Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA)AltamiraPABrazil
| | | | - Simone Almeida Pena
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia (PPGECO)Universidade Federal do ParáBelémBrazil
| | - Letícia Lima Correia
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia (PPGECO)Universidade Federal do ParáBelémBrazil
| | - Ariane de Sousa Brasil
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Faculdade de Ciências Biológicas (FCB)Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA)AltamiraPABrazil
| | - Ludmilla Moura de Souza Aguiar
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia, Laboratório de Biologia e Conservação de Morcegos, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências BiológicasUniversidade de BrasíliaBrasíliaDFBrazil
| | - Paulo De Marco
- Theoretical, Metacommunity and Landscape Ecology Laboratory, Instituto de Ciências BiológicasUniversidade Federal de GoiásGoiásBrazil
| | - Albert David Ditchfield
- Laboratório de Estudos em Quirópteros (LABEQ), Departamento de Ciências BiológicasUniversidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES)VitóriaESBrazil
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12
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Song B, Chen J, Lev-Yadun S, Niu Y, Gao Y, Ma R, Armbruster WS, Sun H. Multifunctionality of angiosperm floral bracts: a review. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1100-1120. [PMID: 38291834 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13060] [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: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Floral bracts (bracteoles, cataphylls) are leaf-like organs that subtend flowers or inflorescences but are of non-floral origin; they occur in a wide diversity of species, representing multiple independent origins, and exhibit great variation in form and function. Although much attention has been paid to bracts over the past 150 years, our understanding of their adaptive significance remains remarkably incomplete. This is because most studies of bract function and evolution focus on only one or a few selective factors. It is widely recognised that bracts experience selection mediated by pollinators, particularly for enhancing pollinator attraction through strong visual, olfactory, or echo-acoustic contrast with the background and through signalling the presence of pollinator rewards, either honestly (providing rewards for pollinators), or deceptively (attraction without reward or even trapping pollinators). However, studies in recent decades have demonstrated that bract evolution is also affected by agents other than pollinators. Bracts can protect flowers, fruits, or seeds from herbivores by displaying warning signals, camouflaging conspicuous reproductive organs, or by providing physical barriers or toxic chemicals. Reviews of published studies show that bracts can also promote seed dispersal and ameliorate the effects of abiotic stressors, such as low temperature, strong ultraviolet radiation, heavy rain, drought, and/or mechanical abrasion, on reproductive organs or for the plants' pollinators. In addition, green bracts and greening of colourful bracts after pollination promote photosynthetic activity, providing substantial carbon (photosynthates) for fruit or seed development, especially late in a plant's life cycle or season, when leaves have started to senesce. A further layer of complexity derives from the fact that the agents of selection driving the evolution of bracts vary between species and even between different developmental stages within a species, and selection by one agent can be reinforced or opposed by other agents. In summary, our survey of the literature reveals that bracts are multifunctional and subject to multiple agents of selection. To understand fully the functional and evolutionary significance of bracts, it is necessary to consider multiple selection agents throughout the life of the plant, using integrative approaches to data collection and analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Song
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia/Yunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Jiaqi Chen
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia/Yunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, 650201, China
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Huannan Road, East of University Town, Chenggong New Area, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Simcha Lev-Yadun
- Department of Biology and Environment, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa at Oranim, Kiryat Tiv'on, 36006, Israel
| | - Yang Niu
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia/Yunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Yongqian Gao
- Yunnan Forestry Technological College, 1 Jindian, Kunming, 650224, China
| | - Rong Ma
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia/Yunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - W Scott Armbruster
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, King Henry I Street, Portsmouth, PO1 2DY, UK
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, PO Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Hang Sun
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia/Yunnan Key Laboratory for Integrative Conservation of Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, 650201, China
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13
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Gelambi M, Whitehead SR. Untargeted Metabolomics Reveals Fruit Secondary Metabolites Alter Bat Nutrient Absorption. J Chem Ecol 2024:10.1007/s10886-024-01503-z. [PMID: 38758510 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-024-01503-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
The ecological interaction between fleshy fruits and frugivores is influenced by diverse mixtures of secondary metabolites that naturally occur in the fruit pulp. Although some fruit secondary metabolites have a primary role in defending the pulp against antagonistic frugivores, these metabolites also potentially affect mutualistic interactions. The physiological impact of these secondary metabolites on mutualistic frugivores remains largely unexplored. Using a mutualistic fruit bat (Carollia perspicillata), we showed that ingesting four secondary metabolites commonly found in plant tissues affects bat foraging behavior and induces changes in the fecal metabolome. Our behavioral trials showed that the metabolites tested typically deter bats. Our metabolomic surveys suggest that secondary metabolites alter, either by increasing or decreasing, the absorption of essential macronutrients. These behavioral and physiological effects vary based on the specific identity and concentration of the metabolite tested. Our results also suggest that a portion of the secondary metabolites consumed is excreted by the bat intact or slightly modified. By identifying key shifts in the fecal metabolome of a mutualistic frugivore caused by secondary metabolite consumption, this study improves our understanding of the effects of fruit chemistry on frugivore physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Gelambi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Latham Hall RM 427, 220 Ag Quad Lane, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA.
- La Selva Biological Station, Organization for Tropical Studies, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Heredia Province, Costa Rica.
| | - Susan R Whitehead
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Latham Hall RM 427, 220 Ag Quad Lane, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA
- La Selva Biological Station, Organization for Tropical Studies, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Heredia Province, Costa Rica
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14
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Vescera C, Van Vyve C, Smits Q, Michaux JR. All-you-can-eat buffet: A spider-specialized bat species (Myotis emarginatus) turns into a pest fly eater around cattle. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302028. [PMID: 38718094 PMCID: PMC11078406 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Determining the dietary spectrum of European insectivorous bats over time is the cornerstone of their conservation, as it will aid our understanding of foraging behavior plasticity in response to plummeting insect populations. Despite the global decline in insects, a restricted number of arthropod pest species thrive. Yet past research has overlooked the potential of European bats to suppress pests harmful to woodlands or livestock, in spite of their economic relevance. Here we investigated the diet composition, its breeding season variations and pest consumption of an insectivorous bat species (Myotis emarginatus), at the northern edge of its range (Wallonia, Belgium). We also explored the prey ecology to gain insight into the hunting strategies and foraging habitats of this bat species. We used DNA metabarcoding to amplify two COI markers within 195 bat droppings collected in June, July and August, thereby identifying 512 prey taxa predominated by Diptera, Araneae and Lepidoptera. Overall, in 97% of the samples we detected at least one of the 58 potential pest taxa, 41 of which targeting trees. The June samples were marked by a diet rich in orb-weaver spiders, in accordance with the archetypal diet of M. emarginatus bats. However, during the highly energy demanding July-August parturition and lactation period, roughly 55% of the dropping samples contained two cattle fly pests (Stomoxys calcitrans and Musca domestica). Moreover, among the 88 Diptera species preyed upon by M. emarginatus in July and August, these flies accounted for around 50% of the taxa occurrences. This plasticity-the switch from a spider-rich to a fly-rich diet-seems providential considering the dramatic ongoing drop in insect populations but this involves ensuring bat-friendly cattle farming. Our results revealed that bats widely consume pest entomofauna, thereby highlighting their potential role as allies of forest managers and farmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Vescera
- Conservation Genetics Laboratory, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Quentin Smits
- Département de l’Etude du Milieu Naturel et Agricole (DEMNA), Service Public de Wallonie (SPW), Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Johan R. Michaux
- Conservation Genetics Laboratory, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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15
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Peter M, Bakanov N, Mathgen X, Brühl CA, Veith M, Müller C. Multiresidue analysis of bat guano using GC-MS/MS. Anal Bioanal Chem 2024; 416:3149-3160. [PMID: 38563959 PMCID: PMC11068669 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-024-05263-3] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Bats are the second largest mammalian order and are an endangered species group with a strong need for contamination monitoring. To facilitate non-invasive monitoring of the ecological burden in bat populations, a multiresidue method for the simultaneous quantification of 119 analytes including pesticides, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), UV blockers, plasticizers, and other emerging pollutants in bat guano with gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was developed. Sample preparation and clean-up were performed with a modified QuEChERS approach based on DIN EN 15662. The method uses 1.00 g bat guano as sample with acetonitrile and water for liquid-liquid extraction. Phase separation is assisted by citrate-buffered salting out agent. For clean-up of the extract, primary secondary amine (PSA) was combined with graphitized carbon black (GCB). The lower limits of quantification (LLOQ) ranged between 2.5 and 250 µg kg-1. Linearity was shown in a concentration range from the respective LLOQs to 1250 µg kg-1. The median of the mean recovery was 102.4%. Precision was tested at three concentrations. Method and injection precision were adequate with a relative standard deviation (RSD) below 20%. Furthermore, the comparative analysis with LC-MS/MS demonstrated the reliability of the results and provided a valuable extension of the analytical scope. As proof of concept, three guano samples from a German nursery roost of Myotis myotis were analysed. The results show a time-dependent change in contaminant concentration, highlighting the strong need for non-invasive contamination monitoring of whole bat populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Peter
- Department of Pharmacy, Center for Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Nikita Bakanov
- iES Landau, Institute of Enivonmental Sciences Landau, University Kaiserslautern-Landau, 76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Xenia Mathgen
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, 54296, Trier, Germany
- State Office for Agriculture and Environement of Western Pomerania, 18439, Stralsund, Germany
| | - Carsten A Brühl
- iES Landau, Institute of Enivonmental Sciences Landau, University Kaiserslautern-Landau, 76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Michael Veith
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, 54296, Trier, Germany
| | - Christoph Müller
- Department of Pharmacy, Center for Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377, Munich, Germany.
