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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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Fialas PC, Froidevaux JSP, Jones G, Batáry P. Transition to organic farming negatively affects bat activity. J Appl Ecol 2023; 60:2167-2176. [PMID: 38505688 PMCID: PMC10947233 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
The effectiveness of organic farming on biodiversity has been widely documented especially for plants, arthropods and birds; however, the effects of the transition period required to become an organic farm on wildlife remain poorly understood.We assessed the effects of organic farming on insectivorous bats in citrus orchards in the Republic of Cyprus employing two matched designs (conventional vs. 3-year organic-transitional and conventional vs. organic-certified) and a third unmatched design (3-year organic-transitional vs. organic-certified). We specifically investigated whether the transition period prior to full organic certification influenced bat activity with a special focus on any moderation effects from surrounding semi-natural areas.The activity of three (Pipistrellus kuhlii, Hypsugo savii and Miniopterus schreibersii) of four bat species was significantly lower in farms undergoing the transitional period than in conventional farms, and P. kuhlii and H. savii were significantly less active in organic transitional farming systems that in organic-certified ones. Furthermore, the activity of the most dominant species (P. kuhlii) was significantly higher on organic than transitional and conventional citrus orchards, thus suggesting a time-lag effect. Landscape complexity measured as the amount of semi-natural areas did not moderate the effects of farming system for any study species. Synthesis and application. The transition to organic farming had persistent detrimental effects on bats and potentially on the pest suppression services they provide. Future agri-environmental policy should consider the transition period and implement measures to mitigate any negative effects on biodiversity, alongside promoting asynchronous transition of nearby farms. Our findings further highlight the crucial need to consider the time since transition to organic farming when assessing potential benefits of organic management on biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penelope C. Fialas
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Bristol, Life Sciences BuildingBristolUK
- College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Exeter, Hatherly BuildingExeterUK
| | - Jérémy S. P. Froidevaux
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Bristol, Life Sciences BuildingBristolUK
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO, UMR 7204), CNRS, MNHN, Sorbonne‐UniversitéConcarneauFrance
- Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingUK
| | - Gareth Jones
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Bristol, Life Sciences BuildingBristolUK
| | - Péter Batáry
- ”Lendület” Landscape and Conservation EcologyInstitute of Ecology and Botany, Centre for Ecological ResearchVácrátótHungary
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3
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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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Janssen D, González-Miras E, Rodríguez E. Tuta absoluta-Specific DNA in Domestic and Synanthropic Vertebrate Insectivore Feces. INSECTS 2023; 14:673. [PMID: 37623383 PMCID: PMC10456033 DOI: 10.3390/insects14080673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
The ecology of greenhouse pests generally involves parasitoid or predatory insects. However, we investigated whether the leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is part of the diet of domestic and synanthropic vertebrate animals, such as birds, reptiles, and mammals, and that take part in an ecosystem that contains a high density of tomato greenhouses. Feces from domesticated partridges, common quails, and chickens, as well as from wild lizards were collected within tomato greenhouses, and fecal pellets from bats, swallows, common swifts, and house martins living in the vicinity of tomato greenhouses were collected outside. The efficiencies of three different DNA extraction methods were compared on bird, reptile, and mammal stool samples, and the DNA extracts were analyzed using probe real-time PCR for the presence of T. absoluta DNA. The results showed that bats fed on the pest, which was also part of the diet of several bird species: partridges and common quails kept within tomato greenhouses and swallows and common swifts living outside but in the vicinity of tomato greenhouses. In addition, fecal samples of three lizard species living near tomato crops also tested positive for T. absoluta DNA. The results suggest that aerial foraging bats and insectivorous birds are part of ecosystems that involve leaf miners and tomato greenhouses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Janssen
- Department of Sustainable Crop Protection, Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), Paraje San Nicolás, Autovía del Mediterráneo, Exit 420, E-04745 La Mojonera, Almeria, Spain;
| | - Emilio González-Miras
- SERBAL (Sociedad para Estudio y la Recuperación de la Biodiversidad Almeriense), E-04720 Almeria, Spain;
| | - Estefanía Rodríguez
- Department of Sustainable Crop Protection, Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), Paraje San Nicolás, Autovía del Mediterráneo, Exit 420, E-04745 La Mojonera, Almeria, Spain;
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5
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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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6
