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Huang TK, Feng X, Derbridge JJ, Libby K, Diffendorfer JE, Thogmartin WE, McCracken G, Medellin R, López-Hoffman L. Potential for spatial coexistence of a transboundary migratory species and wind energy development. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17050. [PMID: 39048593 PMCID: PMC11269593 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66490-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Global expansion in wind energy development is a notable achievement of the international community's effort to reduce carbon emissions during energy production. However, the increasing number of wind turbines have unintended consequences for migratory birds and bats. Wind turbine curtailment and other mitigation strategies can reduce fatalities, but improved spatial and temporal data are needed to identify the most effective way for wind energy development and volant migratory species to coexist. Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana) account for a large proportion of known bat fatalities at wind facilities in the southwestern US. We examined the geographic concordance between existing wind energy generation facilities, areas of high wind potential amenable for future deployment of wind facilities, and seasonally suitable habitat for these bats. We used ecological niche modeling to determine species distribution during each of 4 seasons. We used a multi-criteria GIS-based approach to produce a wind turbine siting suitability map. We identified seasonal locations with highest and lowest potential for the species' probability of occurrence, providing a potential explanation for the higher observed fatalities during fall migration. Thirty percent of 33,606 wind turbines within the southwestern US occurred in highly suitable areas for Mexican free-tailed bats, primarily in west Texas. There is also broad spatial overlap between areas of high wind potential and areas of suitable habitat for Mexican free-tailed bats. Because of this high degree of overlap, our results indicate that post-construction strategies, such as curtailing the timing of operations and deterrents, would be more effective for bat conservation than strategic siting of new wind energy installations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ta-Ken Huang
- Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, Tamkang University, No.151, Yingzhuan Rd., Tamsui Dist., New Taipei City, 251301, Taiwan
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, 1064 East Lowell Street, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Xiao Feng
- Department of Geography, Florida State University, 113 Collegiate Loop, PO Box 3062190, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Jonathan J Derbridge
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, 1064 East Lowell Street, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Kaitlin Libby
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, 1064 East Lowell Street, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Jay E Diffendorfer
- US Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, P.O. Box 25046, DFC, MS980, Denver, CO, 80225, USA.
| | - Wayne E Thogmartin
- US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI, 54603, USA
| | - Gary McCracken
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department, The University of Tennessee, 569 Dabney Hall, 1416 Circle Dr, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Rodrigo Medellin
- Institute of Ecology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, University City, Coyoacán, 04510, Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Laura López-Hoffman
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, 1064 East Lowell Street, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
- Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, The University of Arizona, 803 E 1St Street, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
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LiCari ST, Hale AM, Weaver SP, Fritts S, Katzner T, Nelson DM, Williams DA. Understanding fatality patterns and sex ratios of Brazilian free-tailed bats ( Tadarida brasiliensis) at wind energy facilities in western California and Texas. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16580. [PMID: 38084143 PMCID: PMC10710772 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Operation of wind turbines has resulted in collision fatalities for several bat species, and one proven method to reduce these fatalities is to limit wind turbine blade rotation (i.e., curtail turbines) when fatalities are expected to be highest. Implementation of curtailment can potentially be optimized by targeting times when females are most at risk, as the proportion of females limits the growth and stability of many bat populations. The Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) is the most common bat fatality at wind energy facilities in California and Texas, and yet there are few available data on the sex ratios of the carcasses that are found. Understanding the sex ratios of fatalities in California and Texas could aid in planning population conservation strategies such as informed curtailment. Methods We used PCR to determine the sex of bat carcasses collected from wind energy facilities during post-construction monitoring (PCM) studies in California and Texas. In California, we received samples from two locations within the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area in Alameda County: Golden Hills (GH) (n = 212) and Golden Hills North (GHN) (n = 312). In Texas, we received samples from three wind energy facilities: Los Mirasoles (LM) (Hidalgo County and Starr County) (n = 252), Los Vientos (LV) (Starr County) (n = 568), and Wind Farm A (WFA) (San Patricio County and Bee County) (n = 393). Results In California, the sex ratios of fatalities did not differ from 50:50, and the sex ratio remained stable over the survey years, but the seasonal timing of peak fatalities was inconsistent. In 2017 and 2018, fatalities peaked between September and October, whereas in 2019 and 2020 fatalities peaked between May and June. In Texas, sex ratios of fatalities varied between locations, with Los Vientos being female-skewed and Wind Farm A being male-skewed. The sex ratio of fatalities was also inconsistent over time. Lastly, for each location in Texas with multiple years studied, we observed a decrease in the proportion of female fatalities over time. Discussion We observed unexpected variation in the seasonal timing of peak fatalities in California and differences in the sex ratio of fatalities across time and facility location in Texas. In Texas, proximity to different roost types (bridge or cave) likely influenced the sex ratio of fatalities at wind energy facilities. Due to the inconsistencies in the timing of peak female fatalities, we were unable to determine an optimum curtailment period; however, there may be location-specific trends that warrant future investigation. More research should be done over the entirety of the bat active season to better understand these trends in Texas. In addition, standardization of PCM studies could assist future research efforts, enhance current monitoring efforts, and facilitate research on post-construction monitoring studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah T. LiCari