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16
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Kirk DA, Collins SJ, Martínez-Lanfranco JA, Martin AE. Crop cover and nutrient levels mediate the effects of land management type on aquatic invertebrate richness in prairie potholes. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0295001. [PMID: 38626237 PMCID: PMC11020495 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Aquatic invertebrates provide important ecosystem services, including decomposition and nutrient cycling, and provide nutrition for birds, fish, amphibians, and bats. Thus, the effects of agricultural land management practices on aquatic invertebrates are relevant to farmers, wildlife biologists, and policymakers. Here, we used data on aquatic invertebrates (159 taxa, 73 to species, 75 to genus/family) collected in 40 wetlands in the Canadian prairies to test for direct and indirect relationships among land management types (perennial cover, organic, minimum tillage, conventional), landscape structure (cropland and wetland cover within the surrounding landscape), and water quality (total nutrient levels, turbidity) on species richness of invertebrates using structural equation modelling. Additionally, we assessed variation in community composition within and among wetlands in different land use management types using a direct gradient analysis and variance partitioning. The direct effects of land management type were not supported but we found strong supportive evidence that effects of land management on richness were significantly mediated through cropland cover, nutrient levels, and turbidity. After controlling for these indirect effects, aquatic invertebrate richness decreased along a gradient from the lowest to the highest farming intensity, i.e., richness decreased from perennial cover sites to organic to minimum tillage to conventional sites. Support was also found for negative effects of nutrient levels and turbidity on richness. We did not find significant support for differences in gamma diversity or a simple test (homogeneity of multivariate dispersions) of differences in turnover among land management types; however, land management had a significant effect in distance-based redundancy analysis. Taken together, these results suggest that focusing conservation efforts on reducing cropland erosion and nutrient inputs to wetlands and creating more permanent cover may be effective strategies for conserving richness of aquatic invertebrates in agricultural landscapes in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Anthony Kirk
- Aquila Conservation & Environment Consulting, Carlsbad Springs, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sara J. Collins
- Geomatics and Landscape Ecology Laboratory (GLEL), Ottawa-Carleton Institute of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Juan Andrés Martínez-Lanfranco
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science Building, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Amanda E. Martin
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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17
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Henley L, Finch D, Mathews F, Jones O, Woolley TE. A simple and fast method for estimating bat roost locations. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231999. [PMID: 38660598 PMCID: PMC11040240 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Bats play a pivotal role in pest control, pollination and seed dispersal. Despite their ecological significance, locating bat roosts remains a challenging task for ecologists. Traditional field surveys are time-consuming, expensive and may disturb sensitive bat populations. In this article, we combine data from static audio detectors with a bat movement model to facilitate the detection of bat roosts. Crucially, our technique not only provides a point prediction for the most likely location of a bat roost, but because of the algorithm's speed, it can be applied over an entire landscape, resulting in a likelihood map, which provides optimal searching regions. To illustrate the success of the algorithm and highlight limitations, we apply our technique to greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) acoustic data acquired from six surveys from four different UK locations and over six different times in the year. Furthermore, we investigate what happens to the accuracy of our predictions in the case that the roost is not contained within the area spanned by the detectors. This innovative approach to searching rural environments holds the potential to greatly reduce the labour required for roost finding, and, hence, enhance the conservation efforts of bat populations and their habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Henley
- Cardiff School of Mathematics, Cardiff University, CardiffCF24 4AG, UK
| | - Domhnall Finch
- University of Sussex, John Maynard Smith Building, BrightonBN1 9RH, UK
- National Parks and Wildlife Service, North DublinD07 N7CV, Ireland
| | - Fiona Mathews
- University of Sussex, John Maynard Smith Building, BrightonBN1 9RH, UK
| | - Owen Jones
- Cardiff School of Mathematics, Cardiff University, CardiffCF24 4AG, UK
| | - Thomas E. Woolley
- Cardiff School of Mathematics, Cardiff University, CardiffCF24 4AG, UK
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18
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Voigt CC, Bernard E, Huang JCC, Frick WF, Kerbiriou C, MacEwan K, Mathews F, Rodríguez-Durán A, Scholz C, Webala PW, Welbergen J, Whitby M. Toward solving the global green-green dilemma between wind energy production and bat conservation. Bioscience 2024; 74:240-252. [PMID: 38720909 PMCID: PMC11075649 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biae023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Wind energy production is growing rapidly worldwide in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, wind energy production is not environmentally neutral. Negative impacts on volant animals, such as bats, include fatalities at turbines and habitat loss due to land-use change and displacement. Siting turbines away from ecologically sensitive areas and implementing measures to reduce fatalities are critical to protecting bat populations. Restricting turbine operations during periods of high bat activity is the most effective form of mitigation currently available to reduce fatalities. Compensating for habitat loss and offsetting mortality are not often practiced, because meaningful offsets are lacking. Legal frameworks to prevent or mitigate the negative impacts of wind energy on bats are absent in most countries, especially in emerging markets. Therefore, governments and lending institutions are key in reconciling wind energy production with biodiversity goals by requiring sufficient environmental standards for wind energy projects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Enrico Bernard
- Laboratório de Ciência Aplicada a Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Joe Chun-Chia Huang
- Department of Life Science at the National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | | | - Christian Kerbiriou
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique at Sorbonne Université Station Marine, in Concarneau, France
| | - Kate MacEwan
- Western EcoSystems Technology, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States
| | - Fiona Mathews
- School of Life Sciences at the University of Sussex, Falmer, England, United Kingdom
| | | | - Carolin Scholz
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul W Webala
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management at Maasai Mara University, Narok, Kenya
| | - Justin Welbergen
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment at Western Sydney University, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael Whitby
- Bat Conservation International, Austin, Texas, United States
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Deng F, Morales-Sosa P, Bernal-Rivera A, Wang Y, Tsuchiya D, Javier JE, Rohner N, Zhao C, Camacho J. Establishing Primary and Stable Cell Lines from Frozen Wing Biopsies for Cellular, Physiological, and Genetic Studies in Bats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.22.586286. [PMID: 38585913 PMCID: PMC10996558 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.22.586286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Bats stand out among mammalian species for their exceptional traits, including the capacity to navigate through flight and echolocation, conserve energy through torpor/hibernation, harbor a multitude of viruses, exhibit resistance to disease, survive harsh environmental conditions, and demonstrate exceptional longevity compared to other mammals of similar size. In vivo studies of bats can be challenging for several reasons such as ability to locate and capture them in their natural environments, limited accessibility, low sample size, environmental variation, long lifespans, slow reproductive rates, zoonotic disease risks, species protection, and ethical concerns. Thus, establishing alternative laboratory models is crucial for investigating the diverse physiological adaptations observed in bats. Obtaining quality cells from tissues is a critical first step for successful primary cell derivation. However, it is often impractical to collect fresh tissue and process the samples immediately for cell culture due to the resources required for isolating and expanding cells. As a result, frozen tissue is typically the starting resource for bat primary cell derivation. Yet, cells in frozen tissue are usually damaged and represent low integrity and viability. As a result, isolating primary cells from frozen tissues poses a significant challenge. Herein, we present a successfully developed protocol for isolating primary dermal fibroblasts from frozen bat wing biopsies. This protocol marks a significant milestone, as this the first protocol specially focused on fibroblasts isolation from bat frozen tissue. We also describe methods for primary cell characterization, genetic manipulation of primary cells through lentivirus transduction, and the development of stable cell lines. Basic Protocol 1: Bat wing biopsy collection and preservation Support Protocol 1: Blood collection from bat- venipuncture Basic Protocol 2: Isolation of primary fibroblasts from adult bat frozen wing biopsy Support Protocol 2: Maintenance of primary fibroblasts Support Protocol 3: Cell banking and thawing of primary fibroblasts Support Protocol 4: Growth curve and doubling time Support Protocol 5: Lentiviral transduction of bat primary fibroblasts Basic Protocol 3: Bat stable fibroblasts cell lines development Support Protocol 6: Bat fibroblasts validation by immunofluorescence staining Support Protocol 7: Chromosome counting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengyan Deng
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA, 64110
| | | | | | - Yan Wang
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA, 64110
| | - Dai Tsuchiya
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA, 64110
| | | | - Nicolas Rohner
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA, 64110
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA, 66103
| | - Chongbei Zhao
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA, 64110
| | - Jasmin Camacho
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA, 64110
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20
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Vidal LLL, de Souza Santos LV, Talamoni SA. Ecotoxicology of heavy metal contamination of Neotropical bats. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:391. [PMID: 38517570 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12553-x] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Although bats are responsible for many ecosystem services on which humans depend, they are frequently exposed to multiple anthropogenic stressors. Heavy metal (HM) exposure is an emerging threat of great significance to bats, yet the toxicity threshold for most metallic elements remains unknown. The greatest diversity of bats worldwide is in the Neotropical region, where ecotoxicological studies are scarce. Thus, this review provides a current overview of the knowledge available on HMs contamination of Neotropical bats. Analysis of the results of 17 articles published between 2000 and 2023 documented a trend of increasing interest in the topic, although it is incipient and in few countries. Of the 226 species known for the Neotropics, 95 have been investigated for metal concentrations. Seven different matrices were used to assess concentrations of heavy metals in tissues, with fur being the subject of eight studies, highlighting the search for non-invasive analysis. Twenty-one HMs were detected in bats, with mercury being the most common. The highest concentrations of this HM were detected in insectivorous/omnivorous bats, highlighting its magnification in this trophic guild compared to frugivorous bats. Copper, lead, and cadmium did not differ significantly among the other trophic guilds. This review shows that there is knowledge about concentrations of heavy metals in several Neotropical species, but knowledge about the impact of these concentrations on bat health is limited, which highlights the need for research to determine critical concentrations that cause damage to bat health, and that guide conservation actions for their populations, as well as environmental monitoring actions for these pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luísa Lauren Lima Vidal
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Vertebrados, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 30535-610, Brazil.
| | - Lucilaine Valéria de Souza Santos
- Departamento de Engenharia Química, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 30535610, Brazil
| | - Sônia Aparecida Talamoni
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Vertebrados, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 30535-610, Brazil.
