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Greening SS, Haman K, Drazenovich T, Chacon-Heszele M, Scafini M, Turner G, Huckabee J, Leonhardt J, vanWestrienen J, Perelman M, Thompson P, Keel MK. Validation of a Field-Portable, Handheld Real-Time PCR System for Detecting Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the Causative Agent of White-Nose Syndrome in Bats. J Wildl Dis 2024; 60:298-305. [PMID: 38329747 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-23-00083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
White-nose syndrome (WNS), caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has decimated bat populations across North America. Despite ongoing management programs, WNS continues to expand into new populations, including in US states previously thought to be free from the pathogen and disease. This expansion highlights a growing need for surveillance tools that can be used to enhance existing monitoring programs and support the early detection of P. destructans in new areas. We evaluated the feasibility of using a handheld, field-portable, real-time (quantitative) PCR (qPCR) thermocycler known as the Biomeme two3 and the associated field-based nucleic acid extraction kit and assay reagents for the detection of P. destructans in little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus). Results from the field-based protocol using the Biomeme platform were compared with those from a commonly used laboratory-based qPCR protocol. When using dilutions of known conidia concentrations, the lowest detectable concentration with the laboratory-based approach was 108.8 conidia/mL, compared with 1,087.5 conidia/mL (10 times higher, i.e., one fewer 10× dilution) using the field-based approach. Further comparisons using field samples suggest a high level of concordance between the two protocols, with positive and negative agreements of 98.2% and 100% respectively. The cycle threshold values were marginally higher for most samples using the field-based protocol. These results are an important step in establishing and validating a rapid, field-assessable detection platform for P. destructans, which is urgently needed to improve the surveillance and monitoring capacity for WNS and support on-the-ground management and response efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina S Greening
- Department of Pathobiology, Wildlife Futures Program, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, New Bolton Center, 382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 19348, USA
| | - Katie Haman
- Department of Pathobiology, Wildlife Futures Program, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, New Bolton Center, 382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 19348, USA
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1111 Washington Street, Olympia, Washington 98501, USA
| | - Tracy Drazenovich
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, California 95616, USA
| | - Maria Chacon-Heszele
- Biomeme, 401 North Broad Street, Suite 222, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19108, USA
| | - Michael Scafini
- Bureau of Wildlife Management, Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110, USA
| | - Greg Turner
- Bureau of Wildlife Management, Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110, USA
| | - John Huckabee
- PAWS Wildlife Center, 15305 44th Avenue West, Lynnwood, Washington 98087, USA
| | - Jean Leonhardt
- PAWS Wildlife Center, 15305 44th Avenue West, Lynnwood, Washington 98087, USA
| | - Jesse vanWestrienen
- Biomeme, 401 North Broad Street, Suite 222, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19108, USA
| | - Max Perelman
- Biomeme, 401 North Broad Street, Suite 222, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19108, USA
| | - Patricia Thompson
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1111 Washington Street, Olympia, Washington 98501, USA
| | - M Kevin Keel
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Pathology, Microbiology, Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, California 95616, USA
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Ange-Stark M, Parise KL, Cheng TL, Hoyt JR, Langwig KE, Frick WF, Kilpatrick AM, Gillece J, MacManes MD, Foster JT. White-nose syndrome restructures bat skin microbiomes. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0271523. [PMID: 37888992 PMCID: PMC10714735 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02715-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Inherent complexities in the composition of microbiomes can often preclude investigations of microbe-associated diseases. Instead of single organisms being associated with disease, community characteristics may be more relevant. Longitudinal microbiome studies of the same individual bats as pathogens arrive and infect a population are the ideal experiment but remain logistically challenging; therefore, investigations like our approach that are able to correlate invasive pathogens to alterations within a microbiome may be the next best alternative. The results of this study potentially suggest that microbiome-host interactions may determine the likelihood of infection. However, the contrasting relationship between Pd and the bacterial microbiomes of Myotis lucifugus and Perimyotis subflavus indicate that we are just beginning to understand how the bat microbiome interacts with a fungal invader such as Pd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Ange-Stark
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Katy L. Parise
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Tina L. Cheng
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
- Bat Conservation International, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Joseph R. Hoyt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Kate E. Langwig
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Winifred F. Frick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
- Bat Conservation International, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - A. Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - John Gillece
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Matthew D. MacManes
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Jeffrey T. Foster
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
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Garrett NR, Watkins J, Francis CM, Simmons NB, Ivanova N, Naaum A, Briscoe A, Drinkwater R, Clare EL. Out of thin air: surveying tropical bat roosts through air sampling of eDNA. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14772. [PMID: 37128209 PMCID: PMC10148639 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding roosting behaviour is essential to bat conservation and biomonitoring, often providing the most accurate methods of assessing bat population size and health. However, roosts can be challenging to survey, e.g., physically impossible to access or presenting risks for researchers. Disturbance during monitoring can also disrupt natural bat behaviour and present material risks to the population such as disrupting hibernation cycles. One solution to this is the use of non-invasive monitoring approaches. Environmental (e)DNA has proven especially effective at detecting rare and elusive species particularly in hard-to-reach locations. It has recently been demonstrated that eDNA from vertebrates is carried in air. When collected in semi-confined spaces, this airborne eDNA can provide remarkably accurate profiles of biodiversity, even in complex tropical communities. In this study, we deploy novel airborne eDNA collection for the first time in a natural setting and use this approach to survey difficult to access potential roosts in the neotropics. Using airborne eDNA, we confirmed the presence of bats in nine out of 12 roosts. The identified species matched previous records of roost use obtained from photographic and live capture methods, thus demonstrating the utility of this approach. We also detected the presence of the white-winged vampire bat (Diaemus youngi) which had never been confirmed in the area but was long suspected based on range maps. In addition to the bats, we detected several non-bat vertebrates, including the big-eared climbing rat (Ototylomys phyllotis), which has previously been observed in and around bat roosts in our study area. We also detected eDNA from other local species known to be in the vicinity. Using airborne eDNA to detect new roosts and monitor known populations, particularly when species turnover is rapid, could maximize efficiency for surveyors while minimizing disturbance to the animals. This study presents the first applied use of airborne eDNA collection for ecological analysis moving beyond proof of concept to demonstrate a clear utility for this technology in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina R. Garrett
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jonathan Watkins
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Charles M. Francis
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nancy B. Simmons
- Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | - Amanda Naaum
- Nature Metrics North America Ltd., Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew Briscoe
- Nature Metrics Ltd., Surrey Research Park, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Rosie Drinkwater
- Palaeogenomics group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximillian University Munich, Munich, Germany
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White-Nose Syndrome Pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans Detected in Migratory Tree-Roosting Bats. J Wildl Dis 2022; 58:652-657. [PMID: 35439810 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-21-00160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging fungal epizootic disease that has caused large-scale mortality in several species of North American bats. The fungus that causes WNS, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), has also been detected in bat species without diagnostic signs of WNS. Although these species could play a role in WNS spread, understanding of the spatial and temporal extents of Pd occurrence on WNS-resistant species is limited. This study evaluated the presence of Pd on 272 individuals of three species of migratory tree-roosting bats: hoary (Lasiurus cinereus), eastern red (Lasiurus borealis), and silver-haired (Lasionycteris noctivagans) bats, obtained opportunistically during summer and autumn from throughout much of their ranges in North America. We also compared tissue sampling protocols (i.e., tissue swabbing, fur swabbing, and DNA extraction of excised wing tissue). We detected Pd on three eastern red bats from Illinois and Ohio, US, one silver-haired bat from West Virginia, US, and one hoary bat from New York, US, all via DNA extracted from wing tissue of carcasses. These results document the first publicly reported detections of Pd on a hoary bat and on migratory bats during the autumn migratory period, and demonstrate the potential for using carcasses salvaged at wind-energy facilities to monitor for Pd.
