1
|
Forcina G, Clavero M, Meister M, Barilaro C, Guerrini M, Barbanera F. Introduced and extinct: neglected archival specimens shed new light on the historical biogeography of an iconic avian species in the Mediterranean. Integr Zool 2024. [PMID: 38217088 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12801] [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: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Collection specimens provide valuable and often overlooked biological material that enables addressing relevant, long-unanswered questions in conservation biology, historical biogeography, and other research fields. Here, we use preserved specimens to analyze the historical distribution of the black francolin (Francolinus francolinus, Phasianidae), a case that has recently aroused the interest of archeozoologists and evolutionary biologists. The black francolin currently ranges from the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East to the Indian subcontinent, but, at least since the Middle Ages, it also had a circum-Mediterranean distribution. The species could have persisted in Greece and the Maghreb until the 19th century, even though this possibility had been questioned due to the absence of museum specimens and scant literary evidence. Nevertheless, we identified four 200-year-old stuffed black francolins-presumably the only ones still existing-from these areas and sequenced their mitochondrial DNA control region. Based on the comparison with conspecifics (n = 396) spanning the entirety of the historic and current species range, we found that the new samples pertain to previously identified genetic groups from either the Near East or the Indian subcontinent. While disproving the former occurrence of an allegedly native westernmost subspecies, these results point toward the role of the Crown of Aragon in the circum-Mediterranean expansion of the black francolin, including the Maghreb and Greece. Genetic evidence hints at the long-distance transport of these birds along the Silk Road, probably to be traded in the commerce centers of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Forcina
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Global Change Ecology and Evolution Research Group (GloCEE), Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Clavero
- Departamento de Biología de la Conservación, Estación Biológica de Doñana EBD-CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Marie Meister
- UMR7044 du CNRS and Musée Zoologique de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Dundarova H, Popov VV. Bats at an Altitude above 2000 m on Pirin Mountain, Bulgaria. Animals (Basel) 2023; 14:126. [PMID: 38200857 PMCID: PMC10778114 DOI: 10.3390/ani14010126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The study describes a pilot survey on bats in the highest areas of Pirin Mountain. The methods included examining subfossil bone remains, mist-netting, and recording echolocation calls. The study was conducted in August 2002 and 2013 and from 2019 to 2020. While in general, bat diversity tends to decrease with increasing altitude due to harsher environmental conditions, the present study, despite a short period, reveals high diversity. Twenty species, more than half of the Bulgarian bat fauna, were detected. The recording and analysis of vocal signatures proved to be the best way to inventory bat diversity. At least 13 species were detected by this method. Vespertilio murinus and Tadarida teniotis together make up more than 60% of all reliably determined echolocation sequences. Significant activity was found for Myotis myotis/blythii, Plecotus auritus, Eptesicus serotinus, and E. nilssonii. The registration of the latter species is of considerable faunistic interest. It was previously only known from a single specimen at one location in the country. The sex and age structure of the bat assemblage suggests that it is likely a swarming assemblage. The area is the highest swarming location in Europe. The results provide valuable information on bat ecology and behaviour, which can be used to inform management and protection efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heliana Dundarova
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria;
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Szentivanyi T, McKee C, Jones G, Foster JT. Trends in Bacterial Pathogens of Bats: Global Distribution and Knowledge Gaps. Transbound Emerg Dis 2023. [DOI: 10.1155/2023/9285855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Bats have received considerable recent attention for infectious disease research because of their potential to host and transmit viruses, including Ebola, Hendra, Nipah, and multiple coronaviruses. These pathogens are occasionally transmitted from bats to wildlife, livestock, and to humans, directly or through other bridging (intermediate) hosts. Due to their public health relevance, zoonotic viruses are a primary focus of research attention. In contrast, other emerging pathogens of bats, such as bacteria, are vastly understudied despite their ubiquity and diversity. Here, we describe the currently known host ranges and geographic distributional