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Rodriguez-Martinez S, Klaminder J, Morlock MA, Dalén L, Huang DYT. The topological nature of tag jumping in environmental DNA metabarcoding studies. Mol Ecol Resour 2023; 23:621-631. [PMID: 36479848 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13745] [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: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Metabarcoding of environmental DNA constitutes a state-of-the-art tool for environmental studies. One fundamental principle implicit in most metabarcoding studies is that individual sample amplicons can still be identified after being pooled with others-based on their unique combinations of tags-during the so-called demultiplexing step that follows sequencing. Nevertheless, it has been recognized that tags can sometimes be changed (i.e., tag jumping), which ultimately leads to sample crosstalk. Here, using four DNA metabarcoding data sets derived from the analysis of soils and sediments, we show that tag jumping follows very specific and systematic patterns. Specifically, we find a strong correlation between the number of reads in blank samples and their topological position in the tag matrix (described by vertical and horizontal vectors). This observed spatial pattern of artefactual sequences could be explained by polymerase activity, which leads to the exchange of the 3' tag of single stranded tagged sequences through the formation of heteroduplexes with mixed barcodes. Importantly, tag jumping substantially distorted our data sets-despite our use of methods suggested to minimize this error. We developed a topological model to estimate the noise based on the counts in our blanks, which suggested that 40%-80% of the taxa in our soil and sedimentary samples were likely false positives introduced through tag jumping. We highlight that the amount of false positive detections caused by tag jumping strongly biased our community analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonatan Klaminder
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Marina A Morlock
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Love Dalén
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden.,Centre for Palaeogenetics, Svante Arrhenius väg 20C, Stockholm, Sweden
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Hending D, Andrianiaina A, Rose M, Rowlands A, Storm S, Holderied MW, Cotton S. Vanilla Bats: Insectivorous Bat Diversity in the Vanilla Agroecosystems of Northeastern Madagascar. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2023. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2022.24.2.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Hending
- Department of Field Conservation and Science, Bristol Zoological Society, Bristol BS8 3HA, United Kingdom
| | - Angelo Andrianiaina
- Mention: Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Université d'Antananarivo, BP 906 Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
| | - Miranda Rose
- Department of Field Conservation and Science, Bristol Zoological Society, Bristol BS8 3HA, United Kingdom
| | - Adèle Rowlands
- Department of Field Conservation and Science, Bristol Zoological Society, Bristol BS8 3HA, United Kingdom
| | - Savannah Storm
- Department of Field Conservation and Science, Bristol Zoological Society, Bristol BS8 3HA, United Kingdom
| | - Marc W. Holderied
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
| | - Sam Cotton
- Department of Field Conservation and Science, Bristol Zoological Society, Bristol BS8 3HA, United Kingdom
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8
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Beilke EA, O'Keefe JM. Bats reduce insect density and defoliation in temperate forests: An exclusion experiment. Ecology 2023; 104:e3903. [PMID: 36310413 PMCID: PMC10078224 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Bats suppress insect populations in agricultural ecosystems, yet the question of whether bats initiate trophic cascades in forests is mainly unexplored. We used a field experiment to test the hypothesis that insectivorous bats reduce defoliation through the top-down suppression of forest-defoliating insects. We excluded bats from 20 large, subcanopy forest plots (opened daily to allow birds access), each paired with an experimental control plot, during three summers between 2018 and 2020 in the central hardwood region of the United States. We monitored leaf area changes and insect density for nine to 10 oak or hickory seedlings per plot. Insect density was three times greater on seedlings in bat-excluded versus control plots. Additionally, seedling defoliation was five times greater with bats excluded, and bats' impact on defoliation was three times greater for oaks than for hickories. We show that insectivorous bats drive top-down trophic cascades, play an integral role in forest ecosystems, and may ultimately influence forest health, structure, and composition. This work demonstrates insectivorous bats' ecological and economic value and the importance of conserving this highly imperiled group of predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Beilke
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIllinoisUSA
- Center for Bat Research, Outreach, and ConservationIndiana State UniversityTerre HauteIndianaUSA
| | - Joy M. O'Keefe
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIllinoisUSA
- Center for Bat Research, Outreach, and ConservationIndiana State UniversityTerre HauteIndianaUSA