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Experimental inoculation trial to determine the effects of temperature and humidity on White-nose Syndrome in hibernating bats. Sci Rep 2022; 12:971. [PMID: 35046462 PMCID: PMC8770465 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-04965-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Disease results from interactions among the host, pathogen, and environment. Inoculation trials can quantify interactions among these players and explain aspects of disease ecology to inform management in variable and dynamic natural environments. White-nose Syndrome, a disease caused by the fungal pathogen, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), has caused severe population declines of several bat species in North America. We conducted the first experimental infection trial on the tri-colored bat, Perimyotis subflavus, to test the effect of temperature and humidity on disease severity. We also tested the effects of temperature and humidity on fungal growth and persistence on substrates. Unexpectedly, only 37% (35/95) of bats experimentally inoculated with Pd at the start of the experiment showed any infection response or disease symptoms after 83 days of captive hibernation. There was no evidence that temperature or humidity influenced infection response. Temperature had a strong effect on fungal growth on media plates, but the influence of humidity was more variable and uncertain. Designing laboratory studies to maximize research outcomes would be beneficial given the high costs of such efforts and potential for unexpected outcomes. Understanding the influence of microclimates on host-pathogen interactions remains an important consideration for managing wildlife diseases, particularly in variable environments.
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Cheng TL, Reichard JD, Coleman JTH, Weller TJ, Thogmartin WE, Reichert BE, Bennett AB, Broders HG, Campbell J, Etchison K, Feller DJ, Geboy R, Hemberger T, Herzog C, Hicks AC, Houghton S, Humber J, Kath JA, King RA, Loeb SC, Massé A, Morris KM, Niederriter H, Nordquist G, Perry RW, Reynolds RJ, Sasse DB, Scafini MR, Stark RC, Stihler CW, Thomas SC, Turner GG, Webb S, Westrich BJ, Frick WF. The scope and severity of white-nose syndrome on hibernating bats in North America. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1586-1597. [PMID: 33877716 PMCID: PMC8518069 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Assessing the scope and severity of threats is necessary for evaluating impacts on populations to inform conservation planning. Quantitative threat assessment often requires monitoring programs that provide reliable data over relevant spatial and temporal scales, yet such programs can be difficult to justify until there is an apparent stressor. Leveraging efforts of wildlife management agencies to record winter counts of hibernating bats, we collated data for 5 species from over 200 sites across 27 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces from 1995 to 2018 to determine the impact of white-nose syndrome (WNS), a deadly disease of hibernating bats. We estimated declines of winter counts of bat colonies at sites where the invasive fungus that causes WNS (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) had been detected to assess the threat impact of WNS. Three species undergoing species status assessment by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Myotis septentrionalis, Myotis lucifugus, and Perimyotis subflavus) declined by more than 90%, which warrants classifying the severity of the WNS threat as extreme based on criteria used by NatureServe. The scope of the WNS threat as defined by NatureServe criteria was large (36% of Myotis lucifugus range) to pervasive (79% of Myotis septentrionalis range) for these species. Declines for 2 other species (Myotis sodalis and Eptesicus fuscus) were less severe but still qualified as moderate to serious based on NatureServe criteria. Data-sharing across jurisdictions provided a comprehensive evaluation of scope and severity of the threat of WNS and indicated regional differences that can inform response efforts at international, national, and state or provincial jurisdictions. We assessed the threat impact of an emerging infectious disease by uniting monitoring efforts across jurisdictional boundaries and demonstrated the importance of coordinated monitoring programs, such as the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat), for data-driven conservation assessments and planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina L. Cheng
- Bat Conservation International500 North Capital of Texas Highway, Building 1AustinTX78746U.S.A.
| | - Jonathan D. Reichard
- Ecological ServicesU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service300 Westgate Center DriveHadleyMA01035U.S.A.
| | - Jeremy T. H. Coleman
- Ecological ServicesU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service300 Westgate Center DriveHadleyMA01035U.S.A.
| | - Theodore J. Weller
- Pacific Southwest Research StationU.S. Department of Agriculture1700 Bayview DriveArcataCA95521U.S.A.
| | - Wayne E. Thogmartin
- Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences CenterU.S. Geological Survey2630 Fanta Reed RoadLa CrosseWI54601U.S.A.
| | - Brian E. Reichert
- Fort Collins Science CenterU.S. Geological Survey2150 Centre AvenueFort CollinsCO80526U.S.A.