patterns of potentially zoonotic bacterial genera in bats, using published presence-absence data of pathogen occurrence. We identify apparent gaps in our understanding of the distribution of these pathogens on a global scale. The most frequently detected bacterial genera in bats are Bartonella, Leptospira, and Mycoplasma. However, a wide variety of other potentially zoonotic bacterial genera are also occasionally found in bats, such as Anaplasma, Brucella, Borrelia, Coxiella, Ehrlichia, Francisella, Neorickettsia, and Rickettsia. The bat families Phyllostomidae, Vespertilionidae, and Pteropodidae are most frequently reported as hosts of bacterial pathogens; however, the presence of at least one bacterial genus was confirmed in all 15 bat families tested. On a spatial scale, molecular diagnostics of samples from 58 countries and four overseas departments and island states (French Guiana, Mayotte, New Caledonia, and Réunion Island) reported testing for at least one bacterial pathogen in bats. We also identified geographical areas that have been mostly neglected during bacterial pathogen research in bats, such as the Afrotropical region and Southern Asia. Current knowledge on the distribution of potentially zoonotic bacterial genera in bats is strongly biased by research effort towards certain taxonomic groups and geographic regions. Identifying these biases can guide future surveillance efforts, contributing to a better understanding of the ecoepidemiology of zoonotic pathogens in bats.
Collapse
|
4
|
Li H, Li Y, Motokawa M, Wu Y, Harada M, Li Y. The Effectiveness of Molecular, Karyotype and Morphological Methods in the Identification of Morphologically Conservative Sibling Species: An Integrative Taxonomic Case of the Crocidura attenuata Species Complex in Mainland China. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13040643. [PMID: 36830430 PMCID: PMC9951653 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040643] [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: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The conservation of morphology has resulted in considerable issues in the taxonomy of small mammals, especially for the identification of sibling species. Moreover, it is often difficult to completely solve such taxonomic problems by relying only on a single research method. The genus Crocidura is one of the genera with a conservative morphology and high species diversity. Among them, Crocidura attenuata has been considered in the field as the most widely distributed and common species. In fact, it is a species complex containing multiple species, and the classification and distribution of this species is controversial. In this study, the species and distribution of the Crocidura attenuata species complex experienced an integrated revision using three different levels of research methods: molecular, karyotype and morphology. The results show that (1) the C. attenuata species complex contains four known species (C. attenuata, C. tanakae, C. anhuiensis and C. dongyangjiangensis) and a cryptic species distributed in Guangxi, which may be the same undescribed species as the "C. attenuata" distributed in Vietnam. (2) C. attenuata is only distributed around the Sichuan Basin, C. tanakae is the most widely distributed throughout Southern China, and C. anhuiensis and C. dongyangjiangensis are almost sympatric in Southeast China. Furthermore, (3) although the molecular method lacks a unified threshold for species classification, it can rapidly and effectively identify the species of the C. attenuata species complex. Although karyotype and morphology methods cannot completely solve the species classification issues in respect of the C. attenuata species complex, they can provide supplemental information for taxonomic purposes. Therefore, the integrated taxonomic method can present the advantages of different methodological levels, and will provide further evidence for the taxonomy of sibling species with a conservative morphology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haotian Li
- College of Life Sciences, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China
- Marine College, Shandong University (Weihai), Weihai 264209, China
| | - Yaoyao Li
- Marine College, Shandong University (Weihai), Weihai 264209, China
- College of Life Sciences, Linyi University, Linyi 276005, China
| | - Masaharu Motokawa
- The Kyoto University Museum, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Yi Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Masashi Harada
- Laboratory Animal Center, Osaka City University, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
| | - Yuchun Li
- Marine College, Shandong University (Weihai), Weihai 264209, China
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Maldonado‐Chaparro AA, Chaverri G. Why do animal groups matter for conservation and management? CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gloriana Chaverri
- Sede del Sur, Universidad de Costa Rica Golfito Costa Rica
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Ancón Panama