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Timofieieva O, Vlaschenko A, Laskowski R. Could a city-dwelling bat (Pipistrellus kuhlii) serve as a bioindicator species for trace metals pollution? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159556. [PMID: 36270360 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159556] [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: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Bats are an endangered group of mammals that are very sensitive to environmental stresses. One of such stress factor is trace metals pollution which threatens populations of insectivorous bats due to their top position in the food webs and exceptionally long life span. In our research Pipistrellus kuhlii was tested as a promising indicator species (urban-dwelling, sedentary, with limited daily home-range) for trace metal exposure of bats. We measured concentrations of Pb, Cu, Zn and Cd in internal and external tissues of bats from the industrial city Mariupol and the village Karlovka, Ukraine, to answer the following questions: (1) Do metal concentrations in soil samples differ between urban and rural areas, and between populations of P. kuhlii from those areas? (2) Does metal contamination differ between individuals of different sexes and ages? (3) Whether fur and/or wing membrane, the two tissues that can be collected from live bats, can be used as proxies of metal contamination in internal tissues (liver, kidney, lung, forearm bones) of P. kuhlii? Metal concentrations in soil samples were significantly higher in the city. Bats from the city accumulated significantly more Cd, Pb and Zn in external tissues than those from the rural area. Females accumulated more Cd than males, and this-year-born did not differ significantly from adult individuals. We did not find, however, significant positive correlations between metal concentrations in external and internal tissues, indicating that external tissues cannot serve as an indicator of the metal contamination of internal tissues in P. kuhlii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olha Timofieieva
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Anton Vlaschenko
- Bat Rehabilitation Center of Feldman Ecopark, 62340 Lisne, Kharkiv Region, Ukraine; Institute of Natural Sciences, H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Valentynivska st., 2, Kharkiv 61168, Ukraine
| | - Ryszard Laskowski
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
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Abdel-Hamid F, Alqahtani AR. Morphological characters and feeding habits of insectivorous Kuhl’s pipistrelle bat Pipistrellus kuhlii Cretzschmar, 1830, in different riverine habitats. Saudi J Biol Sci 2022; 29:103490. [PMID: 36389207 PMCID: PMC9649388 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2022.103490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
This study revises the morphological characters of both sexes of Kuhl’s pipistrelle, including external, cranial and dental characters. This study also establishes a baseline for the diet of this insectivorous bat species across a variety of habitats in the Nile Valley, where diets have never before been investigated. Our findings of the stomach contentswere not significantly affected despite the different habitats from which the samples were collected. The three most common insect taxa recovered were Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. The percentage volume of insect orders in the diet of Kuhl’s bat (63 stomachs) consisted of 29% of Hymenoptera, 9% of Coleoptera, 27% of Lepidoptera, 32% unknown materials and unexpected thing of these insectivorous bats was the presences of 3% fruits. A single order did not dominate the diet of this specie because Hymenoptera was the most fed insect orders by frequency of occurrence 87.3%, Lepidoptera by 74.6%, Coleoptera 36.5% and fruits in 4.8% of samples. Also, they may also be fed by other insect orders, as unknown materials were found in all samples.
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11
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da Costa CF, Ramos Pereira MJ. Aerial insectivorous bats in the Brazilian-Uruguayan savanna: Modelling the occupancy through acoustic detection. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.937139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Pampa is the least protected and one of the least sampled for bats among the Brazilian domains. This leads to significant Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls for bats in the Brazilian-Uruguayan savanna ecoregion. Here, we aimed to model the occupancy of aerial insectivorous bats in response to landscape structure at different scales, considering the influence of microclimate on bat detection. We acoustically monitored 68 locations during the spring and summer of 2019/2020, gathering data on temperature and humidity associated with each acoustic record using data loggers. We detected at least 11 species of the Molossidae and the Vespertilionidae families, of which 9 were used in the model. The response to landscape structure was species-specific: the occupancy probability of Eptesicus brasiliensis and Molossus cf. currentium increased with landscape connectivity at the 500 m scale while Eptesicus furinalis and Histiotus cf. velatus were negatively affected by landscape connectivity at the 5.0 km scale. Molossus occupancy probability responded negatively to landscape heterogeneity at the 3.0 km scale, while Promops centralis responded positively to landscape heterogeneity at the 5.0 km scale. Molossus rufus responded negatively to native vegetation cover and positively to landscape heterogeneity at the 5.0 km scale. Myotis albescens and Molossops temminckii did not respond significantly to any of the evaluated landscape metrics. Our results show that different bat species perceive the landscape differently, regardless of the guild of use of space – edge- or open-space forager. Our estimate of projected occupancy for the areas contiguous to those sampled ranged from 0.45 to 0.70 for the whole of the bat taxa, suggesting that the landscape, particularly where it still maintains its native elements, is reasonably favourable to aerial insectivores.