| | - Alyssa B. Bennett
- Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife111 West St.Essex JunctionVT05452U.S.A.
| | | | - Joshua Campbell
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency5107 Edmonson PikeNashvilleTN37211U.S.A.
| | | | - Daniel J. Feller
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources580 Taylor Ave.FrostburgMD21401U.S.A.
| | - Richard Geboy
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service520 S. Walker St.BloomingtonIN47403U.S.A.
| | - Traci Hemberger
- Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources1 Sportsman's Ln.FrankfortKY40601U.S.A.
| | - Carl Herzog
- New York Department of Environmental Conservation625 BroadwayAlbanyNY12233U.S.A.
| | - Alan C. Hicks
- New York Department of Environmental Conservation625 BroadwayAlbanyNY12233U.S.A.
| | | | - Jessica Humber
- NL Wildlife DivisionGovernment of Newfoundland and Labrador192 Wheeler's Rd., P.O. Box 2006Corner BrookNLA2H 0J1Canada
| | - Joseph A. Kath
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources1 Natural Resources WaySpringfieldIL62702U.S.A.
| | - R. Andrew King
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service520 S. Walker St.BloomingtonIN47403U.S.A.
| | - Susan C. Loeb
- Southern Research Station, U.S. Forest ServiceClemson University233 Lehotsky HallClemsonSC29634U.S.A.
| | - Ariane Massé
- Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs880 ch. Sainte‐FoyQuébecQCG1S 4X4Canada
| | - Katrina M. Morris
- Wildlife Conservation SectionGeorgia Department of Natural Resources2065 US Hwy 278 SESocial CircleGA30025U.S.A.
| | - Holly Niederriter
- Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental ControlRichardson and Robbins Bldg., 89 Kings Hwy SWDoverDE19901U.S.A.
| | - Gerda Nordquist
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources500 Lafayette Rd.Saint PaulMN55155U.S.A.
| | - Roger W. Perry
- U.S. Forest Service100 Reserve St.Hot SpringsAR71901U.S.A.
| | - Richard J. Reynolds
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources7870 Villa Park Dr. #400RichmondVA23228U.S.A.
| | - D. Blake Sasse
- Arkansas Game and Fish Commission2 Natural Resources Dr.Little RockAR72205U.S.A.
| | | | - Richard C. Stark
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service9014 E. 21st St.TulsaOK74129U.S.A.
| | - Craig W. Stihler
- West Virginia Division of Natural ResourcesP.O. Box 67ElkinsWV26241U.S.A.
| | - Steven C. Thomas
- National Park Service, Cumberland Piedmont Inventory and Monitoring NetworkMammoth Cave National ParkP.O. Box 8Mammoth CaveKY42259U.S.A.
| | - Gregory G. Turner
- Pennsylvania Game Commission2001 Elmerton Ave.HarrisburgPA17110U.S.A.
| | - Shevenell Webb
- Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife284 State St.AugustaME04330U.S.A.
| | - Bradford J. Westrich
- Indiana Department of Natural Resources402 W. Washington St.IndianapolisIN46204U.S.A.
| | - Winifred F. Frick
- Bat Conservation International500 North Capital of Texas Highway, Building 1AustinTX78746U.S.A.
- Department of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of California130 McAllister Way, Santa CruzSanta CruzCA95060U.S.A.
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Fritze M, Puechmaille SJ, Fickel J, Czirják GÁ, Voigt CC. A Rapid, in-Situ Minimally-Invasive Technique to Assess Infections with Pseudogymnoascus destructans in Bats. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2021. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2021.23.1.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Fritze
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Jörns Fickel
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Gábor Á. Czirják
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian C. Voigt
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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The presence of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, a fungal pathogen of bats, correlates with changes in microbial metacommunity structure. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11685. [PMID: 34083632 PMCID: PMC8175404 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91118-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Metacommunity theory provides a framework for how community patterns arise from processes across scales, which is relevant for understanding patterns in host-associated microbial assemblages. Microbial metacommunities may have important roles in host health through interactions with pathogens; however, it is unclear how pathogens affect host microbial metacommunities. Here, we studied relationships between a fungal pathogen and a host-associated microbial metacommunity. We hypothesized that a fungal pathogen of bats, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, correlates with a shift in metacommunity structure and changes in relationships between community composition, and factors shaping these assemblages, such as ecoregion. We sampled bat cutaneous microbial assemblages in the presence/absence of P. destructans and analyzed microbial metacommunity composition and relationships with structuring variables. Absence of P. destructans correlated with a metacommunity characterized by a common core microbial group that was lacking in disease positive bats. Additionally, P. destructans presence correlated with a change in the relationship between community structure and ecoregion. Our results suggest that the fungal pathogen intensifies local processes influencing a microbial metacommunity and highlights the importance of cutaneous microbial assemblages in host-pathogen interactions.
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Phylogeographic analysis of Pseudogymnoascus destructans partitivirus-pa explains the spread dynamics of white-nose syndrome in North America. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009236. [PMID: 33730096 PMCID: PMC7968715 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the dynamics of white-nose syndrome spread in time and space is an important component for the disease epidemiology and control. We reported earlier that a novel partitivirus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans partitivirus-pa, had infected the North American isolates of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungal pathogen that causes white-nose syndrome in bats. We showed that the diversity of the viral coat protein sequences is correlated to their geographical origin. Here we hypothesize that the geographical adaptation of the virus could be used as a proxy to characterize the spread of white-nose syndrome. We used over 100 virus isolates from diverse locations in North America and applied the phylogeographic analysis tool BEAST to characterize the spread of the disease. The strict clock phylogeographic analysis under the coalescent model in BEAST showed a patchy spread pattern of white-nose syndrome driven from a few source locations including Connecticut, New York, West Virginia, and Kentucky. The source states had significant support in the maximum clade credibility tree and Bayesian stochastic search variable selection analysis. Although the geographic origin of the virus is not definite, it is likely the virus infected the fungus prior to the spread of white-nose syndrome in North America. We also inferred from the BEAST analysis that the recent long-distance spread of the fungus to Washington had its root in Kentucky, likely from the Mammoth cave area and most probably mediated by a human. The time to the most recent common ancestor of the virus is estimated somewhere between the late 1990s to early 2000s. We found the mean substitution rate of 2 X 10-3 substitutions per site per year for the virus which is higher than expected given the persistent lifestyle of the virus, and the stamping-machine mode of replication. Our approach of using the virus as a proxy to understand the spread of white-nose syndrome could be an important tool for the study and management of other infectious diseases.