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Wang Z, Pei S, Ye R, Chen J, Cheng N, Zhao M, Cao W, Jia Z. Increasing evolution, prevalence, and outbreaks for rift valley fever virus in the process of breaking geographical barriers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 917:170302. [PMID: 38272089 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170302] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rift valley fever (RVF) is listed as one of prioritized diseases by WHO. This study aims to describe RVF virus' landscape distribution globally, and to insight dynamics change of its evolution, prevalence, and outbreaks in the process of breaking geographical barriers. METHODS A systematic literature review and meta-analyses was conducted to estimate RVF prevalence by hosts using a random-effect model. Molecular clock-based phylogenetic analyses were performed to estimate RVF virus nucleotide substitution rates using nucleotide sequences in NCBI database. RVF virus prevalence, nucleotide substitution rates, and outbreaks were compared before and after breaking geographical barriers twice, respectively. RESULTS RVF virus was reported from 26 kinds of hosts covering 48 countries from 1930 to 2022. Since RVF broke geographical barriers, (1) nucleotide substitution rates significantly increased after firstly spreading out of Africa in 2000, (2) prevalence in humans significantly increased from 1.92 % (95 % CI: 0.86-3.25 %) to 3.03 % (95 % CI: 2.09-4.12 %) after it broke Sahara Desert geographical barriers in 1977, and to 5.24 % (95 % CI: 3.81-6.82 %) after 2000, (3) RVF outbreaks in humans and the number of wildlife hosts presented increasing trends. RVF virus spillover may exist between bats and humans, and accelerate viral substitution rates in humans. During outbreaks, the RVF virus substitution rates accelerated in humans. 60.00 % RVF outbreaks occurred 0-2 months after floods and (or) heavy rainfall. CONCLUSION RVF has the increasing risk to cause pandemics, and global collaboration on "One Health" is needed to prevent potential pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zekun Wang
- School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Shaojun Pei
- School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Runze Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Jingyuan Chen
- School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Nuo Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Mingchen Zhao
- School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Wuchun Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhongwei Jia
- School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China; Center for Intelligent Public Health, Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Peking University, Beijing, China; Center for Drug Abuse Control and Prevention, National Institute of Health Data Science, Peking University, Beijing, China; Peking University Clinical Research Institute, Beijing, China.
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22
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Zhou D, Deng Y, Wei X, Li T, Li Z, Wang S, Jiang Y, Liu W, Luo B, Feng J. Behavioral responses of cave-roosting bats to artificial light of different spectra and intensities: Implications for lighting management strategy. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 916:170339. [PMID: 38278253 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170339] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Artificial light at night has become an emerging environmental pollutant, posing a serious threat to biodiversity. Cave-roosting animals are vulnerable to light pollution due to long-term adaptation to nocturnal niches, and the problem is especially severe in the context of cave tourism and limestone mining. Mitigating the adverse impacts of artificial light on cave-dwelling animals presents a challenge. This study aimed to assess the relative contributions of spectral parameters and light intensity to the emergence behavior of nine cave-roosting bat species: Rhinolophus macrotis, Rhinolophus pearsonii, Rhinolophus rex, Rhinolophus pusillus, Rhinolophus siamensis, Rhinolophus sinicus, Hipposideros armiger, Myotis davidii, and Miniopterus fuliginosus. We manipulated light spectra and intensities through light-emitting diode (LED) lighting and gel filters at the entrance of bat roost. We monitored nightly passes per species to quantify bat emergence under the dark control and ten lighting conditions (blue, green, yellow, red, and white light at high and low intensities) using ultrasonic recording. Our analyses showed that the number of bat passes tended to be reduced in the presence of white, green, and yellow light, independent of light intensity. In contrast, the number of bat passes showed no pronounced differences under the dark control, blue light, and red light. The number of bat passes was primarily affected by LED light's blue component, red component, peak wavelength, and half-width instead of light intensity. These results demonstrate that spectral parameters of LED light can significantly affect emergence behavior of cave-dwelling bats. Our findings highlight the importance of manipulating light colors to reduce the negative impacts of light pollution on cave-roosting bats as a function of their spectral sensitivity. We recommend the use of gel filters to manage existing artificial lighting systems at the entrance of bat-inhabited caves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daying Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, 1# Shida Road, Nanchong 637009, China; Liziping Giant Panda's Ecology and Conservation Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province, Nanchong 637000, China
| | - Yingchun Deng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Xinyi Wei
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, 1# Shida Road, Nanchong 637009, China
| | - Taohong Li
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, 1# Shida Road, Nanchong 637009, China
| | - Ziyi Li
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, 1# Shida Road, Nanchong 637009, China
| | - Sirui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, 1# Shida Road, Nanchong 637009, China
| | - Yunke Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, 1# Shida Road, Nanchong 637009, China
| | - Wenqin Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Bo Luo
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, 1# Shida Road, Nanchong 637009, China; Liziping Giant Panda's Ecology and Conservation Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province, Nanchong 637000, China.
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China; College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, 2888 Xincheng street, Changchun 130118, China.
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23
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Zhu D, Liu Y, Gong L, Si M, Wang Q, Feng J, Jiang T. The Consumption and Diversity Variation Responses of Agricultural Pests and Their Dietary Niche Differentiation in Insectivorous Bats. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:815. [PMID: 38473199 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Insectivorous bats are generalist predators and can flexibly respond to fluctuations in the distribution and abundance of insect prey. To better understand the effects of bats on arthropod pests, the types of pests eaten by bats and the response of bats to insect prey need to be determined. In this study, we performed DNA metabarcoding to examine prey composition and pest diversity in the diets of four insectivorous species of bats (Hipposideros armiger, Taphozous melanopogon, Aselliscus stoliczkanus, and Miniopterus fuliginosus). We evaluated the correlation between bat activity and insect resources and assessed dietary niche similarity and niche breadth among species and factors that influence prey consumption in bats. We found that the diets of these bats included arthropods from 23 orders and 200 families, dominated by Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Diptera. The proportion of agricultural pests in the diet of each of the four species of bats exceeded 40% and comprised 713 agricultural pests, including those that caused severe economic losses. Bats responded to the availability of insects. For example, a higher abundance of insects, especially Lepidoptera, and a higher insect diversity led to an increase in the duration of bat activity. In areas with more abundant insects, the number of bat passes also increased. The dietary composition, diversity, and niches differed among species and were particularly significant between H. armiger and T. melanopogon; the dietary niche width was the greatest in A. stoliczkanus and the narrowest in H. armiger. The diet of bats was correlated with their morphological and echolocation traits. Larger bats preyed more on insects in the order Coleoptera, whereas the proportion of bats consuming insects in the order Lepidoptera increased as the body size decreased. Bats that emitted echolocation calls with a high peak frequency and duration preyed more on insects in the order Mantodea. Our results suggest that dietary niche differentiation promotes the coexistence of different bat species and increases the ability of bats to consume insect prey and agricultural pests. Our findings provide greater insights into the role of bats that prey on agricultural pests and highlight the importance of combining bat conservation with integrated pest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Zhu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Yingying Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Lixin Gong
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Man Si
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
| | - Qiuya Wang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, 2888 Xincheng Street, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, 2888 Xincheng Street, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Tinglei Jiang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun 130117, China
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24
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Stewart AB, Srilopan S, Wayo K, Hassa P, Dudash MR, Bumrungsri S. Bat pollinators: a decade of monitoring reveals declining visitation rates for some species in Thailand. ZOOLOGICAL LETTERS 2024; 10:5. [PMID: 38431697 PMCID: PMC10908063 DOI: 10.1186/s40851-024-00228-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Bats are important pollinators, but they are difficult to study since they are volant and nocturnal. Thus, long-term studies of nectarivorous bats are scarce, despite their potential to help assess trends in bat populations and their pollination services. We used capture rates of nectarivorous bats at chiropterophilous flowers in order to examine temporal trends in bat visitation in an area that is undergoing extensive land use change. We mist-netted at five bat-pollinated plant taxa (Durio zibethinus, Musa acuminata, Oroxylum indicum, Parkia speciosa, and Sonneratia spp.) in southern Thailand over six years between 2011 and 2021. We found that the most common bat species, Eonycteris spelaea, was the main visitor at all five plant taxa and had consistent visitation rates across all study years. In contrast, two other important pollinators, Macroglossus minimus and M. sobrinus, showed 80% declines in the number of individuals netted at mangrove apple (Sonneratia spp.) and banana (Musa acuminata) flowers, respectively. These findings suggest that E. spelaea (a large, cave-roosting species with a broad diet) is more tolerant of anthropogenic change than are Macroglossus bats (small, foliage-roosting species with specialized diets), which may in turn affect the reproductive success of plants pollinated by these species. Our study demonstrates how decade-long monitoring can reveal species-specific temporal patterns in pollinator visitation, emphasizing the need for tailored conservation plans. While the conservation status of most nectarivorous bats in the area is Least Concern, our results indicate that population studies in Southeast Asia are urgently needed for updated bat species conservation assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa B Stewart
- Department of Plant Science, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
| | - Supawan Srilopan
- Department of Biology, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Kanuengnit Wayo
- Department of Biology, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Piriya Hassa
- Department of Plant Science, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Michele R Dudash
- Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Sara Bumrungsri
- Department of Biology, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
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25
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Adhikari BN, Paskey AC, Frey KG, Bennett AJ, Long KA, Kuhn JH, Hamilton T, Glang L, Cer RZ, Goldberg TL, Bishop-Lilly KA. Virome profiling of fig wasps (Ceratosolen spp.) reveals virus diversity spanning four realms. Virology 2024; 591:109992. [PMID: 38246037 PMCID: PMC10849055 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2024.109992] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
We investigated the virome of agaonid fig wasps (Ceratosolen spp.) inside syconia ("fruits") of various Ficus trees fed upon by frugivores such as pteropodid bats in Sub-Saharan Africa. This virome includes representatives of viral families spanning four realms and includes near-complete genome sequences of three novel viruses and fragments of five additional potentially novel viruses evolutionarily associated with insects, fungi, plants, and vertebrates. Our study provides evidence that frugivorous animals are exposed to a plethora of viruses by coincidental consumption of fig wasps, which are obligate pollinators of figs worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bishwo N Adhikari
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA; Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060, USA
| | - Adrian C Paskey
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA; Leidos, Inc., Reston, VA 20190, USA
| | - Kenneth G Frey
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Andrew J Bennett
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA; Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Leidos, Inc., Reston, VA 20190, USA
| | - Kyle A Long
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA; Leidos, Inc., Reston, VA 20190, USA
| | - Jens H Kuhn
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Theron Hamilton
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Lindsay Glang
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA; Leidos, Inc., Reston, VA 20190, USA
| | - Regina Z Cer
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Tony L Goldberg
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Zoology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Kimberly A Bishop-Lilly
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Command, Frederick, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA.