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12
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Bohmann K, Elbrecht V, Carøe C, Bista I, Leese F, Bunce M, Yu DW, Seymour M, Dumbrell AJ, Creer S. Strategies for sample labelling and library preparation in DNA metabarcoding studies. Mol Ecol Resour 2022; 22:1231-1246. [PMID: 34551203 PMCID: PMC9293284 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Metabarcoding of DNA extracted from environmental or bulk specimen samples is increasingly used to profile biota in basic and applied biodiversity research because of its targeted nature that allows sequencing of genetic markers from many samples in parallel. To achieve this, PCR amplification is carried out with primers designed to target a taxonomically informative marker within a taxonomic group, and sample-specific nucleotide identifiers are added to the amplicons prior to sequencing. The latter enables assignment of the sequences back to the samples they originated from. Nucleotide identifiers can be added during the metabarcoding PCR and during "library preparation", that is, when amplicons are prepared for sequencing. Different strategies to achieve this labelling exist. All have advantages, challenges and limitations, some of which can lead to misleading results, and in the worst case compromise the fidelity of the metabarcoding data. Given the range of questions addressed using metabarcoding, ensuring that data generation is robust and fit for the chosen purpose is critically important for practitioners seeking to employ metabarcoding for biodiversity assessments. Here, we present an overview of the three main workflows for sample-specific labelling and library preparation in metabarcoding studies on Illumina sequencing platforms; one-step PCR, two-step PCR, and tagged PCR. Further, we distill the key considerations for researchers seeking to select an appropriate metabarcoding strategy for their specific study. Ultimately, by gaining insights into the consequences of different metabarcoding workflows, we hope to further consolidate the power of metabarcoding as a tool to assess biodiversity across a range of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Bohmann
- Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesSection for Evolutionary GenomicsGlobe InstituteUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Vasco Elbrecht
- Department of Environmental Systems ScienceETH ZurichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Christian Carøe
- Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesSection for Evolutionary GenomicsGlobe InstituteUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Iliana Bista
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Tree of LifeWellcome Sanger InstituteHinxtonUK
| | - Florian Leese
- Aquatic Ecosystem ResearchFaculty of BiologyUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
| | - Michael Bunce
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) LaboratorySchool of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityPerthWAAustralia
| | - Douglas W. Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and EvolutionKunming Institute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesKunmingChina
- School of Biological SciencesNorwich Research ParkUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and GeneticsChinese Academy of SciencesKunming YunnanChina
| | - Mathew Seymour
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | | | - Simon Creer
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution GroupSchool of Natural SciencesBangor UniversityGwyneddUK
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13
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Zhang G, Chu Y, Jiang T, Li J, Feng L, Wu H, Wang H, Feng J. Comparative analysis of the daily brain transcriptomes of Asian particolored bat. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3876. [PMID: 35264653 PMCID: PMC8907190 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07787-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Daily rhythms are found in almost all organisms, and they comprise one of the most basic characteristics of living things. Daily rhythms are generated and mainly regulated by circadian clock. Bats have attracted interest from researchers because of their unique biological characteristics. However, little is known about the molecular underpinnings of daily rhythms in bats. In this study, we used RNA-Seq to uncover the daily rhythms of gene expression in the brains of Asian particolored bats over the 24-h day. Accordingly, four collected time points corresponding to four biological states, rest, sleep, wakefulness, and active, were selected. Several groups of genes with different expression levels in these four states were obtained suggested that different physiological processes were active at various biological states, including drug metabolism, signaling pathways, and the circadian rhythm. Furthermore, downstream analysis of all differentially expressed genes in these four states suggested that groups of genes showed daily rhythms in the bat brain. Especially for Per1, an important circadian clock gene was identified with rhythmic expression in the brain of Asian particolored bat. In summary, our study provides an overview of the brain transcriptomic differences in different physiological states over a 24-h cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoting Zhang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China
| | - Yujia Chu
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China
| | - Tinglei Jiang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China
| | - Lei Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117, China
| | - Hui Wu
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China
| | - Hui Wang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China.