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10
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Vanderwolf KJ, McAlpine DF. Hibernacula microclimate and declines in overwintering bats during an outbreak of white-nose syndrome near the northern range limit of infection in North America. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:2273-2288. [PMID: 33717454 PMCID: PMC7920769 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
We document white-nose syndrome (WNS), a lethal disease of bats caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), and hibernacula microclimate in New Brunswick, Canada. Our study area represents a more northern region than is common for hibernacula microclimate investigations, providing insight as to how WNS may impact bats at higher latitudes. To determine the impact of the March 2011 arrival of Pd in New Brunswick and the role of hibernacula microclimate on overwintering bat mortality, we surveyed bat numbers at hibernacula twice a year from 2009 to 2015. We also collected data from iButton temperature loggers deployed at all sites and data from HOBO temperature and humidity loggers at three sites. Bat species found in New Brunswick hibernacula include Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown Bat) and M. septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Bat), with small numbers of Perimyotis subflavus (Tricolored Bat). All known hibernacula in the province were Pd-positive with WNS-positive bats by winter 2013. A 99% decrease in the overwintering bat population in New Brunswick was observed between 2011 and 2015. We did not observe P. subflavus during surveys 2013-2015 and the species appears to be extirpated from these sites. Bats did not appear to choose hibernacula based on winter temperatures, but dark zone (zone where no light penetrates) winter temperatures did not differ among our study sites. Winter dark zone temperatures were warmer and less variable than entrance or above ground temperatures. We observed visible Pd growth on hibernating bats in New Brunswick during early winter surveys (November), even though hibernacula temperatures were colder than optimum for in vitro Pd growth. This suggests that cold hibernacula temperatures encountered near the apparent northern range limit for Pd do not sufficiently slow fungal growth to prevent the onset of WNS and associated bat mortality over the winter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen J. Vanderwolf
- Canadian Wildlife FederationKanataONCanada
- New Brunswick MuseumSaint JohnNBCanada
- Present address:
Trent UniversityPeterboroughONCanada
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11
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Kilpatrick AM, Hoyt JR, King RA, Kaarakka HM, Redell JA, White JP, Langwig KE. Impact of censusing and research on wildlife populations. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- A. Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz California USA
| | - Joseph R. Hoyt
- Department of Biological Sciences Virginia Polytechnic Institute Blacksburg Virginia USA
| | - R. Andrew King
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Program Indiana Field Office Bloomington Indiana USA
| | | | | | - J. Paul White
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Madison Wisconsin USA
| | - Kate E. Langwig
- Department of Biological Sciences Virginia Polytechnic Institute Blacksburg Virginia USA
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12
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Grisnik M, Bowers O, Moore AJ, Jones BF, Campbell JR, Walker DM. The cutaneous microbiota of bats has in vitro antifungal activity against the white nose pathogen. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 96:5710932. [PMID: 31960913 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiz193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Since its introduction into the USA, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), the fungal pathogen of white-nose syndrome, has killed millions of bats. Recently, bacteria capable of inhibiting the growth of Pd have been identified within bat microbial assemblages, leading to increased interest in elucidating bacterial assemblage-pathogen interactions. Our objectives were to determine if bat cutaneous bacteria have antifungal activity against Pd, and correlate differences in the bat cutaneous microbiota with the presence/absence of Pd. We hypothesized that the cutaneous microbiota of bats is enriched with antifungal bacteria, and that the skin assemblage will correlate with Pd status. To test this, we sampled bat microbiota, adjacent roost surfaces and soil from Pd positive caves to infer possible overlap of antifungal taxa, we tested these bacteria for bioactivity in vitro, and lastly compared bacterial assemblages using both amplicon and shotgun high-throughput DNA sequencing. Results suggest that the presence of Pd has an inconsistent influence on the bat cutaneous microbial assemblage across sites. Operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that corresponded with cultured antifungal bacteria were present within all sample types but were significantly more abundant on bat skin relative to the environment. Additionally, the microbial assemblage of Pd negative bats was found to have more OTUs that corresponded to antifungal taxa than positive bats, suggesting an interaction between the fungal pathogen and cutaneous microbial assemblage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Grisnik
- Middle Tennessee State University, Toxicology and Disease Group, Biology Department, 1672 Greenland Drive, Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132, USA
| | - Olivia Bowers
- Middle Tennessee State University, Toxicology and Disease Group, Biology Department, 1672 Greenland Drive, Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132, USA
| | - Andrew J Moore
- Tennessee Technological University, Department of Biological Sciences, 1100 N. Dixie Ave, Cookeville, Tennessee 38505, USA
| | - Benjamin F Jones
- Tennessee Technological University, Department of Biological Sciences, 1100 N. Dixie Ave, Cookeville, Tennessee 38505, USA
| | - Joshua R Campbell
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, 5105 Edmondson Pike, Nashville, Tennessee 37211, USA
| | - Donald M Walker
- Middle Tennessee State University, Toxicology and Disease Group, Biology Department, 1672 Greenland Drive, Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132, USA
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13
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Bernard RF, Reichard JD, Coleman JTH, Blackwood JC, Verant ML, Segers JL, Lorch JM, White J, Moore MS, Russell AL, Katz RA, Lindner DL, Toomey RS, Turner GG, Frick WF, Vonhof MJ, Willis CKR, Grant EHC. Identifying research needs to inform white‐nose syndrome management decisions. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Riley F. Bernard
- Department of Ecosystem Science and ManagementPennsylvania State University University Park Pennsylvania USA
- United States Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research CenterSO Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory Turners Falls Massachusetts USA
| | | | | | - Julie C. Blackwood
- Department of Mathematics and StatisticsWilliams College Williamstown Massachusetts USA
| | - Michelle L. Verant
- Biological Resource DivisionWildlife Health Branch Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Jordi L. Segers
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative Charlottetown Prince Edward Island Canada
| | - Jeffery M. Lorch
- United States Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center Madison Wisconsin USA
| | - John White
- Bureau of Natural Heritage ConservationWisconsin Department of Natural Resources Madison Wisconsin USA
| | - Marianne S. Moore
- College of Integrative Science and ArtsArizona State University Mesa Arizona USA
| | - Amy L. Russell
- Department of BiologyGrand Valley State University Allendale Michigan USA
| | - Rachel A. Katz
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service Hadley Massachusetts USA
| | - Daniel L. Lindner
- United States Forest ServiceNorthern Research Station Madison Wisconsin USA