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Do We Need to Use Bats as Bioindicators? BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10080693. [PMID: 34439926 PMCID: PMC8389320 DOI: 10.3390/biology10080693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Bioindicators are organisms that react to the quality or characteristics of the environment and their changes. They are vitally important to track environmental alterations and take action to mitigate them. As choosing the right bioindicators has important policy implications, it is crucial to select them to tackle clear goals rather than selling specific organisms as bioindicators for other reasons, such as for improving their public profile and encourage species conservation. Bats are a species-rich mammal group that provide key services such as pest suppression, pollination of plants of economic importance or seed dispersal. Bats show clear reactions to environmental alterations and as such have been proposed as potentially useful bioindicators. Based on the relatively limited number of studies available, bats are likely excellent indicators in habitats such as rivers, forests, and urban sites. However, more testing across broad geographic areas is needed, and establishing research networks is fundamental to reach this goal. Some limitations to using bats as bioindicators exist, such as difficulties in separating cryptic species and identifying bats in flight from their calls. It is often also problematic to establish the environmental factors that influence the distribution and behaviour of bats. Abstract Bats show responses to anthropogenic stressors linked to changes in other ecosystem components such as insects, and as K-selected mammals, exhibit fast population declines. This speciose, widespread mammal group shows an impressive trophic diversity and provides key ecosystem services. For these and other reasons, bats might act as suitable bioindicators in many environmental contexts. However, few studies have explicitly tested this potential, and in some cases, stating that bats are useful bioindicators more closely resembles a slogan to support conservation than a well-grounded piece of scientific evidence. Here, we review the available information and highlight the limitations that arise in using bats as bioindicators. Based on the limited number of studies available, the use of bats as bioindicators is highly promising and warrants further investigation in specific contexts such as river quality, urbanisation, farming practices, forestry, bioaccumulation, and climate change. Whether bats may also serve as surrogate taxa remains a controversial yet highly interesting matter. Some limitations to using bats as bioindicators include taxonomical issues, sampling problems, difficulties in associating responses with specific stressors, and geographically biased or delayed responses. Overall, we urge the scientific community to test bat responses to specific stressors in selected ecosystem types and develop research networks to explore the geographic consistency of such responses. The high cost of sampling equipment (ultrasound detectors) is being greatly reduced by technological advances, and the legal obligation to monitor bat populations already existing in many countries such as those in the EU offers an important opportunity to accomplish two objectives (conservation and bioindication) with one action.
Collapse
|
7
|
Rai V, Thapa S, Chalise P, Shah KB. Record of bats and their echolocation calls from southern Dolakha, central Nepal. MAMMALIA 2021. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2020-0141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
With 52 species, bats make up almost a quarter of all the mammal species in Nepal, and yet remains the least understudied group of mammals. Owing to its diverse geography and climate, more species of bats potentially occur in the country, and acoustic surveys could improve the knowledge of their ecology. So, a study was conducted in Sailung and Melung Rural Municipalities of Dolakha district of Nepal, with the objectives of assessing bat species richness and preparing digital records of their echolocation calls. Using mist-netting and roost survey during three periods in 2018 (late March, late May to early June and mid-November), 10 species of bats were recorded: Cynopterus sphinx, Lyroderma lyra, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Rhinolophus luctus, Rhinolophus pearsonii, Rhinolophus sinicus, Hipposideros armiger, Myotis formosus, Myotis sp. and Nyctalus noctula. Ten roosts (mostly caves) were located. Echolocation calls of six of these species were documented, including signals of three species described for the first time in Nepal. This study also reports the fifth record of Myotis formosus in Nepal and new locality record of the species after two decades. The echolocation calls documented hereafter may serve as a reference for species identification for non-invasive studies of bats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Varsha Rai
- Central Department of Environmental Science , Tribhuvan University , Kirtipur 44618 , Kathmandu , Nepal
- Small Mammals Conservation and Research Foundation , Kumaripati , Lalitpur 44600 , Nepal