| | - Jiang Feng
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China. .,Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117, China.
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14
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Kruszynski C, de Andrade Moral R, Míllan C, Diniz-Reis TR, Mello MAR, de Camargo PB. Diet Composition of Bats in a Human-Modified Tropical Landscape. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2022. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2021.23.2.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Kruszynski
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA), Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Centenário, 303, 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Cristiane Míllan
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo. Rua do Matão, 321/Travessa 14, 05508-090 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Thais R. Diniz-Reis
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA), Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Centenário, 303, 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Marco A. R. Mello
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo. Rua do Matão, 321/Travessa 14, 05508-090 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Plinio B. de Camargo
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA), Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Centenário, 303, 13400-970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
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15
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Mata VA, da Silva LP, Veríssimo J, Horta P, Raposeira H, McCracken GF, Rebelo H, Beja P. Combining DNA metabarcoding and ecological networks to inform conservation biocontrol by small vertebrate predators. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02457. [PMID: 34529299 PMCID: PMC9285058 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
In multifunctional landscapes, diverse communities of flying vertebrate predators provide vital services of insect pest control. In such landscapes, conservation biocontrol should benefit service-providing species to enhance the flow, stability and resilience of pest control services supporting the production of food and fiber. However, this would require identifying key service providers, which may be challenging when multiple predators interact with multiple pests. Here we provide a framework to identify the functional role of individual species to pest control in multifunctional landscapes. First, we used DNA metabarcoding to provide detailed data on pest species predation by diverse predator communities. Then, these data were fed into an extensive network analysis, in which information relevant for conservation biocontrol is gained from parameters describing network structure (e.g., modularity) and species roles in such network (e.g., centrality, specialization). We applied our framework to a Mediterranean landscape, where 19 bat species were found to feed on 132 insect pest species. Metabarcoding data revealed potentially important bats that consumed insect pest species in high frequency and/or diversity. Network analysis showed a modular structure, indicating sets of bat species that are required to regulate specific sets of insect pests. A few generalist bats had particularly important roles, either at network or module levels. Extinction simulations highlighted six bats, including species of conservation concern, which were sufficient to ensure that over three-quarters of the pest species had at least one bat predator. Combining DNA metabarcoding and ecological network analysis provides a valuable framework to identify individual species within diverse predator communities that might have a disproportionate contribution to pest control services in multifunctional landscapes. These species can be regarded as candidate targets for conservation biocontrol, although additional information is needed to evaluate their actual effectiveness in pest regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa A. Mata
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório AssociadoCampus de Vairão, Universidade of PortoVairão4485‐661Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land PlanningCIBIO, Campus de VairãoVairão4485‐661Portugal
| | - Luis P. da Silva
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório AssociadoCampus de Vairão, Universidade of PortoVairão4485‐661Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land PlanningCIBIO, Campus de VairãoVairão4485‐661Portugal
| | - Joana Veríssimo
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório AssociadoCampus de Vairão, Universidade of PortoVairão4485‐661Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land PlanningCIBIO, Campus de VairãoVairão4485‐661Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de CiênciasUniversidade do PortoPorto4099‐002Portugal
| | - Pedro Horta
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório AssociadoCampus de Vairão, Universidade of PortoVairão4485‐661Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land PlanningCIBIO, Campus de VairãoVairão4485‐661Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de CiênciasUniversidade do PortoPorto4099‐002Portugal
| | - Helena Raposeira
