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Assessing the extent of land-use change around important bat-inhabited caves. BMC ZOOL 2021; 6:31. [PMID: 34840806 PMCID: PMC8605785 DOI: 10.1186/s40850-021-00095-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Modification and destruction of natural habitats are bringing previously unencountered animal populations into contact with humans, with bats considered important zoonotic transmission vectors. Caves and cave-dwelling bats are under-represented in conservation plans. In South Africa, at least two cavernicolous species are of interest as potential zoonotic hosts: the Natal long-fingered bat Miniopterus natalensis and the Egyptian fruit bat Rousettus aegyptiacus. Little information is available about the anthropogenic pressures these species face around important roost sites. Both bats are numerous and widespread throughout the country; land-use changes and urban expansions are a rising concern for both conservation and increased bat-human contact. Results Our study addressed this shortfall by determining the extent of land-cover change around 47 roosts between 2014 and 2018 using existing land cover datasets. We determined the land-cover composition around important roost sites (including maternity, hibernacula and co-roosts), distances to urban settlements and assessed the current protection levels of roost localities. We detected an overall 4% decrease in natural woody vegetation (trees) within 5 km buffer zones of all roost sites, with a 10% decrease detected at co-roost sites alone. Agricultural land cover increased the most near roost sites, followed by plantations and urban land-cover. Overall, roosts were located 4.15 ± 0.91 km from urban settlements in 2018, the distances decreasing as urban areas expand. According to the South African National Biodiversity Institute Ecosystem Threat Status assessment, 72% of roosts fall outside of well-protected ecosystems. Conclusions The current lack of regulatory protection of cavernicolous bats and their roosts, increasing anthropogenic expansions and proximity to human settlements raises concerns about increased human-bat contact. Furthermore, uncontrolled roost visitation and vandalism are increasing, contributing to bat health risks and population declines, though the extent of roosts affected is yet to be quantified. In an era where pandemics are predicted to become more frequent and severe due to land-use change, our research is an urgent call for the formal protection of bat-inhabited caves to safeguard both bats and humans. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40850-021-00095-5.
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Tassone EE, Miles LS, Dyer RJ, Rosenberg MS, Cowling RM, Verrelli BC. Evolutionary stability, landscape heterogeneity, and human land-usage shape population genetic connectivity in the Cape Floristic Region biodiversity hotspot. Evol Appl 2021; 14:1109-1123. [PMID: 33897824 PMCID: PMC8061270 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
As human-induced change eliminates natural habitats, it impacts genetic diversity and population connectivity for local biodiversity. The South African Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is the most diverse extratropical area for plant biodiversity, and much of its habitat is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site. There has long been great interest in explaining the underlying factors driving this unique diversity, especially as much of the CFR is endangered by urbanization and other anthropogenic activity. Here, we use a population and landscape genetic analysis of SNP data from the CFR endemic plant Leucadendron salignum or "common sunshine conebush" as a model to address the evolutionary and environmental factors shaping the vast CFR diversity. We found that high population structure, along with relatively deeper and older genealogies, is characteristic of the southwestern CFR, whereas low population structure and more recent lineage coalescence depict the eastern CFR. Population network analyses show genetic connectivity is facilitated in areas of lower elevation and higher seasonal precipitation. These population genetic signatures corroborate CFR species-level patterns consistent with high Pleistocene biome stability and landscape heterogeneity in the southwest, but with coincident instability in the east. Finally, we also find evidence of human land-usage as a significant gene flow barrier, especially in severely threatened lowlands where genetic connectivity has been historically the highest. These results help identify areas where conservation plans can prioritize protecting high genetic diversity threatened by contemporary human activities within this unique cultural UNESCO site.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lindsay S. Miles
- Center for the Study of Biological ComplexityVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Rodney J. Dyer
- Center for Environmental StudiesVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Michael S. Rosenberg
- School of Life SciencesArizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
- Center for the Study of Biological ComplexityVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Richard M. Cowling
- African Centre for Coastal PalaeoscienceBotany DepartmentNelson Mandela UniversityPort ElizabethSouth Africa
| | - Brian C. Verrelli
- School of Life SciencesArizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
- Center for the Study of Biological ComplexityVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
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Meng X, Liu T, Zhang L, Jin L, Sun K, Feng J. Effects of Colonization, Geography and Environment on Genetic Divergence in the Intermediate Leaf-Nosed Bat, Hipposideros larvatus. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:733. [PMID: 33800251 PMCID: PMC7998825 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining the evolutionary history and population drivers, such as past large-scale climatic oscillations, stochastic processes and ecological adaptations, represents one of the aims of evolutionary biology. Hipposideros larvatus is a common bat species in Southern China, including Hainan Island. We examined genetic variation in H. larvatus using mitochondrial DNA and nuclear microsatellites. We found a population structure on both markers with a geographic pattern that corresponds well with the structure on mainland China and Hainan Island. To understand the contributions of geography, the environment and colonization history to the observed population structure, we tested isolation by distance (IBD), isolation by adaptation (IBA) and isolation by colonization (IBC) using serial Mantel tests and RDA analysis. The results showed significant impacts of IBD, IBA and IBC on neutral genetic variation, suggesting that genetic variation in H. larvatus is greatly affected by neutral processes, environmental adaptation and colonization history. This study enriches our understanding of the complex evolutionary forces that shape the distribution of genetic variation in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangfeng Meng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (X.M.); (T.L.); (L.Z.); (J.F.)