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Augusto AM, Raposeira H, Horta P, Mata VA, Aizpurua O, Alberdi A, Jones G, Razgour O, Santos SAP, Russo D, Rebelo H. Bat diversity boosts ecosystem services: Evidence from pine processionary moth predation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169387. [PMID: 38110100 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169387] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Coniferous forests contribute to the European economy; however, they have experienced a decline since the late 1990s due to an invasive pest known as the pine processionary moth, Thaumetopoea pityocampa. The impacts of this pest are increasingly exacerbated by climate change. Traditional control strategies involving pesticides have had negative effects on public health and the environment. Instead, forest managers seek a more ecological and sustainable approach to management that promotes the natural actions of pest control agents. This study aims to evaluate the role of bats in suppressing pine processionary moths in pine forests and examine how the bat community composition and abundance influence pest consumption. Bats were sampled in the mountainous environment of the Serra da Estrela in central Portugal to collect faecal samples for DNA meta-barcoding analysis. We assessed the relationship between a) bat richness, b) bat relative abundance, c) bat diet richness, and the frequency of pine processionary moth consumption. Our findings indicate that sites with the highest bat species richness and abundance exhibit the highest levels of pine processionary moth consumption. The intensity of pine processionary moth consumption is independent of insect diversity within the site. The highest occurrence of pine processionary moth presence in bat diets is primarily observed in species that forage in cluttered habitats. A typical predator of pine processionary moths among bats is likely to be a forest-dwelling species that specialises in consuming Lepidoptera. These species primarily use short-range echolocation calls, which are relatively inaudible to tympanate moths, suitable for locating prey in cluttered environments, employing a gleaning hunting strategy. Examples include species from the genera Plecotus, Myotis, and Rhinolophus. This study enhances our understanding of the potential pest consumption services provided by bats in pine forests. The insights gained from this research can inform integrated pest management practices in forestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Augusto
- ICS, Instituto de Ciências Sociais, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Aníbal de Bettencourt, 9, 1600-189 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - H Raposeira
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto 4099-002, Portugal
| | - P Horta
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto 4099-002, Portugal
| | - V A Mata
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - O Aizpurua
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - A Alberdi
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - G Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - O Razgour
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Hatherly Laboratories, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK
| | - S A P Santos
- Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal, ESTBarreiro, Rua Américo da Silva Marinho, 2839-001 Lavradio, Portugal; LEAF-Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food Research Center, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - D Russo
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Evolution (AnEcoEvo), Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, via Università 100, I-80055 Portici, Napoli, Italy
| | - H Rebelo
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal, ESS, Campus da Estefanilha, Setúbal, Portugal; NBI, Natural Business Intelligence, Régia Douro Park, 5000-033 Andrães, Vila Real, Portugal
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Russo D, Jones G, Martinoli A, Preatoni DG, Spada M, Pereswiet‐Soltan A, Cistrone L. Climate is changing, are European bats too? A multispecies analysis of trends in body size. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10872. [PMID: 38333101 PMCID: PMC10850807 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Animal size, a trait sensitive to spatial and temporal variables, is a key element in ecological and evolutionary dynamics. In the context of climate change, there is evidence that some bat species are increasing their body size via phenotypic responses to higher temperatures at maternity roosts. To test the generality of this response, we conducted a >20-year study examining body size changes in 15 bat species in Italy, analysing data from 4393 individual bats captured since 1995. In addition to examining the temporal effect, we considered the potential influence of sexual dimorphism and, where relevant, included latitude and altitude as potential drivers of body size change. Contrary to initial predictions of a widespread increase in size, our findings challenge this assumption, revealing a nuanced interplay of factors contributing to the complexity of bat body size dynamics. Specifically, only three species (Myotis daubentonii, Nyctalus leisleri, and Pipistrellus pygmaeus) out of the 15 exhibited a discernible increase in body size over the studied period, prompting a reassessment of bats as reliable indicators of climate change based on alterations in body size. Our investigation into influencing factors highlighted the significance of temperature-related variables, with latitude and altitude emerging as crucial drivers. In some cases, this mirrored patterns consistent with Bergmann's rule, revealing larger bats recorded at progressively higher latitudes (Plecotus auritus, Myotis mystacinus, and Miniopterus schreibersii) or altitudes (Pipistrellus kuhlii). We also observed a clear sexual dimorphism effect in most species, with females consistently larger than males. The observed increase in size over time in three species suggests the occurrence of phenotypic plasticity, raising questions about potential long-term selective pressures on larger individuals. The unresolved question of whether temperature-related changes in body size reflect microevolutionary processes or phenotypic plastic responses adds further complexity to our understanding of body size patterns in bats over time and space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Russo
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Evolution (AnEcoEvo), Dipartimento di AgrariaUniversità degli Studi di Napoli Federico IIPorticiItaly
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Gareth Jones
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Adriano Martinoli
- Unità di Analisi e Gestione delle Risorse Ambientali, Guido Tosi Research Group, Dipartimento di Scienze Teoriche ed ApplicateUniversità degli Studi dell'InsubriaVareseItaly
| | - Damiano G. Preatoni
- Unità di Analisi e Gestione delle Risorse Ambientali, Guido Tosi Research Group, Dipartimento di Scienze Teoriche ed ApplicateUniversità degli Studi dell'InsubriaVareseItaly
| | | | | | - Luca Cistrone
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Evolution (AnEcoEvo), Dipartimento di AgrariaUniversità degli Studi di Napoli Federico IIPorticiItaly
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Jackson RT, Lunn TJ, DeAnglis IK, Ogola JG, Webala PW, Forbes KM. Frequent and intense human-bat interactions occur in buildings of rural Kenya. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011988. [PMID: 38412171 PMCID: PMC10923417 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Simultaneous use of domestic spaces by humans and wildlife is little understood, despite global ubiquity, and can create an interface for human exposure to wildlife pathogens. Bats are a pervasive synanthropic taxon and are associated with several pathogens that can spill over and cause disease in humans. Urbanization has destroyed much natural bat habitat and, in response, many species increasingly use buildings as roosts. The purpose of this study was to characterize human interactions with bats in shared buildings to assess potential for human exposure to and spillover of bat-borne pathogens. We surveyed 102 people living and working in buildings used as bat roosts in Taita-Taveta county, Kenya between 2021 and 2023. We characterized and quantified the duration, intensity, and frequency of human-bat interactions occurring in this common domestic setting. Survey respondents reported living with bats in buildings year-round, with cohabitation occurring consistently for at least 10 years in 38% of cases. Human contact with bats occurred primarily through direct and indirect routes, including exposure to excrement (90% of respondents), and direct touching of bats (39% of respondents). Indirect contacts most often occurred daily, and direct contacts most often occurred yearly. Domestic animal consumption of bats was also reported (16% of respondents). We demonstrate that shared building use by bats and humans in rural Kenya leads to prolonged, frequent, and sometimes intense interactions between bats and humans, consistent with interfaces that can facilitate exposure to bat pathogens and subsequent spillover. Identifying and understanding the settings and practices that may lead to zoonotic pathogen spillover is of great global importance for developing countermeasures, and this study establishes bat roosts in buildings as such a setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reilly T. Jackson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States of America
| | - Tamika J. Lunn
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Isabella K. DeAnglis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States of America
| | - Joseph G. Ogola
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Paul W. Webala
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Maasai Mara University, Narok, Kenya
| | - Kristian M. Forbes
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States of America
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Crawford RD, O'Keefe JM. Improving the science and practice of using artificial roosts for bats. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024; 38:e14170. [PMID: 37650433 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide, artificial bat roosts (e.g., bat boxes, bark mimics, bat condos) are routinely deployed for conservation, mitigation, and community engagement. However, scant attention has been paid to developing best practices for the use of artificial roosts as conservation tools. Although bats readily occupy artificial roosts, occupancy and abundance data are misleading indicators of habitat quality. Lacking information on bat behavior, health, and fitness in artificial roosts, their conservation efficacy cannot be adequately validated. We considered the proximal and ultimate factors, such as evolutionarily reliable cues, that may prompt bats to preferentially use and show fidelity to suboptimal artificial roosts even when high-quality alternatives are available. Possible negative health and fitness consequences for artificial roost inhabitants include exposure to unstable and extreme microclimates in poorly designed roosts, and vulnerability to larger numbers of ectoparasites in longer lasting artificial roosts that house larger bat colonies than in natural roosts. Bats using artificial roosts may have lower survival rates if predators have easy access to roosts placed in conspicuous locations. Bats may be lured into occupying low-quality habitats if attractive artificial roosts are deployed on polluted urban and agricultural landscapes. To advance the science behind artificial bat roosts, we present testable research hypotheses and suggestions to improve the quality of artificial roosts for bats and decrease risks to occupants. Because continued loss of natural roosts may increase reliance on alternatives, such as artificial roosts, it is imperative that this conservation practice be improved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reed D Crawford
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Joy M O'Keefe