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório AssociadoCampus de Vairão, Universidade of PortoVairão4485‐661Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land PlanningCIBIO, Campus de VairãoVairão4485‐661Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de CiênciasUniversidade do PortoPorto4099‐002Portugal
| | - Gary F. McCracken
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTennessee37996‐1610USA
| | - Hugo Rebelo
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório AssociadoCampus de Vairão, Universidade of PortoVairão4485‐661Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land PlanningCIBIO, Campus de VairãoVairão4485‐661Portugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório AssociadoInstituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de LisboaLisboa1349‐017Portugal
| | - Pedro Beja
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório AssociadoCampus de Vairão, Universidade of PortoVairão4485‐661Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land PlanningCIBIO, Campus de VairãoVairão4485‐661Portugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório AssociadoInstituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de LisboaLisboa1349‐017Portugal
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16
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Kusuminda T, Mannakkara A, Gamage R, Patterson BD, Yapa WB. Roosting ecology of insectivorous bats in a tropical agricultural landscape. MAMMALIA 2021. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2021-0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Bats spend more than half of their life in roosts, where key life events transpire. Therefore the availability and selection of roosts are important to bats everywhere, and may limit their ability to exploit every habitat, including agricultural landscapes such as paddy fields, orchards and tea plantations. This study aimed to investigate the day roosts used by insectivorous bat species in tea plantations of Sri Lanka. We surveyed 18 tea plantations where we recorded a total of 44 roosts involving five families and nine species of bats (Hipposideros galeritus, Hipposideros lankadiva, Hipposideros speoris, Rhinolophus beddomei, Rhinolophus rouxii, Megaderma spasma, Pipistrellus ceylonicus, Pipistrellus coromandra and Miniopterus cf. fuliginosus). Most (26) of the recorded roosts were geomorphic, (11) were anthropogenic, and (7) were in vegetation. H. lankadiva and M. cf. fuliginosus are the only species known to roost exclusively in geomorphic roosts; all others were opportunistic. Although protecting bat roosts is crucial for their conservation, it is challenging in view of existing tea management practices. Therefore, natural roosts should be maintained and protected. The introduction of artificial roosts might increase the number of bats able to forage over tea plantations and maximize their consumption of agricultural pests, thereby increasing tea production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tharaka Kusuminda
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Faculty of Agriculture , University of Ruhuna , Kamburupitiya , 81100 , Sri Lanka
| | - Amani Mannakkara
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Faculty of Agriculture , University of Ruhuna , Kamburupitiya , 81100 , Sri Lanka
| | - Rajika Gamage
- Tea Research Institute , Talawakelle , 22100 , Sri Lanka
| | - Bruce D. Patterson
- Negaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History , Chicago , IL , USA
| | - Wipula B. Yapa
- Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences, Faculty of Science , University of Colombo , Colombo , Sri Lanka
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17
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Feasting, not fasting: winter diets of cave hibernating bats in the United States. Front Zool 2021; 18:48. [PMID: 34556122 PMCID: PMC8461964 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-021-00434-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Temperate bat species use extended torpor to conserve energy when ambient temperatures are low and food resources are scarce. Previous research suggests that migratory bat species and species known to roost in thermally unstable locations, such as those that roost in trees, are more likely to remain active during winter. However, hibernating colonies of cave roosting bats in the southeastern United States may also be active and emerge from caves throughout the hibernation period. We report what bats are eating during these bouts of winter activity. We captured 2,044 bats of 10 species that emerged from six hibernacula over the course of 5 winters (October–April 2012/2013, 2013/2014, 2015/2016, 2016/2017, and 2017/2018). Using Next Generation sequencing of DNA from 284 fecal samples, we determined bats consumed at least 14 Orders of insect prey while active. Dietary composition did not vary among bat species; however, we did record variation in the dominant prey items represented in species’ diets. We recorded Lepidoptera in the diet of 72.2% of individual Corynorhinus rafinesquii and 67.4% of individual Lasiurus borealis. Diptera were recorded in 32.4% of Myotis leibii, 37.4% of M. lucifugus, 35.5% of M. sodalis and 68.8% of Perimyotis subflavus. Our study is the first to use molecular genetic techniques to identify the winter diet of North American hibernating bats. The information from this study is integral to managing the landscape around bat hibernacula for insect prey, particularly in areas where hibernating bat populations are threatened by white-nose syndrome.