| | | | | | - Winifred F. Frick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California Santa Cruz California USA
- Bat Conservation International Austin Texas USA
| | - Maarten J. Vonhof
- Department of Biological SciencesWestern Michigan University Kalamazoo Michigan USA
- Institute of the Environment and SustainabilityWestern Michigan University Kalamazoo Michigan USA
| | | | - Evan H. C. Grant
- United States Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research CenterSO Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory Turners Falls Massachusetts USA
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14
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O’Keefe JM, Pettit JL, Loeb SC, Stiver WH. White-nose syndrome dramatically altered the summer bat assemblage in a temperate Southern Appalachian forest. Mamm Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2019.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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15
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Kramer AM, Teitelbaum CS, Griffin A, Drake JM. Multiscale model of regional population decline in little brown bats due to white-nose syndrome. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:8639-8651. [PMID: 31410268 PMCID: PMC6686297 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The introduced fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans is causing decline of several species of bats in North America, with some even at risk of extinction or extirpation. The severity of the epidemic of white-nose syndrome caused by P. destructans has prompted investigation of the transmission and virulence of infection at multiple scales, but linking these scales is necessary to quantify the mechanisms of transmission and assess population-scale declines.We built a model connecting within-hibernaculum disease dynamics of little brown bats to regional-scale dispersal, reproduction, and disease spread, including multiple plausible mechanisms of transmission.We parameterized the model using the approach of plausible parameter sets, by comparing stochastic simulation results to statistical probes from empirical data on within-hibernaculum prevalence and survival, as well as among-hibernacula spread across a region.Our results are consistent with frequency-dependent transmission between bats, support an important role of environmental transmission, and show very little effect of dispersal among colonies on metapopulation survival.The results help identify the influential parameters and largest sources of uncertainty. The model also offers a generalizable method to assess hypotheses about hibernaculum-to-hibernaculum transmission and to identify gaps in knowledge about key processes, and could be expanded to include additional mechanisms or bat species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M. Kramer
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
| | | | - Ashton Griffin
- Odum School of EcologyUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgiaUSA
| | - John M. Drake
- Odum School of Ecology and Center for Ecology of Infectious DiseasesUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgiaUSA
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16
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Frick WF, Cheng TL, Langwig KE, Hoyt JR, Janicki AF, Parise KL, Foster JT, Kilpatrick AM. Pathogen dynamics during invasion and establishment of white-nose syndrome explain mechanisms of host persistence. Ecology 2018; 98:624-631. [PMID: 27992970 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Revised: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Disease dynamics during pathogen invasion and establishment determine the impacts of disease on host populations and determine the mechanisms of host persistence. Temporal progression of prevalence and infection intensity illustrate whether tolerance, resistance, reduced transmission, or demographic compensation allow initially declining populations to persist. We measured infection dynamics of the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans that causes white-nose syndrome in bats by estimating pathogen prevalence and load in seven bat species at 167 hibernacula over a decade as the pathogen invaded, became established, and some host populations stabilized. Fungal loads increased rapidly and prevalence rose to nearly 100% at most sites within 2 yr of invasion in six of seven species. Prevalence and loads did not decline over time despite huge reductions in colony sizes, likely due to an extensive environmental reservoir. However, there was substantial variation in fungal load among sites with persisting colonies, suggesting that both tolerance and resistance developed at different sites in the same species. In contrast, one species disappeared from hibernacula within 3 yr of pathogen invasion. Variable host responses to pathogen invasion require different management strategies to prevent disease-induced extinction and to facilitate evolution of tolerance or resistance in persisting populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winifred F Frick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA.,Bat Conservation International, PO Box 162603, Austin, Texas, 78716, USA
| | - Tina L Cheng
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA
| | - Kate E Langwig
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA.,Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
| | - Joseph R Hoyt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA
| | - Amanda F Janicki
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, 569 Dabney Hall, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA
| | - Katy L Parise
- Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA.,Department of Molecular, Cellular & Biomedical Science, University of New Hampshire, 46 College Road, Durham, New Hampshire, 03824, USA
| | - Jeffrey T Foster
- Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA.,Department of Molecular, Cellular & Biomedical Science, University of New Hampshire, 46 College Road, Durham, New Hampshire, 03824, USA
| | - A Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA
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17
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Whiting JC, Doering B, Wright G, Englestead DK, Frye JA, Stefanic T, Sewall BJ. Long-term bat abundance in sagebrush steppe. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12288. [PMID: 30115979 PMCID: PMC6095839 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30402-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Bats of western North America face many threats, but little is known about current population changes in these mammals. We compiled 283 surveys from 49 hibernacula over 32 years to investigate population changes of Townsend's big-eared bats (Corynorhinus townsendii townsendii) and western small-footed myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum) in Idaho, USA. This area comprises some of the best bat habitat in the western USA, but is threatened by land-use change. Bats in this area also face invasion by the pathogen causing white-nose syndrome. Little is known about long-term trends of abundance of these two species. In our study, estimated population changes for Townsend's big-eared bats varied by management area, with relative abundance increasing by 186% and 326% in two management areas, but decreasing 55% in another. For western small-footed myotis, analysis of estimated population trend was complicated by an increase in detection of 141% over winter. After accounting for differences in detection, this species declined region-wide by 63% to winter of 1998-1999. The population fully recovered by 2013-2014, likely because 12 of 23 of its hibernacula were closed to public access from 1994 to 1998. Our data clarify long-term population patterns of two bat species of conservation concern, and provide important baseline understanding of western small-footed myotis prior to the arrival of white-nose syndrome in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jericho C Whiting
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University-Idaho, 116 Benson Building, Rexburg, Idaho, USA.