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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Fauziah I, Nugroho HA, Yanthi ND, Tiffarent R, Saputra S. Potential zoonotic spillover at the human-animal interface: A mini-review. Vet World 2024; 17:289-302. [PMID: 38595670 PMCID: PMC11000462 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2024.289-302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Wildlife markets and wet wildlife markets, a type of human-animal interface, are commonly trading centers for wild-caught and captive-exotic animals as well as their products. These markets provide an ideal environment for spillovers of zoonotic and emerging infectious diseases (EIDs). These conditions may raise serious concerns, particularly in relation to wildlife species that frequently interact with humans and domestic animals. EIDs pose a significant risk to humans, ecosystems, and public health, as demonstrated by the current COVID-19 pandemic, and other previous outbreaks, including the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1. Even though it seems appears impossible to eliminate EIDs, we may still be able to minimalize the risks and take several measures to prevent new EIDs originated from animals. The aim of this study was to review several types of human-animal interfaces with a high risk of zoonotic spillover, infectious agents, and animal hosts or reservoirs. Identifying those factors will support the development of interventions and effective disease control in human-animal interface settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ima Fauziah
- Research Center for Applied Microbiology, Research Organization for Life Sciences and Environment, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), KST Soekarno, Jalan Raya Jakarta Bogor Km 46 Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Herjuno Ari Nugroho
- Research Center for Applied Microbiology, Research Organization for Life Sciences and Environment, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), KST Soekarno, Jalan Raya Jakarta Bogor Km 46 Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Nova Dilla Yanthi
- Research Center for Applied Microbiology, Research Organization for Life Sciences and Environment, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), KST Soekarno, Jalan Raya Jakarta Bogor Km 46 Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Rida Tiffarent
- Research Center for Applied Microbiology, Research Organization for Life Sciences and Environment, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), KST Soekarno, Jalan Raya Jakarta Bogor Km 46 Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Sugiyono Saputra
- Research Center for Applied Microbiology, Research Organization for Life Sciences and Environment, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), KST Soekarno, Jalan Raya Jakarta Bogor Km 46 Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
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31
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DeAnglis IK, Andrews BR, Lock LR, Dyer KE, Yang A, Volokhov DV, Fenton MB, Simmons NB, Downs CJ, Becker DJ. Bat cellular immunity varies by year and dietary habit amidst land conversion. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coad102. [PMID: 38293641 PMCID: PMC10823333 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Monitoring the health of wildlife populations is essential in the face of increased agricultural expansion and forest fragmentation. Loss of habitat and habitat degradation can negatively affect an animal's physiological state, possibly resulting in immunosuppression and increased morbidity or mortality. We sought to determine how land conversion may differentially impact cellular immunity and infection risk in Neotropical bats species regularly infected with bloodborne pathogens, and to evaluate how effects may vary over time and by dietary habit. We studied common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus), northern yellow-shouldered bats (Sturnira parvidens) and Mesoamerican mustached bats (Pteronotus mesoamericanus), representing the dietary habits of sanguivory, frugivory and insectivory respectively, in northern Belize. We compared estimated total white blood cell count, leukocyte differentials, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and infection status with two bloodborne bacterial pathogens (Bartonella spp. and hemoplasmas) of 118 bats captured in a broadleaf, secondary forest over three years (2017-2019). During this period, tree cover decreased by 14.5% while rangeland expanded by 14.3%, indicating increasing habitat loss and fragmentation. We found evidence for bat species-specific responses of cellular immunity between years, with neutrophil counts significantly decreasing in S. parvidens from 2017 to 2018, but marginally increasing in D. rotundus. However, the odds of infection with Bartonella spp. and hemoplasmas between 2017 and 2019 did not differ between bat species, contrary to our prediction that pathogen prevalence may increase with land conversion. We conclude that each bat species invested differently in cellular immunity in ways that changed over years of increasing habitat loss and fragmentation. We recommend further research on the interactions between land conversion, immunity and infection across dietary habits of Neotropical bats for informed management and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella K DeAnglis
- Department of Environmental Biology, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, 1 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA
| | - Benjamin R Andrews
- Department of Environmental Biology, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Lauren R Lock
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Kristin E Dyer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Anni Yang
- Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma, 100 East Boyd St, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Dmitriy V Volokhov
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - M Brock Fenton
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Nancy B Simmons
- Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West, New York, NY, 10024, USA
| | - Cynthia J Downs
- Department of Environmental Biology, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Daniel J Becker
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
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Henley L, Jones O, Mathews F, Woolley TE. Bat Motion can be Described by Leap Frogging. Bull Math Biol 2024; 86:16. [PMID: 38197980 PMCID: PMC10781826 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-023-01233-5] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
We present models of bat motion derived from radio-tracking data collected over 14 nights. The data presents an initial dispersal period and a return to roost period. Although a simple diffusion model fits the initial dispersal motion we show that simple convection cannot provide a description of the bats returning to their roost. By extending our model to include non-autonomous parameters, or a leap frogging form of motion, where bats on the exterior move back first, we find we are able to accurately capture the bat's motion. We discuss ways of distinguishing between the two movement descriptions and, finally, consider how the different motion descriptions would impact a bat's hunting strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Henley
- Cardiff School of Mathematics Cardiff University, Senghennydd Road, Cardiff, CF24 4AG, UK
| | - Owen Jones
- Cardiff School of Mathematics Cardiff University, Senghennydd Road, Cardiff, CF24 4AG, UK
| | - Fiona Mathews
- University of Sussex, John Maynard Smith Building, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9RH, UK
| | - Thomas E Woolley
- Cardiff School of Mathematics Cardiff University, Senghennydd Road, Cardiff, CF24 4AG, UK.
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33
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Allegrini C, Korine C, Krasnov BR. Climatic gradients and forest composition shape bat communities in Eastern Mediterranean pine plantations. Integr Zool 2024. [PMID: 38196112 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Biotic and abiotic factors can act as filters for determining the species composition of biological communities. We aimed to identify abiotic factors driving the assembly of bat communities in Eastern Mediterranean pine plantations along a north-south climatic gradient, as they are crucial forest habitats for the assessment and conservation of these communities. We expected that bat communities are predominantly shaped by environmental filtering. We conducted acoustic sampling in 35 pine plantations in Israel and analyzed recordings for species identification. We used the ESLTP analysis, an extension of the three-table ordination (RLQ analysis), to explore relationships between environmental characteristics, species occurrences, and functional traits of species while accounting for phylogenetic relationships between species and spatial distribution of the communities. Communities showed phylogenetic and trait clustering. Climatic conditions and forest vegetation composition shaped communities of bats, affecting the distribution of traits related to foraging behaviors, vegetation clutter, and the ability of bats to maneuver in it. Maneuverable species were associated with the northern Mediterranean climatic zone, with a scarce cover of drought-tolerant small shrubs and grassland. Fast flyers were associated with the center-south semi-arid area, with abundant drought-tolerant small shrubs and grassland. These forces might have a predominant role in the assembly of these communities, presumably due to the stressful climatic conditions of the study area. The ESLTP approach can be extended to other taxa and environments to predict species responses to disturbance and environmental changes and give insights into environmental management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Allegrini
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute of Dryland, Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, 8499000, Israel
| | - Carmi Korine
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute of Dryland, Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, 8499000, Israel
| | - Boris R Krasnov
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute of Dryland, Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, 8499000, Israel
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34
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Júnior DST. High risk of bat bites in an indigenous village in Brazil: Warning of the re-emergence of rabies among the Maxakali People. Acta Trop 2024; 249:107073. [PMID: 37956818 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Bat-mediated human rabies is a viral zoonotic disease that poses a serious threat to the public health of traditional peoples, especially indigenous populations that maintain primitive cultural and social habits, such as the Maxakali ethnic group, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. The sociocultural habit of this population led to the emergence between April and May 2022 of the viral spillover of rabies transmitted by bats, which decimated the lives of four children from this population who maintained contact with this animal as a recreational practice. Because the vampire bats Desmodus rotundus have exceptional ecology and social characteristics that can have important effects on the dynamics of viral dispersion in this indigenous population, I present the dynamics of contact between native children and the bat and the meaning of this relationship, which involves ritualistic and recreational significance. As important as knowing the reasons for this practice is discussing some intrinsic and extrinsic factors that imply risks that intensify the vulnerability of this population to the transmission of the rabies virus at any time. In view of this, I warn of the need to adopt efficient strategies to mitigate the risks of a new emergency in this region. Although emergency containment measures were carried out during the critical period of the outbreak, such animal and environmental control actions must become routine programmatic and structuring interventions. Essential for rabies surveillance in this population is to develop culturally adapted interethnic health education campaigns to guarantee the accessibility of the Maxakali indigenous people to the content taught, so that any attempt at domestication, captivity and recreational practices with bats of any species is discouraged, thus avoiding a possible re-emergence of this anthropozoonosis that has impacted not only the epidemiological scenario in this region, but throughout Brazil, and also throughout Latin America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilceu Silveira Tolentino Júnior
- Federal University of the Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valleys, Postgraduate Program in Tecnhology, Environment and Society, Teófilo Otoni, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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35