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18
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Andriollo T, Michaux JR, Ruedi M. Food for everyone: Differential feeding habits of cryptic bat species inferred from DNA metabarcoding. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:4584-4600. [PMID: 34245618 PMCID: PMC8518853 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ecological theory postulates that niches of co‐occurring species must differ along some ecological dimensions in order to allow their stable coexistence. Yet, many biological systems challenge this competitive exclusion principle. Insectivorous bats from the Northern Hemisphere typically form local assemblages of multiple species sharing highly similar functional traits and pertaining to identical feeding guilds. Although their trophic niche can be accessed with unprecedented details using genetic identification of prey, the underlying mechanisms of resource partitioning remain vastly unexplored. Here, we studied the differential diet of three closely‐related bat species of the genus Plecotus in sympatry and throughout their entire breeding season using DNA metabarcoding. Even at such a small geographic scale, we identified strong seasonal and spatial variation of their diet composition at both intra‐ and interspecific levels. Indeed, while the different bats fed on a distinct array of prey during spring, they showed higher trophic niche overlap during summer and fall, when all three species switched their hunting behaviour to feed on few temporarily abundant moths. By recovering 19 ecological traits for over 600 prey species, we further inferred that each bat species used different feeding grounds and hunting techniques, suggesting that niche partitioning was primarily habitat‐driven. The two most‐closely related bat species exhibited very distinct foraging habitat preferences, while the third, more distantly‐related species was more generalist. These results highlight the need of temporally comprehensive samples to fully understand species coexistence, and that valuable information can be derived from the taxonomic identity of prey obtained by metabarcoding approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommy Andriollo
- Department of Mammalogy and Ornithology, Natural History Museum of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Section of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Johan R Michaux
- Laboratoire de Génétique de la Conservation, Université de Liège, Institut de Botanique B22, Liège, Belgium.,CIRAD, Agirs Unit, TA C- 22/E- Campus international de Baillarguet, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Manuel Ruedi
- Department of Mammalogy and Ornithology, Natural History Museum of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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19
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Thongjued K, Chotigeat W, Bumrungsri S, Thanakiatkrai P, Kitpipit T. Direct PCR-DGGE Technique Reveals Wrinkle-Lipped Free-Tailed Bat (Chaerephon plicatus Buchanan, 1800) Predominantly Consume Planthoppers and Mosquitoes in Central Thailand. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2021. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2021.23.1.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kantima Thongjued
- Prince of Songkla University, 15 Karnchanawanich Road, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand 90112
| | - Wilaiwan Chotigeat
- Prince of Songkla University, 15 Karnchanawanich Road, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand 90112
| | - Sara Bumrungsri
- Prince of Songkla University, 15 Karnchanawanich Road, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand 90112
| | - Phuvadol Thanakiatkrai
- Prince of Songkla University, 15 Karnchanawanich Road, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand 90112
| | - Thitika Kitpipit
- Prince of Songkla University, 15 Karnchanawanich Road, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand 90112
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20
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Schmidt JM, Acebes-Doria A, Blaauw B, Kheirodin A, Pandey S, Lennon K, Kaldor AD, Toledo PFS, Grabarczyk EE. Identifying Molecular-Based Trophic Interactions as a Resource for Advanced Integrated Pest Management. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12040358. [PMID: 33923556 PMCID: PMC8073380 DOI: 10.3390/insects12040358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary With increasing human populations and the need for ecosystem services to work in synergy with the production of specialty crops, the maintenance of biodiversity is becoming increasingly important. The aims of this study were to review the current literature employing molecular analysis to reveal the roles of species in providing biological control in agricultural systems. Decrypting the trophic networks between biological control agents and agricultural pests is essential to build eco-friendly strategies that promote the natural management of pests before any mediations, such as chemical control strategies, are required. It was found, during the review process, that our understanding of biological control communities is lacking in many agricultural systems, including common fruit and vegetable production, both in terms of what species are doing for crop production, and how various environmental challenges (i.e., land-use and habitat management concepts, such as wildflower borders) influence species interactions and the delivery of biological control services. New techniques harvesting the power of DNA to reveal species’ roles in specialty crops are an avenue forward to help integrate natural pest management into our standard operating procedures. Abstract Biodiversity is an essential attribute of sustainable agroecosystems. Diverse arthropod communities deliver multiple ecosystem services, such as biological control, which are the core of integrated pest management programs. The molecular analysis of arthropod diets has emerged as a new tool to monitor and help predict the outcomes of management on the functioning of arthropod communities. Here, we briefly review the recent molecular analysis of predators and parasitoids in agricultural environments. We focus on the developments of molecular gut content analysis (MGCA) implemented to unravel the function of community members, and their roles in biological control. We examine the agricultural systems in which this tool has been applied, and at what ecological scales. Additionally, we review the use of MGCA to uncover vertebrate roles in pest management, which commonly receives less attention. Applying MGCA to understand agricultural food webs is likely to provide an indicator of how management strategies either improve food web properties (i.e., enhanced biological control), or adversely impact them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M. Schmidt
- Department of Entomology, Tifton Campus, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA 31794, USA; (A.A.-D.); (A.K.); (S.P.); (K.L.); (P.F.S.T.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Angelita Acebes-Doria
- Department of Entomology, Tifton Campus, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA 31794, USA; (A.A.-D.); (A.K.); (S.P.); (K.L.); (P.F.S.T.)