| | - Sanjan Thapa
- Small Mammals Conservation and Research Foundation , Kumaripati , Lalitpur 44600 , Nepal
- Key Laboratory of Conservation and Application in Biodiversity of South China, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University , Guangzhou , China
| | - Prahesh Chalise
- Central Department of Environmental Science , Tribhuvan University , Kirtipur 44618 , Kathmandu , Nepal
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Szentiványi T, Markotter W, Dietrich M, Clément L, Ançay L, Brun L, Genzoni E, Kearney T, Seamark E, Estók P, Christe P, Glaizot O. Host conservation through their parasites: molecular surveillance of vector-borne microorganisms in bats using ectoparasitic bat flies. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 27:72. [PMID: 33306024 PMCID: PMC7731914 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2020069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Most vertebrates host a wide variety of haematophagous parasites, which may play an important role in the transmission of vector-borne microorganisms to hosts. Surveillance is usually performed by collecting blood and/or tissue samples from vertebrate hosts. There are multiple methods to obtain samples, which can be stored for decades if properly kept. However, blood sampling is considered an invasive method and may possibly be harmful to the sampled individual. In this study, we investigated the use of ectoparasites as a tool to acquire molecular information about the presence and diversity of infectious microorganism in host populations. We tested the presence of three distinct vector-borne microorganisms in both bat blood and bat flies: Bartonella bacteria, malaria-like Polychromophilus sp. (Apicomplexa), and Trypanosoma sp. (Kinetoplastea). We detected the presence of these microorganisms both in bats and in their bat flies, with the exception of Trypanosoma sp. in South African bat flies. Additionally, we found Bartonella sp. in bat flies from one population in Spain, suggesting its presence in the host population even if not detected in bats. Bartonella and Polychromophilus infection showed the highest prevalence in both bat and bat fly populations. Single, co- and triple infections were also frequently present in both. We highlight the use of haematophagous ectoparasites to study the presence of infectious microorganism in host blood and its use as an alternative, less invasive sampling method.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Szentiványi
- Museum of Zoology, 1014 Lausanne, Switzerland - Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Wanda Markotter
- Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa - AfricanBats NPC, 0157 Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Muriel Dietrich
- UMR Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical, 97490 Sainte-Clotilde, Reunion Island, France
| | - Laura Clément
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laurie Ançay
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Loïc Brun
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Eléonore Genzoni
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Teresa Kearney
- AfricanBats NPC, 0157 Pretoria, South Africa - Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa - Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, 0083 Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Peter Estók
- Department of Zoology, Eszterházy Károly University, 3300 Eger, Hungary
| | - Philippe Christe
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Glaizot
- Museum of Zoology, 1014 Lausanne, Switzerland - Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ferguson AW. On the role of (and threat to) natural history museums in mammal conservation: an African small mammal perspective. JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.25225/jvb.20028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
10
|
Chakravarty R, Ruedi M, Ishtiaq F. A Recent Survey of Bats with Descriptions of Echolocation Calls and New Records from the Western Himalayan Region of Uttarakhand, India. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2020.22.1.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Manuel Ruedi
- Department of Mammalogy and Ornithology, Natural History Museum of Geneva, BP 6434, 1211 Geneva 6, Switzerland
| | - Farah Ishtiaq
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India-560012
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Soulsbury CD, Gray HE, Smith LM, Braithwaite V, Cotter SC, Elwood RW, Wilkinson A, Collins LM. The welfare and ethics of research involving wild animals: A primer. Methods Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Helen E. Gray
- Faculty of Biological Sciences University of Leeds Leeds UK
| | | | | | | | - Robert W. Elwood
- School of Biological Sciences Queen's University Belfast Belfast UK
| | - Anna Wilkinson