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Thiombiano NG, Boungou M, Chabi BAM, Oueda A, Werb O, Schaer J. First investigation of blood parasites of bats in Burkina Faso detects Hepatocystis parasites and infections with diverse Trypanosoma spp. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:3121-3129. [PMID: 37847392 PMCID: PMC10667148 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08002-2] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Bats are hosts to a large diversity of eukaryotic protozoan blood parasites that comprise species of Trypanosoma and different haemosporidian parasite taxa and bats have played an important role in the evolutionary history of both parasite groups. However, bats in several geographical areas have not been investigated, including in Burkina Faso, where no information about malaria parasites and trypanosomes of bats exists to date.In this study, we collected data on the prevalence and the phylogenetic relationships of protozoan blood parasites in nine different bat species in Burkina Faso. Hepatocystis parasites were detected in two species of epauletted fruit bats, and a relatively high diversity of trypanosome parasites was identified in five bat species. The phylogenetic analyses recovered the trypanosome parasites of the bat species Rhinolophus alcyone and Nycteris hispida as close relatives of T. livingstonei, the trypanosome infections in Scotophilus leucogaster as closely related to the species T. vespertilionis and the trypanosomes from Pipistrellus nanulus and Epomophorus gambianus might present the species T. dionisii. These findings of the first investigation in Burkina Faso present a first snapshot of the diversity of protozoan blood parasites in bats in this country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noel Gabiliga Thiombiano
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Animales (LBEA), Unite de Formation Et de Recherche/Science de La Vie et de La Terre (UFR/SVT), University Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Magloire Boungou
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Animales (LBEA), Unite de Formation Et de Recherche/Science de La Vie et de La Terre (UFR/SVT), University Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Bertrand Adéchègoun Mèschac Chabi
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Animales (LBEA), Unite de Formation Et de Recherche/Science de La Vie et de La Terre (UFR/SVT), University Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Adama Oueda
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Animales (LBEA), Unite de Formation Et de Recherche/Science de La Vie et de La Terre (UFR/SVT), University Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- Universite de Ouahigouya, Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso
| | - Oskar Werb
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Juliane Schaer
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
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Bourlat SJ, Koch M, Kirse A, Langen K, Espeland M, Giebner H, Decher J, Ssymank A, Fonseca VG. Metabarcoding dietary analysis in the insectivorous bat Nyctalusleisleri and implications for conservation. Biodivers Data J 2023; 11:e111146. [PMID: 38312339 PMCID: PMC10838074 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.11.e111146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we aim to uncover diet preferences for the insectivorous bat Nyctalusleisleri (Leisler's bat, the lesser noctule) and to provide recommendations for conservation of the species, based on the analysis of prey source habitats. Using a novel guano trap, we sampled bat faeces at selected roosts in a forest in Germany and tested two mitochondrial markers (COI and 16S) and three primer pairs for the metabarcoding of bat faecal pellets. We found a total of 17 arthropod prey orders comprising 358 species in N.leisleri guano. The most diverse orders were Lepidoptera (126 species), Diptera (86 species) and Coleoptera (48 species), followed by Hemiptera (28 species), Trichoptera (16 species), Neuroptera (15 species) and Ephemeroptera (10 species), with Lepidoptera species dominating in spring and Diptera in summer. Based on the ecological requirements of the most abundant arthropod species found in the bat guano, we propose some recommendations for the conservation of N.leisleri that are relevant for other insectivorous bat species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Bourlat
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig, Bonn, Germany Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Martin Koch
- Department of Biogeography, University of Trier, Germany Department of Biogeography University of Trier Germany
| | - Ameli Kirse
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig, Bonn, Germany Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Kathrin Langen
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig, Bonn, Germany Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Marianne Espeland
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig, Bonn, Germany Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Hendrik Giebner
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig, Bonn, Germany Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Jan Decher
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig, Bonn, Germany Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Axel Ssymank
- Bundesamt für Naturschutz, Bonn, Germany Bundesamt für Naturschutz Bonn Germany
| | - Vera G Fonseca
- CEFAS, Weymouth, United Kingdom CEFAS Weymouth United Kingdom
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37
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Aihartza J, Vallejo N, Aldasoro M, García-Mudarra JL, Goiti U, Nogueras J, Ibáñez C. Aerospace-foraging bats eat seasonably across varying habitats. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19576. [PMID: 37950015 PMCID: PMC10638376 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46939-7] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent research has confirmed the efficiency of insectivorous bats as pest suppressors, underlining the ecological services they offer in agroecosystems. Therefore, some efforts try to enhance bat foraging in agricultural landscapes by acting upon environmental factors favouring them. In this study, we monitored a Miniopterus schreibersii colony, in the southern Iberian Peninsula. We intensively sampled their faeces and analysed them by metabarcoding to describe how the bent-winged bat diet would change with time, and to test whether their most-consumed prey would seasonally depend on different landscapes or habitats. Our results confirm that M. schreibersii are selective opportunist predators of moths, dipterans, mayflies, and other fluttering insects, shifting their diet to temporary peaks of prey availability in their foraging range, including both pest and non-pest insects. Supporting our hypothesis, throughout the year, M. schreibersii consume insects linked to diverse open habitats, including wetlands, grassland, diverse croplands, and woodland. The importance of each prey habitat varies seasonally, depending on their insect phenology, making bats indirectly dependent on a diverse landscape as their primary prey source. Bats' predation upon pest insects is quantitatively high, consuming around 1610 kg in 5 months, of which 1467 kg correspond to ten species. So, their suppression effect may be relevant, mainly in patchy heterogeneous landscapes, where bats' foraging may concentrate in successive outbursts of pests, affecting different crops or woodlands. Our results stress that to take advantage of the ecosystem services of bats or other generalist insectivores, keeping the environmental conditions they require to thrive, particularly a heterogeneous landscape within the colony's foraging area, is crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joxerra Aihartza
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, The Basque Country, Spain.
| | - Nerea Vallejo
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, The Basque Country, Spain
| | - Miren Aldasoro
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, The Basque Country, Spain
| | | | - Urtzi Goiti
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, The Basque Country, Spain
| | - Jesus Nogueras
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), P.O. Box 1056, 41080, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Carlos Ibáñez
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), P.O. Box 1056, 41080, Sevilla, Spain
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Rodriguez FE, Olea GB, Aguirre MV, Argoitia MA, Claver J, Lombardo DM. Comparative study of the gular gland of three species of Molossidae bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from South America. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2023; 306:2888-2899. [PMID: 37318193 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The gular gland is a skin gland located in the suprasternal region of adult males of some bat families. Knowledge of the morphology and functional aspects of these gland types is often limited. This study aimed to describe the structure and composition of the gular glands of three molossid species (Eumops patagonicus, Molossus fluminensis and Molossus molossus) with respect to their reproductive activity and to define the mechanism involved in secretion release. Different histological, histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques were used to achieve these goals. The results revealed that the size and composition of this gland are variable and are mostly related to the lipid content during the reproductive season. The results also documented, for the first time, the occurrence of mechanoreceptors associated with the surface of the glandular duct by detecting an S100 protein, indicating that an external stimulus activates secretion. Previous studies on other species have classified the gland using obsolete criteria; hence, we adopted a new classification of adenomeres in this study. Moreover, we investigated the gland secretion mechanism previously proposed. This study defines the implications of this gland in the reproduction of this species. Our preliminary interpretation of the function of the gular gland is that it is a cutaneous exocrine gland activated by mechanoreceptors involved in the reproductive behaviour of the Molossidae family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florencia Evelyn Rodriguez
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Bioquímicas (LIBIM), Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Química Básica y Aplicada del NEA (IQUIBA NEA-UNNE-CONICET), Corrientes, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriela Beatriz Olea
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Cátedra de Histología y Embriología, Corrientes, Argentina
| | - María Victoria Aguirre
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Bioquímicas (LIBIM), Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Química Básica y Aplicada del NEA (IQUIBA NEA-UNNE-CONICET), Corrientes, Argentina
| | - María Antonella Argoitia
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Juan Claver
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal (INITRA), Cátedra de Histología y Embriología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniel Marcelo Lombardo
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal (INITRA), Cátedra de Histología y Embriología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Townsend JP, Aldstadt J. Habitat suitability mapping using logistic regression analysis of long-term bioacoustic bat survey dataset in the Cassadaga Creek watershed (USA). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 895:165077. [PMID: 37356758 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165077] [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: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Bat species show global ecological importance, yet their numbers are declining worldwide. Understanding bat-habitat interactions is crucial in terms of developing effective conservation plans. In an effort to model bat habitat suitability in the Cassadaga Creek watershed, long-term bioacoustic bat data (spanning 2009-2020) was compiled, georeferenced and statistically analyzed using logistic regression techniques. In total, 1600 bat occurrence records from five species of bat (559 Eptesicus fuscus, 560 Lasionycteris noctivagans, 143 Lasiurus borealis, 260 Lasiurus cinereus, and 78 Myotis lucifugus) were paired with pseudo-absence points to study the relationship between bat calling behavior and land cover. All bats but Myotis lucifugus had a statistically significant relationship with forested land cover, and all bats had negative interactions with agricultural habitats. Geospatial data was coupled with the statistical output to create maps of habitat suitability and echolocation calling density. This work provides a model that can be employed worldwide to evaluate bat habitat needs or patterns in echolocation behavior. Future research will incorporate a more recently collected dataset that is of greater geographic diversity with a larger number of environmental variables in the species distribution model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P Townsend
- Department of Geography, University at Buffalo, 116 Wilkeson Quadrangle, Buffalo, NY 14261, USA; Landscape-based Environmental System Analysis & Modeling Laboratory (LESAM), University at Buffalo, 142 Wilkeson Quadrangle, Buffalo, NY 14261, USA.