| | - Brett Blaauw
- Department of Entomology, Athens Campus, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (B.B.); (A.D.K.)
| | - Arash Kheirodin
- Department of Entomology, Tifton Campus, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA 31794, USA; (A.A.-D.); (A.K.); (S.P.); (K.L.); (P.F.S.T.)
| | - Swikriti Pandey
- Department of Entomology, Tifton Campus, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA 31794, USA; (A.A.-D.); (A.K.); (S.P.); (K.L.); (P.F.S.T.)
| | - Kylie Lennon
- Department of Entomology, Tifton Campus, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA 31794, USA; (A.A.-D.); (A.K.); (S.P.); (K.L.); (P.F.S.T.)
| | - Amos D. Kaldor
- Department of Entomology, Athens Campus, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (B.B.); (A.D.K.)
| | - Pedro F. S. Toledo
- Department of Entomology, Tifton Campus, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA 31794, USA; (A.A.-D.); (A.K.); (S.P.); (K.L.); (P.F.S.T.)
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21
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Kolkert HL, Smith R, Rader R, Reid N. Prey removal in cotton crops next to woodland reveals periodic diurnal and nocturnal invertebrate predation gradients from the crop edge by birds and bats. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5256. [PMID: 33664383 PMCID: PMC7970855 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84633-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Factors influencing the efficacy of insectivorous vertebrates in providing natural pest control services inside crops at increasing distances from the crop edge are poorly understood. We investigated the identity of vertebrate predators (birds and bats) and removal of sentinel prey (mealworms and beetles) from experimental feeding trays in cotton crops using prey removal trials, camera traps and observations. More prey was removed during the day than at night, but prey removal was variable at the crop edge and dependent on the month (reflecting crop growth and cover) and time of day. Overall, the predation of mealworms and beetles was 1-times and 13-times greater during the day than night, respectively, with predation on mealworms 3-5 times greater during the day than night at the crop edge compared to 95 m inside the crop. Camera traps identified many insectivorous birds and bats over crops near the feeding trays, but there was no evidence of bats or small passerines removing experimental prey. A predation gradient from the crop edge was evident, but only in some months. This corresponded to the foraging preferences of open-space generalist predators (magpies) in low crop cover versus the shrubby habitat preferred by small passerines, likely facilitating foraging away from the crop edge later in the season. Our results are in line with Optimal Foraging Theory and suggest that predators trade-off foraging behaviour with predation risk at different distances from the crop edge and levels of crop cover. Understanding the optimal farm configuration to support insectivorous bird and bat populations can assist farmers to make informed decisions regarding in-crop natural pest control and maximise the predation services provided by farm biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi L Kolkert
- Ecosystem Management, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.
| | - Rhiannon Smith
- Ecosystem Management, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
| | - Romina Rader
- Ecosystem Management, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
| | - Nick Reid
- Ecosystem Management, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
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22
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Annual reproductive cycle of males of the bat Molossus molossus: Seasonal bimodal polyestry, testicular regression, and some aspects of the hormonal control. Theriogenology 2020; 158:297-308. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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