| | - Bill Doering
- Wastren Advantage Inc., 120 Technology Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA
| | - Gary Wright
- U. S. Bureau of Land Management, 400 West F Street, Shoshone, Idaho, USA
| | - Devin K Englestead
- U. S. Bureau of Land Management, 1405 Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA
| | - Justin A Frye
- U. S. Bureau of Land Management, 1405 Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA
| | - Todd Stefanic
- Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, P.O. Box 29, Arco, Idaho, USA
| | - Brent J Sewall
- Department of Biology, Temple University, 1900 N. 12th St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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18
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Call RS, Whiting JC, Doering B, Lowe J, Englestead D, Frye J, Stefanic T, Wright G. Maternity Roosts of Townsend's Big-Eared Bats in Lava Tube Caves of Southern Idaho. NORTHWEST SCIENCE 2018. [DOI: 10.3955/046.092.0201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan S. Call
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, 701 East University Parkway Dr., Provo, Utah 84602
| | - Jericho C. Whiting
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University-Idaho, 116 Benson Bld., Rexburg, Idaho 83460
| | - Bill Doering
- Wastren Advantage Inc., 120 Technology Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401
| | - Joe Lowe
- U.S. Bureau of Land Management, 1405 Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401
| | - Devin Englestead
- U.S. Bureau of Land Management, 1405 Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401
| | - Justin Frye
- U.S. Bureau of Land Management, 1405 Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401
| | - Todd Stefanic
- U.S. National Park Service, Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, 1266 Craters Loop Rd, Arco, Idaho 83213
| | - Gary Wright
- U.S. Bureau of Land Management, 400 West F Street, Shoshone, Idaho 83352
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19
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Observed Resiliency of Little Brown Myotis to Long-Term White-Nose Syndrome Exposure. JOURNAL OF FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 2018. [DOI: 10.3996/102017-jfwm-080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a disease that has killed millions of bats in eastern North America and has steadily been spreading across the continent. Little brown myotis Myotis lucifugus populations have experienced extensive declines; however, some localized populations have remained resilient, with bats surviving multiple years past initial WNS exposure. These persistent populations may be critical to species recovery, and understanding mechanisms leading to this long-term survival and persistence may provide insight into overall bat and disease management. We monitored a maternity colony of little brown myotis on Fort Drum Military Installation in northern New York between 2006 and 2017 to determine basic demographic parameters and find evidence of what may be leading to resiliency and persistence at this site. Total colony size declined by approximately 88% from 2008 to 2010 due primarily to impacts of WNS. Counts of all adults returning to the colony stabilized during 2010–2014 (mean = 94, range 84–101) and increased after 2014 (mean = 132, range = 108–166). We captured 727 little brown myotis (575 females, 152 males) and banded 534 individuals (389 females, 145 males) at the colony. The majority of sampled bats showed evidence of recent past WNS infection and exposure to Pseudogymnoascus destructans, and we documented pervasive presence and limited viability of the fungus within the colony's main roosting structure. We recaptured 98 individually marked females in years after initial banding, and some individuals survived at least 6 y. Ninety-one percent of all adult females, 93% of recaptured bats, and 90% of 1-y-old females (i.e., bats recaptured the first year after initial capture as juveniles) showed evidence of reproduction during the monitoring period. Using mark–recapture models, we estimated annual survival rates of juvenile and adult little brown myotis during 2009–2016 and examined whether reproductive condition or evidence of recent infection of WNS had any effect on survival. Annual survival rates were similar between juveniles and adults, but highly variable, ranging from 41.0 to 86.5%. Models indicated that neither evidence of recent past exposure to WNS nor reproductive status were related to survival. No one parameter stood out as being responsible for this colony's continued existence, and it is likely that many interwoven factors were responsible for the observed resilience. Although relatively high reproductive effort from all females (i.e., both1-y-old and >1-y-old ) and intermittently suitable survival rates have led to the continued persistence of, and population increases in, this summer colony, mortality from WNS and inherently low reproductive potential still seemed to be limiting population growth. Until there is a better understanding of this overall potential resiliency in little brown myotis, we recommend considering minimizing disturbance and direct human involvement within these persisting populations to allow whatever natural recovery that may be occurring to evolve uninterrupted.