| | - Jared Aldstadt
- Department of Geography, University at Buffalo, 116 Wilkeson Quadrangle, Buffalo, NY 14261, USA
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Tuneu-Corral C, Puig-Montserrat X, Riba-Bertolín D, Russo D, Rebelo H, Cabeza M, López-Baucells A. Pest suppression by bats and management strategies to favour it: a global review. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1564-1582. [PMID: 37157976 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Fighting insect pests is a major challenge for agriculture worldwide, and biological control and integrated pest management constitute well-recognised, cost-effective ways to prevent and overcome this problem. Bats are important arthropod predators globally and, in recent decades, an increasing number of studies have focused on the role of bats as natural enemies of agricultural pests. This review assesses the state of knowledge of the ecosystem services provided by bats as pest consumers at a global level and provides recommendations that may favour the efficiency of pest predation by bats. Through a systematic review, we assess evidence for predation, the top-down effect of bats on crops and the economic value of ecosystem services these mammals provide, describing the different methodological approaches used in a total of 66 reviewed articles and 18 agroecosystem types. We also provide a list of detailed conservation measures and management recommendations found in the scientific literature that may favour the delivery of this important ecosystem service, including actions aimed at restoring bat populations in agroecosystems. The most frequent recommendations include increasing habitat heterogeneity, providing additional roosts, and implementing laws to protect bats and reduce agrochemical use. However, very little evidence is available on the direct consequences of these practices on bat insectivory in farmland. Additionally, through a second in-depth systematic review of scientific articles focused on bat diet and, as part of the ongoing European Cost Action project CA18107, we provide a complete list of 2308 documented interactions between bat species and their respective insect pest prey. These pertain to 81 bat species belonging to 36 different genera preying upon 760 insect pests from 14 orders in agroecosystems and other habitats such as forest or urban areas. The data set is publicly available and updatable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carme Tuneu-Corral
- BiBio, Biodiversity and Bioindicators Research Group, Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers, Av. Francesc Macià 51, Granollers, Catalonia, 08402, Spain
- CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigaçaõ em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, 4485-661, Portugal
- Global Change and Conservation Lab, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Xavier Puig-Montserrat
- BiBio, Biodiversity and Bioindicators Research Group, Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers, Av. Francesc Macià 51, Granollers, Catalonia, 08402, Spain
| | - Daniel Riba-Bertolín
- BiBio, Biodiversity and Bioindicators Research Group, Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers, Av. Francesc Macià 51, Granollers, Catalonia, 08402, Spain
| | - Danilo Russo
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Evolution (AnEcoEvo), Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, via Università, 100, Portici, Naples, 80055, Italy
| | - Hugo Rebelo
- CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigaçaõ em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, 4485-661, Portugal
| | - Mar Cabeza
- Global Change and Conservation Lab, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Adrià López-Baucells
- BiBio, Biodiversity and Bioindicators Research Group, Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers, Av. Francesc Macià 51, Granollers, Catalonia, 08402, Spain
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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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Cosentino F, Castiello G, Maiorano L. A dataset on African bats' functional traits. Sci Data 2023; 10:623. [PMID: 37709808 PMCID: PMC10502069 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02472-w] [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: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Trait-based approaches are becoming extremely common in ecological modeling and the availability of traits databases is increasing. However, data availability is often biased towards particular regions and taxa, with many taxa (e.g., bats) often under-represented. Here, we present the AfroBaT dataset, a compilation of trait data on 320 African bat species containing 76,914 values for 86 traits focusing on morphology, reproduction, life-history, trophic ecology, and species distributions. All data were gathered from published literature following the ecological trait-data standard procedure. Missing data for both numerical and categorical traits were imputed with a machine learning approach including species phylogeny. Trophic ecology traits showed the highest coverage in the literature (72% of the species averaged over all traits), while reproductive traits the lowest. Our data imputation improved the coverage of AfroBaT especially for reproductive traits, going from 27% to 58% of the species covered. AfroBaT has a range of potential applications in macroecology and community ecology, and the availability of open-access data on African bats will enable collaboration and data-sharing among researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Cosentino
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | - Giorgia Castiello
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- CREA Research Centre for Forestry and Wood, v.le Santa Margherita 80, 52100, Arezzo, Italy
| | - Luigi Maiorano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Jackson RT, Webala PW, Ogola JG, Lunn TJ, Forbes KM. Roost selection by synanthropic bats in rural Kenya: implications for human-wildlife conflict and zoonotic pathogen spillover. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230578. [PMID: 37711150 PMCID: PMC10498048 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Many wildlife species are synanthropic and use structures built by humans, creating a high-risk interface for human-wildlife conflict and zoonotic pathogen spillover. However, studies that investigate features of urbanizing areas that attract or repel wildlife are currently lacking. We surveyed 85 buildings used by bats and 172 neighbouring buildings unused by bats (controls) in southeastern Kenya during 2021 and 2022 and evaluated the role of microclimate and structural attributes in building selection. We identified eight bat species using buildings, with over 25% of building roosts used concurrently by multiple species. Bats selected taller cement-walled buildings with higher water vapour pressure and lower presence of permanent human occupants. However, roost selection criteria differed across the most common bat species: molossids selected structures like those identified by our main dataset whereas Cardioderma cor selected buildings with lower presence of permanent human occupants. Our results show that roost selection of synanthropic bat species is based on specific buildings attributes. Further, selection criteria that facilitate bat use of buildings are not homogeneous across species. These results provide information on the general mechanisms of bat-human contact in rural settings, as well as specific information on roost selection for synanthropic bats in urbanizing Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reilly T. Jackson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701-4002, USA
| | - Paul W. Webala
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Maasai Mara University, Narok, Kenya
| | - Joseph G. Ogola
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Tamika J. Lunn
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701-4002, USA
| | - Kristian M. Forbes
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701-4002, USA
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44
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Bedard B, Hickey B, Chételat J, Mennigen JA. Variation in habitat use and its consequences for mercury exposure in two Eastern Ontario bat species, Myotis lucifugus and Eptesicus fuscus. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 32:845-857. [PMID: 37612563 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-023-02693-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
The St. Lawrence River in Eastern Ontario, Canada, has been a designated an area of concern due to past industrial contamination of sediment in some areas and transport of mercury from tributaries. Previous research using bats as sentinel species identified elevated concentrations of total mercury (THg) in fur of local bats and species-specific variation between little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) and big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus). Here, we investigated the mercury exposure pathways for these two species by testing the hypothesis that diet variation, particularly the reliance on aquatic over terrestrial insects, is a determinant of local bat mercury concentrations. We analyzed THg concentration and stable isotope ratios of δ15N and δ13C in fur of little and big brown bats, and in aquatic and terrestrial insects. Big brown bats, especially males, accumulated significantly higher THg concentrations in their fur compared to little brown bats. However, this difference was not related to diet because big brown bats consumed terrestrial insects, which were lower in mercury than aquatic insects, the primary prey for little brown bats. We also evaluated whether fur THg concentrations translate into molecular changes in tissues linked to (methyl)mercury toxicity by quantifying tissue changes in global DNA methylation and mitochondrial DNA abundance. No significant changes in DNA molecular markers were observed in relation to fur THg concentration, suggesting mercury exposure to local bats did not impact molecular level changes at the DNA level. Higher mercury in bats was not associated with local aquatic contamination or genotoxicity in this study area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailey Bedard
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N6A5, Canada
- River Institute, Cornwall, ON, K6H4Z1, Canada
| | | | - John Chételat
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A0H3, Canada
| | - Jan A Mennigen
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N6A5, Canada.
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Silva-Ramos CR, Noriega J, Fajardo RF, Chala-Quintero SM, Del Pilar Pulido-Villamarín A, Pérez-Torres J, Castañeda-Salazar R, Cuervo C. Molecular Detection and Genotyping of Cryptosporidium spp. Isolates from Bats in Colombia. Acta Parasitol 2023; 68:676-682. [PMID: 37531008 PMCID: PMC10462512 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-023-00697-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium spp., frequently found in several animal species, including bats. Several Cryptosporidium genotypes have been described in bats worldwide, suggesting that bats are infected by host-specific Cryptosporidium spp. To date, there are no published reports about Cryptosporidium spp. in bats from Colombia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the presence and molecular diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. in Colombian bats. METHODS A total of 63 gut samples from three bat species served for molecular detection of Cryptosporidium spp. 18S rDNA gene by qPCR. The sequenced amplicons were used in subsequent phylogenetic analyses to identify them as species or genotypes. RESULTS Cryptosporidium spp. qPCR detection occurred in 9.5% (6/63) of bat intestines, and four sequences represented two new genotypes, called Cryptosporidium bat genotypes XIX and XX, were identified. CONCLUSIONS This study describes the detection of two novel Cryptosporidium bat genotypes, in two species of bats from a region of Colombia, requiring further studies to determine the relationhip between Cryptosporidium and bats in Colombia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Ramiro Silva-Ramos
- Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juliana Noriega
- Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
- Unidad de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (UNIDIA), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Rafael F Fajardo
- Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Sandra M Chala-Quintero
- Unidad de Ecología y Sistemática (UNESIS), Laboratorio de Ecología Funcional, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana Del Pilar Pulido-Villamarín
- Unidad de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (UNIDIA), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jairo Pérez-Torres
- Unidad de Ecología y Sistemática (UNESIS), Laboratorio de Ecología Funcional, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Rubiela Castañeda-Salazar
- Unidad de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (UNIDIA), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Claudia Cuervo
- Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia.