| | - Tong Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (X.M.); (T.L.); (L.Z.); (J.F.)
| | - Lin Zhang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (X.M.); (T.L.); (L.Z.); (J.F.)
| | - Longru Jin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (X.M.); (T.L.); (L.Z.); (J.F.)
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (X.M.); (T.L.); (L.Z.); (J.F.)
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; (X.M.); (T.L.); (L.Z.); (J.F.)
- School of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
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Power ML, Power S, Bertelsen MF, Jones G, Teeling EC. Wing: A suitable nonlethal tissue type for repeatable and rapid telomere length estimates in bats. Mol Ecol Resour 2020; 21:421-432. [PMID: 33049101 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres are used increasingly in ecology and evolution as biomarkers for ageing and environmental stress, and are typically measured from DNA extracted from nonlethally sampled blood. However, obtaining blood is not always possible in field conditions and only limited amounts can be taken from small mammals, such as bats, which moreover lack nucleated red blood cells and hence yield relatively low amounts of DNA. As telomere length can vary within species according to age and tissue, it is important to determine which tissues serve best as a representation of the organism as a whole. Here, we investigated whether wing tissue biopsies, a rapid and relatively noninvasive tissue collection method, could serve as a proxy for other tissues when measuring relative telomere length (rTL) in the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus). Telomeres were measured from blood, brain, heart, kidney, liver lung, muscle and wing, and multiple wing biopsies were taken from the same individuals to determine intra-individual repeatability of rTL measured by using qPCR. Wing rTL correlated with rTL estimates from most tissues apart from blood. Blood rTL was not significantly correlated with rTL from any other tissue. Blood and muscle rTLs were significantly longer compared with other tissues, while lung displayed the shortest rTLs. Individual repeatability of rTL measures from wing tissue was high (>70%). Here we show the relationships between tissue telomere dynamics for the first time in a bat, and our results provide support for the use of wing tissue for rTL measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Power
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sarahjane Power
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mads F Bertelsen
- Center for Zoo and Wild Animal Health, Copenhagen Zoo, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Gareth Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Emma C Teeling
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
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Katunzi T, Soisook P, Webala PW, Armstrong KN, Bumrungsri S. Bat activity and species richness in different land‐use types in and around Chome Nature Forest Reserve, Tanzania. Afr J Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Katunzi
- Department of Biology Faculty of Science Prince of Songkla University Hat Yai Thailand
- Same District Council Kilimanjaro Tanzania
| | - Pipat Soisook
- Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Natural History Museum Prince of Songkla University Hat Yai Thailand
| | - Paul W. Webala
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management Maasai Mara University Narok Kenya
| | - Kyle N. Armstrong
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA Australia
- South Australian Museum Adelaide SA Australia
| | - Sara Bumrungsri
- Department of Biology Faculty of Science Prince of Songkla University Hat Yai Thailand
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Bachorec E, Horáček I, Hulva P, Konečný A, Lučan RK, Jedlička P, Shohdi WM, Řeřucha Š, Abi‐Said M, Bartonička T. Egyptian fruit bats do not preferentially roost with their relatives. J Zool (1987) 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. Bachorec
- Department of Botany and Zoology Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - I. Horáček
- Department of Zoology Charles University in Prague Prague Czech Republic
| | - P. Hulva
- Department of Zoology Charles University in Prague Prague Czech Republic
| | - A. Konečný
- Department of Botany and Zoology Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - R. K. Lučan
- Department of Zoology Charles University in Prague Prague Czech Republic
| | - P. Jedlička
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ISI) Brno Czech Republic
| | | | - Š. Řeřucha
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ISI) Brno Czech Republic
| | - M. Abi‐Said
- Department of Earth and Life Sciences Faculty of Sciences II Lebanese University JdeidehFanar Lebanon
| | - T. Bartonička
- Department of Botany and Zoology Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
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Collevatti RG, Vitorino LC, Vieira TB, Oprea M, Telles MP. Landscape changes decrease genetic diversity in the Pallas’ long-tongued bat. Perspect Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2020.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
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Bachorec E, Horáček I, Hulva P, Konečný A, Lučan RK, Jedlička P, Shohdi WM, Řeřucha Š, Abi-Said M, Bartonička T. Spatial networks differ when food supply changes: Foraging strategy of Egyptian fruit bats. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229110. [PMID: 32097434 PMCID: PMC7041839 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals are faced with a range of ecological constraints that shape their behavioural decisions. Habitat features that affect resource abundance will also have an impact, especially as regards spatial distribution, which will in turn affect associations between the animals. Here we utilised a network approach, using spatial and genetic data, to describe patterns in use of space (foraging sites) by free-ranging Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) at the Dakhla Oasis in Egypt. We observed a decrease in home range size during spring, when food availability was lowest, which was reflected by differences in space sharing networks. Our data showed that when food was abundant, space sharing networks were less connected and more related individuals shared more foraging sites. In comparison, when food was scarce the bats had few possibilities to decide where and with whom to forage. Overall, both networks had high mean degree, suggesting communal knowledge of predictable food distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Bachorec