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20
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Verant ML, Bohuski EA, Richgels KLD, Olival KJ, Epstein JH, Blehert DS. Determinants of Pseudogymnoascus destructans within bat hibernacula: implications for surveillance and management of white-nose syndrome. J Appl Ecol 2018; 55:820-829. [PMID: 29610540 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
1. Fungal diseases are an emerging global problem affecting human health, food security and biodiversity. Ability of many fungal pathogens to persist within environmental reservoirs can increase extinction risks for host species and presents challenges for disease control. Understanding factors that regulate pathogen spread and persistence in these reservoirs is critical for effective disease management. 2. White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a disease of hibernating bats caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), a fungus that establishes persistent environmental reservoirs within bat hibernacula, which contribute to seasonal disease transmission dynamics in bats. However, host and environmental factors influencing distribution of Pd within these reservoirs are unknown. 3. We used model selection on longitudinally collected field data to test multiple hypotheses describing presence-absence and abundance of Pd in environmental substrates and on bats within hibernacula at different stages of WNS. 4. First detection of Pd in the environment lagged up to one year after first detection on bats within that hibernaculum. Once detected, the probability of detecting Pd within environmental samples from a hibernaculum increased over time and was higher in sediment compared to wall surfaces. Temperature had marginal effects on the distribution of Pd. For bats, prevalence and abundance of Pd were highest on Myotis lucifugus and on bats with visible signs of WNS. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our results indicate that distribution of Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) within a hibernaculum is driven primarily by bats with delayed establishment of environmental reservoirs. Thus, collection of samples from Myotis lucifugus, or from sediment if bats cannot be sampled, should be prioritized to improve detection probabilities for Pd surveillance. Long-term persistence of Pd in sediment suggests that disease management for white-nose syndrome should address risks of sustained transmission from environmental reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L Verant
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison and U.S. Geological Survey - National Wildlife Health Center
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21
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Hayman DTS, Cryan PM, Fricker PD, Dannemiller NG. Long‐term video surveillance and automated analyses reveal arousal patterns in groups of hibernating bats. Methods Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David T. S. Hayman
- Molecular Epidemiology and Public Health Laboratory Hopkirk Research Institute Massey University Palmerston North New Zealand
| | - Paul M. Cryan
- U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center Fort Collins CO USA
| | | | - Nicholas G. Dannemiller
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USA
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22
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Bernard RF, McCracken GF. Winter behavior of bats and the progression of white-nose syndrome in the southeastern United States. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:1487-1496. [PMID: 28261459 PMCID: PMC5330875 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Revised: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the winter behavior of bats in temperate North America can provide insight into how bats react to perturbations caused by natural disturbances such as weather, human‐induced disturbances, or the introduction of disease. This study measured the activity patterns of bats outside of their hibernaculum and asked how this winter activity varied by time, temperature, bat species, body condition, and WNS status. Over the course of three winters (2011–2013), we collected acoustic data and captured bats outside of five hibernacula in Tennessee, United States. During this time, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of white‐nose syndrome, became established in hibernacula throughout the region, allowing us to track disease‐related changes in the winter behavior of ten bat species. We determined that bats in the southeastern United States were active during winter regardless of disease. We recorded activity outside of hibernacula at temperatures as low as −13°C. Although bat activity was best determined by a combination of variables, the strongest factor was mean daily temperature (R2 = .2879, F1,1450 = 586.2, p < .0001). Bats that left the hibernacula earlier in evening had lower body condition than those that left 2–4 hr after sunset (F7,932 = 7.225, p < .0001, Tukey HSD, p < .05). The number of daytime emergences from hibernacula, as determined via acoustic detection, increased the longer a site was P. destructans positive (F3,17 808 = 124.48, p < .0001, Tukey HSD, p < .05). Through the use of passive acoustic monitoring and monthly captures, we determined that winter activity was driven by both ambient temperature and the presence of P. destructans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley F Bernard
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management Pennsylvania State University University Park PA USA
| | - Gary F McCracken
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Tennessee Knoxville TN USA
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23
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Hoyt JR, Langwig KE, Sun K, Lu G, Parise KL, Jiang T, Frick WF, Foster JT, Feng J, Kilpatrick AM. Host persistence or extinction from emerging infectious disease: insights from white-nose syndrome in endemic and invading regions. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 283:20152861. [PMID: 26962138 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.2861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Predicting species' fates following the introduction of a novel pathogen is a significant and growing problem in conservation. Comparing disease dynamics between introduced and endemic regions can offer insight into which naive hosts will persist or go extinct, with disease acting as a filter on host communities. We examined four hypothesized mechanisms for host-pathogen persistence by comparing host infection patterns and environmental reservoirs for Pseudogymnoascus destructans (the causative agent of white-nose syndrome) in Asia, an endemic region, and North America, where the pathogen has recently invaded. Although colony sizes of bats and hibernacula temperatures were very similar, both infection prevalence and fungal loads were much lower on bats and in the environment in Asia than North America. These results indicate that transmission intensity and pathogen growth are lower in Asia, likely due to higher host resistance to pathogen growth in this endemic region, and not due to host tolerance, lower transmission due to smaller populations, or lower environmentally driven pathogen growth rate. Disease filtering also appears to be favouring initially resistant species in North America. More broadly, determining the mechanisms allowing species persistence in endemic regions can help identify species at greater risk of extinction in introduced regions, and determine the consequences for disease dynamics and host-pathogen coevolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Hoyt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, EE Biology/EMS, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Kate E Langwig
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, EE Biology/EMS, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, People's Republic of China
| | - Guanjun Lu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, People's Republic of China Urban and Environmental Science College, Changchun Normal University, Changchun 130032, People's Republic of China
| | - Katy L Parise
- Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Tinglei Jiang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, People's Republic of China
| | - Winifred F Frick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, EE Biology/EMS, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Jeffrey T Foster
- Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, People's Republic of China
| | - A Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, EE Biology/EMS, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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24
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Ingersoll TE, Sewall BJ, Amelon SK. Effects of white-nose syndrome on regional population patterns of 3 hibernating bat species. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2016; 30:1048-1059. [PMID: 26872411 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2014] [Revised: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Hibernating bats have undergone severe recent declines across the eastern United States, but the cause of these regional-scale declines has not been systematically evaluated. We assessed the influence of white-nose syndrome (an emerging bat disease caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, formerly Geomyces destructans) on large-scale, long-term population patterns in the little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus), the northern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis), and the tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus). We modeled population trajectories for each species on the basis of an extensive data set of winter hibernacula counts of more than 1 million individual bats from a 4-state region over 13 years and with data on locations of hibernacula and first detections of white-nose syndrome at each hibernaculum. We used generalized additive mixed models to determine population change relative to expectations, that is, how population trajectories differed with a colony's infection status, how trajectories differed with distance from the point of introduction of white-nose syndrome, and whether declines were concordant with first local observation of the disease. Population trajectories in all species met at least one of the 3 expectations, but none met all 3. Our results suggest, therefore, that white-nose syndrome has affected regional populations differently than was previously understood and has not been the sole cause of declines. Specifically, our results suggest that in some areas and species, threats other than white-nose syndrome are also contributing to population declines, declines linked to white-nose syndrome have spread across large geographic areas with unexpected speed, and the disease or other threats led to declines in bat populations for years prior to disease detection. Effective conservation will require further research to mitigate impacts of white-nose syndrome, renewed attention to other threats to bats, and improved surveillance efforts to ensure early detection of white-nose syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E Ingersoll
- National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, Claxton Building, 1122 Volunteer Boulevard, Suite 106, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-3410, U.S.A..