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Rainho A, Ferreira DF, Makori B, Bartonjo M, Repas-Gonçalves M, Kirakou S, Maghuwa F, Webala PW, Tomé R. Guild Vertical Stratification and Drivers of Bat Foraging in a Semi-Arid Tropical Region, Kenya. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1116. [PMID: 37627000 PMCID: PMC10452385 DOI: 10.3390/biology12081116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Africa faces significant challenges in reconciling economic and social development while preserving its natural resources. Little is known about the diverse bat community on the continent, particularly in drier ecosystems. A better understanding of the bat community will help improve and inform the management of these ecosystems. Our study aimed to provide detailed information on the main drivers of bat richness and activity at three different heights above the ground in a semi-arid region of Kenya. We assessed how bat activity varied with space and height using acoustic sampling and complementary methods. We sampled 48 sites at ground level and two sites on meteorological masts at 20 m and 35 m above the ground. We recorded more than 20 bat species, including one species of concern for conservation. Our models showed that the use of space varies with bat guild, creating trade-offs in the variables that affect their activity. Low-flying bat species are mostly associated with habitat variables, whereas high-flying species are more dependent on weather conditions. Our study highlights the richness of bat assemblages in semi-arid environments and emphasizes the need for management measures to protect bat diversity in the face of habitat degradation caused by climate change, land management, and development projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rainho
- cE3c—Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Diogo F. Ferreira
- CIBIO-InBIO, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, University of Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Beryl Makori
- The Pangolin Project, P.O. Box 15156, Langata 00509, Kenya
| | - Michael Bartonjo
- Mammalogy Section, National Museums of Kenya, P.O. Box 40658, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | | | - Stanley Kirakou
- Environment and Sustainable Development Department, Kenya Electricity Generating Company, P.O. Box 47936, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Florah Maghuwa
- Environment and Sustainable Development Department, Kenya Electricity Generating Company, P.O. Box 47936, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Paul W. Webala
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Maasai Mara University, P.O. Box 861, Narok 20500, Kenya
| | - Ricardo Tomé
- The Biodiversity Consultancy, 3E King’s Parade, Cambridge CB2 1SJ, UK
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47
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Ramírez-Martínez MM, Tlapaya-Romero L. Association of bat flies (Diptera: Streblidae) and bats: Richness and host specificity in Western Mexico. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 21:160-167. [PMID: 37252655 PMCID: PMC10209120 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
As part of a widespread ecological study on the ectoparasites of bats in Western Mexico, we report new information on the specificity, and distribution of bat flies in a geographical transition zone between the neartic and neotropical zones. Fifteen (15) species of bats representing three families (Mormoopidae, Phyllostomidae, and Vespertilionidae) were collected in 10 locations throughout western Mexico. A total of 276 bat flies, representing 6 genera and 25 species, were identified four species of the bat flies are new records for the region indicating an expansion of the distribution for Trichobius corynorhini (Cockerll, 1910), T. hoffmannae (Guerrero & Morales-Malacara, 1996), T. intermedius (Peterson & Hürka, 1974) and Nycterophilia natali (Wenzel, 1966). These records update the species richness of streblids to 40 species in the state of Jalisco, representing 65.6% of the total number of 61 species of streblids recorded in Mexico. The interaction network showed a high degree of specialization of the bat flies towards their hosts (H2' = 0.92). Similarly, the specificity indices showed that there is a high ecological specificity (SI) with an average of 92%. of all the bat flies was associated with their primary hosts, while the average value of specificity of the phylogenetic trees (STD) of the six streblid species that presented more than one host was 1.7%, indicating a high specificity. The results of this study provide relevant information on bat-parasite associations and highlight the need for further research to obtain information on the geographic distribution of streblids and their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Magdalena Ramírez-Martínez
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud y Ecología Humana, Centro Universitario de la Costa Sur, Universidad de Guadalajara, Autlan, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Liliana Tlapaya-Romero
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud y Ecología Humana, Centro Universitario de la Costa Sur, Universidad de Guadalajara, Autlan, Jalisco, Mexico
- Programa de Doctorado en Biosistemática, Ecología y Manejo de Recursos Naturales (BEMARENA), Centro Universitario de la Costa Sur, Universidad de Guadalajara, Autlan, Jalisco, Mexico
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Rehbar B, Bilal M, Hassan HU, Gabol K, Khan MF, Nadeem K, Ullah S, Taj M, Khan FA, Abbas M, Ibrahim M, Haq IU, Ahmad A, Ríos-Escalante PR. Morphometric analysis and roosting ecology of bat species Pteropus Medius in Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. BRAZ J BIOL 2023; 83:e259039. [PMID: 37466508 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.259039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Morphometric measurement and roosting ecology of Pteropus medius were aimed to find out in Mansehra district of KP, Pakistan. Total 3149 numbers of bats were found in eight biological spots visited; Baffa Doraha, Darband, Dadar, Jallu, Hazara University, Garhi Habibullah Chattar Plain and Jabori, in total 299 numbers of different species of trees including; Morus alba, Pinus raxburghi, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Morus nigra, Grevillea robusta, Brousonetia papyrifera, Platanus orientalis, Ailanthus altissima, Hevea brasiliensis and Populus nigra. Morphometric features were measured and found vary according to sex of the bats. The average wing span, wing`s length from tip of wing to neck, from thumb to tip of wing and the body`s length from head and claws were recorded to be 102.98 cm, 49.07cm, 28.7 cm and 22.78 cm respectively in males while 93.67 cm, 44.83cm, 24.78cm and 22.78 cm respectively in female bats. Mean circumference of the body including wings and without wing were measured as 22.78 cm and 17.29 cm in males and that of female were 20.07 cm and 16.9 cm. Average length of thumb 3.64 cm, ear`s length 3.1 cm, snout 5.62cm, eye length were 1.07 cm for both sexes and length between the feet in extended position were16.3 cm. Generally different measurement of males bodies were found to be greater than female such as mean body surface area, mass, volume and pressure were found to be 2691.79 cm2, 855.7gm,1236.4 ml and 295.77 dyne/ c m 3 for male and 2576.46 cm2, 852.71gm,1207 ml and 290.2 dyne/ c m 3 respectively for female. While weight and density for both males and females bats were same with mean of 8.59 newton and 0.701 g/m3. Findings of current reports can add valued information in literature about bats, which can be used for species identification and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Rehbar
- Hazara University Mansehra, Department of Zoology, Mansehra, Pakistan
| | - M Bilal
- Government College University Lahore, Department of Zoology, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - H U Hassan
- University of Karachi, Department of Zoology, Karachi, Pakistan
- Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Fisheries Development Board, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - K Gabol
- University of Karachi, Department of Zoology, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - M F Khan
- Hazara University Mansehra, Department of Zoology, Mansehra, Pakistan
| | - K Nadeem
- University of Karachi, Department of Zoology, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - S Ullah
- Hazara University Mansehra, Department of Zoology, Mansehra, Pakistan
| | - M Taj
- Degree College Gulabad Adenzai, Department of Environmental Sciences, KPK, Pakistan
| | - F A Khan
- Hazara University Mansehra, Department of Zoology, Mansehra, Pakistan
| | - M Abbas
- Quaid-i- Azam University, Department of Zoology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - M Ibrahim
- University of Karachi, Department of Zoology, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - I U Haq
- Hazara University Mansehra, Department of Zoology, Mansehra, Pakistan
| | - A Ahmad
- Islamia College Peshawar, Department of Zoology, Peshawar, KPK, Pakistan
| | - P R Ríos-Escalante
- Universidad Católica de Temuco, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Químicas, Temuco, Chile
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Teixeira S, Smeraldo S, Russo D. Unveiling the Potential Distribution of the Highly Threatened Madeira Pipistrelle ( Pipistrellus maderensis): Do Different Evolutionary Significant Units Exist? BIOLOGY 2023; 12:998. [PMID: 37508426 PMCID: PMC10376549 DOI: 10.3390/biology12070998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
The isolation of islands has played a significant role in shaping the unique evolutionary histories of many species of flora and fauna, including bats. One notable example is the Madeira pipistrelle (Pipistrellus maderensis), which inhabits the Macaronesian archipelagos of the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands. Despite the high biogeographic and conservation importance of this species, there is limited information on its ecology and evolutionary history across different archipelagos. In our study, we employed species distribution models (SDMs) to identify suitable habitats for the Madeira pipistrelle and determine the environmental factors influencing its distribution. Additionally, we conducted molecular comparisons using mitochondrial DNA data from various Macaronesian islands. Molecular analyses provided compelling evidence for the presence of distinct Evolutionary Significant Units on the different archipelagos. We identified distinct haplotypes in the populations of Madeira and the Canary Islands, with a genetic distance ranging from a minimum of 2.4% to a maximum of 3.3% between samples from different archipelagos. In support of this, SDMs highlighted relevant dissimilarities between the environmental requirements of the populations of the three archipelagos, particularly the climatic niche. Our research demonstrates that deeper investigations that combine ecological, morphological, and genetic areas are necessary to implement tailored conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sérgio Teixeira
- Faculty of Life Sciences (FCV), Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9000-082 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
| | - Sonia Smeraldo
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Evolution (AnEcoEvo), Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Università, 100, Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via della Salute, 2, Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy
| | - Danilo Russo
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Evolution (AnEcoEvo), Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Università, 100, Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy
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Luna N, Muñoz M, Castillo-Castañeda A, Hernandez C, Urbano P, Shaban M, Paniz-Mondolfi A, Ramírez JD. Characterizing the blood microbiota of omnivorous and frugivorous bats (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Casanare, eastern Colombia. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15169. [PMID: 37431467 PMCID: PMC10329821 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Bats are known reservoirs of seemingly-innocuous pathogenic microorganisms (including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa), which are associated with triggering disease in other zoonotic groups. The taxonomic diversity of the bats' microbiome is likely associated with species-specific phenotypic, metabolic, and immunogenic capacities. To date, few studies have described the diversity of bat blood microbial communities. Then, this study used amplicon-based next generation sequencing of the V4 hypervariable region of the 16S-rRNA gene in blood samples from omnivorous (n = 16) and frugivorous (n = 9) bats from the department of Casanare in eastern Colombia. We found the blood microbiota in bats to be composed of, among others, Bartonella and Mycoplasma bacterial genera which are associated with various disease phenotypes in other mammals. Furthermore, our results suggest that the bats' dietary habits might determine the composition and the persistence of some pathogens over others in their bloodstream. This study is among the first to describe the blood microbiota in bats, to reflect on co-infection rates of multiple pathogens in the same individual, and to consider the influence of diet as a factor affecting the animal's endogenous microbial community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Luna
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Marina Muñoz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana Castillo-Castañeda
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carolina Hernandez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Plutarco Urbano
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
- Universidad Internacional del Tropico Americano (Unitropico), Yopal, Colombia
| | - Maryia Shaban
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, United States of America
- Incubadora Venezolana de la Ciencia, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Alberto Paniz-Mondolfi
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, United States of America
- Incubadora Venezolana de la Ciencia, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, United States of America
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