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Kotlářská, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Horáček
- Department of Zoology, Charles University in Prague, Viničná, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Hulva
- Department of Zoology, Charles University in Prague, Viničná, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Adam Konečný
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Kotlářská, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Radek K. Lučan
- Department of Zoology, Charles University in Prague, Viničná, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Jedlička
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ISI), Královopolská, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Šimon Řeřucha
- Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences (ISI), Královopolská, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Mounir Abi-Said
- Department of Earth and Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences II, Lebanese University, Fanar, Lebanon
| | - Tomáš Bartonička
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Kotlářská, Brno, Czech Republic
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Olivero J, Fa JE, Farfán MÁ, Márquez AL, Real R, Juste FJ, Leendertz SA, Nasi R. Human activities link fruit bat presence to Ebola virus disease outbreaks. Mamm Rev 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Olivero
- Grupo de Biogeografía Diversidad y Conservación Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Málaga Campus de Teatinos s/n29071Málaga Spain
| | - Julia E. Fa
- Division of Biology and Conservation Ecology Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester M1 6BHUK
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Jalan Cifor Rawajaha, Situ Gede, Bogor Barat Kota Bogor Jawa Barat 16115Indonesia
| | - Miguel Á. Farfán
- Grupo de Biogeografía Diversidad y Conservación Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Málaga Campus de Teatinos s/n29071Málaga Spain
| | - Ana L. Márquez
- Grupo de Biogeografía Diversidad y Conservación Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Málaga Campus de Teatinos s/n29071Málaga Spain
| | - Raimundo Real
- Grupo de Biogeografía Diversidad y Conservación Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Málaga Campus de Teatinos s/n29071Málaga Spain
| | - F. Javier Juste
- Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC C/ Américo Vespucio, 26, Isla de la Cartuja41092Sevilla Spain
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública CIBERESP Spain
| | - Siv A. Leendertz
- Epidemiology of Highly Infectious Microorganisms Robert Koch Institute Seestrasse 1013353Berlin Germany
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology Robert Koch Institute Seestrasse 1013353Berlin Germany
| | - Robert Nasi
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Jalan Cifor Rawajaha, Situ Gede, Bogor Barat Kota Bogor Jawa Barat 16115Indonesia
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Hulva P, Černá Bolfíková B, Woznicová V, Jindřichová M, Benešová M, Mysłajek RW, Nowak S, Szewczyk M, Niedźwiecka N, Figura M, Hájková A, Sándor AD, Zyka V, Romportl D, Kutal M, Finďo S, Antal V. Wolves at the crossroad: Fission-fusion range biogeography in the Western Carpathians and Central Europe. DIVERS DISTRIB 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Hulva
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science; Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science; University of Ostrava; Ostrava Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Černá Bolfíková
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Vendula Woznicová
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science; University of Ostrava; Ostrava Czech Republic
| | - Milena Jindřichová
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences; Czech University of Life Sciences Prague; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Benešová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science; Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Robert W. Mysłajek
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology; University of Warsaw; Warszaw Poland
| | | | - Maciej Szewczyk
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology; University of Warsaw; Warszaw Poland
| | - Natalia Niedźwiecka
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology; University of Warsaw; Warszaw Poland
- Association for Nature “Wolf”; Lipowa Poland
| | | | - Andrea Hájková
- State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic; Banská Bystrica Slovakia
| | - Atilla D. Sándor
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca; Cluj-Napoca Romania
| | - Vladimír Zyka
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science; Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Dušan Romportl
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science; Charles University; Prague Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Kutal
- Friends of the Earth Czech Republic; Olomouc Branch; Olomouc Czech Republic
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology; Mendel University in Brno; Brno Czech Republic
| | - Slavomír Finďo
- Forest Protection and Wildlife Management; National Forest Centre; Zvolen Slovakia
| | - Vladimír Antal
- State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic; Banská Bystrica Slovakia
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