- School of Life Sciences University of Lincoln Lincoln UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ancillotto L, Bosso L, Smeraldo S, Mori E, Mazza G, Herkt M, Galimberti A, Ramazzotti F, Russo D. An African bat in Europe, Plecotus gaisleri: Biogeographic and ecological insights from molecular taxonomy and Species Distribution Models. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:5785-5800. [PMID: 32607190 PMCID: PMC7319239 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Because of the high risk of going unnoticed, cryptic species represent a major challenge to biodiversity assessments, and this is particularly true for taxa that include many such species, for example, bats. Long-eared bats from the genus Plecotus comprise numerous cryptic species occurring in the Mediterranean Region and present complex phylogenetic relationships and often unclear distributions, particularly at the edge of their known ranges and on islands. Here, we combine Species Distribution Models (SDMs), field surveys and molecular analyses to shed light on the presence of a cryptic long-eared bat species from North Africa, Plecotus gaisleri, on the islands of the Sicily Channel, providing strong evidence that this species also occurs in Europe, at least on the islands of the Western Mediterranean Sea that act as a crossroad between the Old Continent and Africa. Species Distribution Models built using African records of P. gaisleri and projected to the Sicily Channel Islands showed that all these islands are potentially suitable for the species. Molecular identification of Plecotus captured on Pantelleria, and recent data from Malta and Gozo, confirmed the species' presence on two of the islands in question. Besides confirming that P. gaisleri occurs on Pantelleria, haplotype network reconstructions highlighted moderate structuring between insular and continental populations of this species. Our results remark the role of Italy as a bat diversity hotspot in the Mediterranean and also highlight the need to include P. gaisleri in European faunal checklists and conservation directives, confirming the usefulness of combining different approaches to explore the presence of cryptic species outside their known ranges-a fundamental step to informing conservation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Ancillotto
- Wildlife Research UnitDipartimento di AgrariaUniversità degli Studi Federico II di NapoliPorticiItaly
| | - Luciano Bosso
- Wildlife Research UnitDipartimento di AgrariaUniversità degli Studi Federico II di NapoliPorticiItaly
| | - Sonia Smeraldo
- Wildlife Research UnitDipartimento di AgrariaUniversità degli Studi Federico II di NapoliPorticiItaly
| | - Emiliano Mori
- Dipartimento di Scienze della VitaUniversità degli Studi di SienaSienaItaly
| | - Giuseppe Mazza
- CREA Research Centre for Plant Protection and CertificationFirenzeItaly
| | - Matthias Herkt
- Faculty of Geo‐Information Science and Earth ObservationUniversity of TwenteEnschedeThe Netherlands
| | - Andrea Galimberti
- ZooPlantLabDipartimento di Biotecnologie e BioscienzeUniversità degli Studi di Milano ‐ BicoccaMilanoItaly
| | - Fausto Ramazzotti
- ZooPlantLabDipartimento di Biotecnologie e BioscienzeUniversità degli Studi di Milano ‐ BicoccaMilanoItaly
| | - Danilo Russo
- Wildlife Research UnitDipartimento di AgrariaUniversità degli Studi Federico II di NapoliPorticiItaly
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Zemanova MA. Towards more compassionate wildlife research through the 3Rs principles: moving from invasive to non-invasive methods. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Miriam A. Zemanova
- M. A. Zemanova (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5002-3388) ✉ , Dept of Philosophy, Univ. of Basel, Steinengraben 5, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Feijó A, Wang Y, Sun J, Li F, Wen Z, Ge D, Xia L, Yang Q. Research trends on bats in China: A twenty-first century review. Mamm Biol 2019; 98:163-172. [PMID: 32218717 PMCID: PMC7091750 DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2019.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
In this century, China has sustained unparalleled economic development, leading to exponentially growing investments in scientific research. Yet, the demand for research-funding is large and tracing the current knowledge is a key step to define priority research topics. In this same span, studies on bats in China have uncovered an overlooked diversity and revealed novelties in bats’ evolutionary history and life-history aspects. All this 21st-century knowledge, however, is scattered and a large part is concealed from most of the international scientific community in Mandarin-language articles. Here, we summarize the post-millennium (2000–2017) research on bats in China and point out trends and future directions based on neglected topics, groups, and regions. In addition, we provide an up-to-date list of bat species in China. We retrieved 594 publications related to bats in China, nearly half were written in Mandarin. At least 147 bat species are present in China, which places it among the most bat-rich countries in the world. There was a significant positive trend on the number of publications, from 12.5 annual average in 2000–2005 to 46.5 in recent years, reflecting the Chinese economic-scientific development in this century. We found marked taxonomic and spatial biases. Half of the studies in this century focused on Rhinolophus, Myotis, and Hipposideros, and the southern and eastern provinces were the most studied. Systematic/taxonomy and Ecology were the predominant topics post-millennium, whereas only 10 articles have clear conservation-driven goals. Our review shows that the majority of studies were focused on the least concern, cave-dweller species, and on bat-rich provinces. Future projects should address the effects of human-modified landscapes on bat community to define proper conservation actions. We discuss some priority actions and projects that will help to enhance bat protection in China.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anderson Feijó