| | - Brent J Sewall
- Department of Biology, Temple University, 1900 North 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, U.S.A..
| | - Sybill K Amelon
- Northern Research Station, U.S. Forest Service, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, U.S.A
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25
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Molecular Detection of Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Ascomycota: Pseudeurotiaceae) and Unidentified Fungal Dermatitides on Big Brown Bats ( Eptesicus fuscus ) Overwintering inside Buildings in Canada. J Wildl Dis 2016; 52:902-906. [PMID: 27458830 DOI: 10.7589/2015-03-076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Big brown bats ( Eptesicus fuscus ) overwintering outside the underground environment are not believed to play a role in the epidemiology of the disease white-nose syndrome (WNS), caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). Using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), we provide molecular evidence for Pd on four big brown bats overwintering in heated buildings in New Brunswick, Canada. Two of the affected individuals also had very mild, focal, pustular, fungal dermatitis identified microscopically. A third bat, which was qPCR Pd-negative, had similar fungal lesions. Despite determining that these fungal lesions were caused by a suspected ascomycete, the intralesional fungi were not confirmed to be Pd. These findings demonstrate that bats overwintering in heated buildings and other above-ground sites may have subclinical or preclinical WNS, or be contaminated with Pd, and could play a role in local dispersal of Pd. Our inability to determine if the ascomycetes causing pustular lesions were Pd highlights the need for ancillary diagnostic tests, such as in situ hybridization or immunohistochemistry, so that Pd can be detected directly within a lesion. As the host-pathogen relationship for Pd evolves, and where bat species are exposed to the fungus under varying temperature regimes, lesions may become less stereotypic and such tests could help define these changes.
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McGuire LP, Turner JM, Warnecke L, McGregor G, Bollinger TK, Misra V, Foster JT, Frick WF, Kilpatrick AM, Willis CKR. White-Nose Syndrome Disease Severity and a Comparison of Diagnostic Methods. ECOHEALTH 2016; 13:60-71. [PMID: 26957435 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-016-1107-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Revised: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
White-nose syndrome is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans and has killed millions of hibernating bats in North America but the pathophysiology of the disease remains poorly understood. Our objectives were to (1) assess non-destructive diagnostic methods for P. destructans infection compared to histopathology, the current gold-standard, and (2) to evaluate potential metrics of disease severity. We used data from three captive inoculation experiments involving 181 little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) to compare histopathology, quantitative PCR (qPCR), and ultraviolet fluorescence as diagnostic methods of P. destructans infection. To assess disease severity, we considered two histology metrics (wing area with fungal hyphae, area of dermal necrosis), P. destructans fungal load (qPCR), ultraviolet fluorescence, and blood chemistry (hematocrit, sodium, glucose, pCO2, and bicarbonate). Quantitative PCR was most effective for early detection of P. destructans, while all three methods were comparable in severe infections. Correlations among hyphae and necrosis scores, qPCR, ultraviolet fluorescence, blood chemistry, and hibernation duration indicate a multi-stage pattern of disease. Disruptions of homeostasis occurred rapidly in late hibernation. Our results provide valuable information about the use of non-destructive techniques for monitoring, and provide novel insight into the pathophysiology of white-nose syndrome, with implications for developing and implementing potential mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam P McGuire
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9, Canada.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA.
| | - James M Turner
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9, Canada
- Functional Ecology, Biocentre Grindel, University Hamburg, 20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Warnecke
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9, Canada
- Functional Ecology, Biocentre Grindel, University Hamburg, 20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Glenna McGregor
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Trent K Bollinger
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Vikram Misra
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Jeffrey T Foster
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, & Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - Winifred F Frick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - A Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Craig K R Willis
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9, Canada
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Zukal J, Bandouchova H, Brichta J, Cmokova A, Jaron KS, Kolarik M, Kovacova V, Kubátová A, Nováková A, Orlov O, Pikula J, Presetnik P, Šuba J, Zahradníková A, Martínková N. White-nose syndrome without borders: Pseudogymnoascus destructans infection tolerated in Europe and Palearctic Asia but not in North America. Sci Rep 2016; 6:19829. [PMID: 26821755 PMCID: PMC4731777 DOI: 10.1038/srep19829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
A striking feature of white-nose syndrome, a fungal infection of hibernating bats, is the difference in infection outcome between North America and Europe. Here we show high WNS prevalence both in Europe and on the West Siberian Plain in Asia. Palearctic bat communities tolerate similar fungal loads of Pseudogymnoascus destructans infection as their Nearctic counterparts and histopathology indicates equal focal skin tissue invasiveness pathognomonic for WNS lesions. Fungal load positively correlates with disease intensity and it reaches highest values at intermediate latitudes. Prevalence and fungal load dynamics in Palearctic bats remained persistent and high between 2012 and 2014. Dominant haplotypes of five genes are widespread in North America, Europe and Asia, expanding the source region of white-nose syndrome to non-European hibernacula. Our data provides evidence for both endemicity and tolerance to this persistent virulent fungus in the Palearctic, suggesting that host-pathogen interaction equilibrium has been established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Zukal
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Květná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Bandouchova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackeho 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Brichta
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackeho 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Adela Cmokova
- Laboratory of Fungal Genetics and Metabolism, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Kamil S Jaron
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Květná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Kolarik
- Laboratory of Fungal Genetics and Metabolism, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Kovacova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackeho 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Kubátová
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, 128 01 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Nováková
- Laboratory of Fungal Genetics and Metabolism, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Oleg Orlov
- Ural State Pedagogical University, Kosmonavtov str. 26, 620017 Yekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Jiri Pikula
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackeho 1/3, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Primož Presetnik
- Centre for Cartography of Fauna and Flora, Antoličičeva 1, SI-2204 Miklavž na Dravskem polju, Slovenia
| | - Jurģis Šuba
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", 111 Rigas str., LV-2169 Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Alexandra Zahradníková
- Institute of Molecular Physiology and Genetics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Vlárska 5, 83334 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Natália Martínková
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Květná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic.,Institute of Biostatistics and Analysis, Masaryk University, Kamenice 3, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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