- 119Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Yanqun Wang
- 119Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101 China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Detection and Prevention in Panxi District, Xichang College, 415000 Xichang, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Jian Sun
- 119Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Feihong Li
- 119Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Zhixin Wen
- 119Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Deyan Ge
- 119Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Lin Xia
- 119Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Qisen Yang
- 119Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101 China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Cook
- Biology Department and Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jessica E Light
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences and Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Ancillotto L, Mori E, Bosso L, Agnelli P, Russo D. The Balkan long-eared bat (Plecotus kolombatovici) occurs in Italy – first confirmed record and potential distribution. Mamm Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2019.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
|
17
|
Frick WF, Kingston T, Flanders J. A review of the major threats and challenges to global bat conservation. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2019; 1469:5-25. [PMID: 30937915 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Bats are an ecologically and taxonomically diverse group accounting for roughly a fifth of mammalian diversity worldwide. Many of the threats bats face (e.g., habitat loss, bushmeat hunting, and climate change) reflect the conservation challenges of our era. However, compared to other mammals and birds, we know significantly less about the population status of most bat species, which makes prioritizing and planning conservation actions challenging. Over a third of bat species assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are considered threatened or data deficient, and well over half of the species have unknown or decreasing population trends. That equals 988 species, or 80% of bats assessed by IUCN, needing conservation or research attention. Delivering conservation to bat species will require sustained efforts to assess population status and trends and address data deficiencies. Successful bat conservation must integrate research and conservation to identify stressors and their solutions and to test the efficacy of actions to stabilize or increase populations. Global and regional networks that connect researchers, conservation practitioners, and local stakeholders to share knowledge, build capacity, and prioritize and coordinate research and conservation efforts, are vital to ensuring sustainable bat populations worldwide.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Winifred F Frick
- Bat Conservation International, Austin, Texas.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California
| | - Tigga Kingston
- Department of Biological Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
| | - Jon Flanders
- Bat Conservation International, Austin, Texas.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Sadier A, Davies KT, Yohe LR, Yun K, Donat P, Hedrick BP, Dumont ER, Dávalos LM, Rossiter SJ, Sears KE. Multifactorial processes underlie parallel opsin loss in neotropical bats. eLife 2018; 7:37412. [PMID: 30560780 PMCID: PMC6333445 DOI: 10.7554/elife.37412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The loss of previously adaptive traits is typically linked to relaxation in selection, yet the molecular steps leading to such repeated losses are rarely known. Molecular studies of loss have tended to focus on gene sequences alone, but overlooking other aspects of protein expression might underestimate phenotypic diversity. Insights based almost solely on opsin gene evolution, for instance, have made mammalian color vision a textbook example of phenotypic loss. We address this gap by investigating retention and loss of opsin genes, transcripts, and proteins across ecologically diverse noctilionoid bats. We find multiple, independent losses of short-wave-sensitive opsins. Mismatches between putatively functional DNA sequences, mRNA transcripts, and proteins implicate transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes in the ongoing loss of S-opsins in some noctilionoid bats. Our results provide a snapshot of evolution in progress during phenotypic trait loss, and suggest vertebrate visual phenotypes cannot always be predicted from genotypes alone. Bats are famous for using their hearing to explore their environments, yet fewer people are aware that these flying mammals have both good night and daylight vision. Some bats can even see in color thanks to two light-sensitive proteins at the back of their eyes: S-opsin which detects blue and ultraviolet light and L-opsin which detects green and red light. Many species of bat, however, are missing one of these proteins and cannot distinguish any colors; in other words, they are completely color-blind. Some bat species found in Central and South America have independently lost their ability to see blue-ultraviolet light and have thus also lost their color vision. These bats have diverse diets – ranging from insects to fruits and even blood – and being able to distinguish color may offer an advantage in many of their activities, including hunting or foraging. The vision genes in these bats, therefore, give scientists an opportunity to explore how a seemingly important trait can be lost at the molecular level. Sadier, Davies et al. now report that S-opsin has been lost more than a dozen times during the evolutionary history of these Central and South American bats. The analysis used samples from 55 species, including animals caught from the wild and specimens from museums. As with other proteins, the instructions encoded in the gene sequence for S opsin need to be copied into a molecule of RNA before they can be translated into protein. As expected, S-opsin was lost several times because of changes in the gene sequence that disrupted the formation of the protein. However, at several points in these bats’ evolutionary history, additional changes have taken place that affected the production of the RNA or the protein, without an obvious change to the gene itself. This finding suggests that other studies that rely purely on DNA to understand evolution may underestimate how often traits may be lost. By capturing ‘evolution in action’, these results also provide a more complete picture of the molecular targets of evolution in a diverse set of bats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexa Sadier
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Kalina Tj Davies
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Laurel R Yohe
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, New York, United States.,Geology & Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, United States
| | - Kun Yun
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, United States
| | - Paul Donat
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, New York, United States
| | - Brandon P Hedrick
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Elizabeth R Dumont
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, United States
| | - Liliana M Dávalos
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, New York, United States.,Consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Environmental Research, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, New York, United States
| | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Karen E Sears
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Malaney JL, Cook JA. A perfect storm for mammalogy: declining sample availability in a period of rapid environmental degradation. J Mammal 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyy082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jason L Malaney
- Department of Biology and David Snyder Museum of Zoology, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN, USA
| | - Joseph A Cook
- Department of Biology and Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Mota TFM, Fabrin TMC, Gasques LS, Ortêncio Filho H, Prioli AJ, Prioli SMAP. Extraction of DNA from micro-tissue for bat species identification. Mitochondrial DNA B Resour 2018; 3:758-762. [PMID: 33474313 PMCID: PMC7800230 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2018.1484261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Bat populations are declining worldwide. Accurate identification is essential to promote species' conservation. However, minimal morphological differences and a high rate of cryptic species make identification difficult, unless voucher specimens are kept, a controversial issue today. The objective of this work was to standardize a method of extracting non-lethal DNA using bats' uropatagium micro-tissue, aiming the molecular identification of species that occur in the region of Maringá PR. The method standardized was efficient, and does not cause serious damage to bats. For future field studies, collection of micro-tissue and morphometry of the specimens will be sufficient for accurate identification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomaz Mansini Carrenho Fabrin
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Bats of the Philippine Islands—A review of research directions and relevance to national-level priorities and targets. Mamm Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2018.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
|