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, United States
| | - Amanda M. Hale
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, United States
- Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc, Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States
| | - Sara P. Weaver
- Bowman Consulting Group, San Marcos, Texas, United States
| | - Sarah Fritts
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, United States
| | - Todd Katzner
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, Idaho, United States
| | - David M. Nelson
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, Maryland, United States
| | - Dean A. Williams
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, United States
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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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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: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [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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5
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Bennett EM, Florent SN, Venosta M, Gibson M, Jackson A, Stark E. Curtailment as a successful method for reducing bat mortality at a southern Australian wind farm. AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emma M. Bennett
- Elmoby Ecology Studio 23 Suburban St Clunes Victoria 3370 Australia
- School of Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
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6
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Danielson JR, Williams JA, Sherwin RE, Ekholm KL, Hamilton BT. Seasonal variation in age, sex, and reproductive status of Mexican free‐tailed bats. POPUL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/1438-390x.12119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R. Danielson
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology Christopher Newport University Newport News Virginia USA
- Great Basin National Park, Science and Resource Management Division Baker Nevada USA
| | | | - Richard E. Sherwin
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology Christopher Newport University Newport News Virginia USA
| | - Kelsey L. Ekholm
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology Christopher Newport University Newport News Virginia USA
- Great Basin National Park, Science and Resource Management Division Baker Nevada USA
| | - Bryan T. Hamilton
- Great Basin National Park, Science and Resource Management Division Baker Nevada USA
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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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8
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Ramírez-Fráncel LA, García-Herrera LV, Losada-Prado S, Reinoso-Flórez G, Sánchez-Hernández A, Estrada-Villegas S, Lim BK, Guevara G. Bats and their vital ecosystem services: a global review. Integr Zool 2022; 17:2-23. [PMID: 34003577 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Bats play crucial ecosystem services as seed dispersers, pollinators, controllers of insects, and nutrient recyclers. However, there has not been a thorough global review evaluating these roles in bats across all biogeographical regions of the world. We reviewed the literature published during the last two decades and identified 283 relevant studies: 78 dealt with the control of potential insect pests by bats, 80 related to the suppression of other arthropods, 60 on the dispersal of native or endemic seeds, 11 dealt with the dispersal of seeds of introduced plants, 29 on the pollination of native or endemic plants, 1 study on pollination of introduced plants, and 24 on the use of guano as fertilizer. Our literature search showed that queries combining the terms "seed dispersal," "insectivorous bats," "nectarivorous bats," "use of guano," and "ecosystem services" returned 577 studies, but half were experimental in nature. We found that the evaluation of ecosystem services by bats has been mostly conducted in the Neotropical and Palearctic regions. To detect differences across relevant studies, and to explain trends in the study of ecosystem services provided by bats, we performed generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) fitted with a Poisson distribution to analyze potential differences among sampling methods. We identified 409 bat species that provide ecosystem services, 752 insect species consumed by bats and 549 plant species either dispersed or pollinated by bats. Our review summarizes the importance of conserving bat populations and the ecological services they provide, which is especially important during the current pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leidy Azucena Ramírez-Fráncel
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas & Grupo de Investigación en Zoología (GIZ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia.,Programa para la Conservación de los Murciélagos de Colombia, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
| | - Leidy Viviana García-Herrera
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas & Grupo de Investigación en Zoología (GIZ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia.,Programa para la Conservación de los Murciélagos de Colombia, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
| | - Sergio Losada-Prado
- Departamento de Biología & Grupo de Investigación en Zoología (GIZ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
| | - Gladys Reinoso-Flórez
- Departamento de Biología & Grupo de Investigación en Zoología (GIZ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
| | - Alfonso Sánchez-Hernández
- Departamento de Matemáticas y Estadística, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
| | - Sergio Estrada-Villegas
- Programa para la Conservación de los Murciélagos de Colombia, Bogotá D.C., Colombia.,Yale School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Republic of Panama
| | - Burton K Lim
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Giovany Guevara
- Departamento de Biología & Grupo de Investigación en Zoología (GIZ), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
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9
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Ratnadass A, Deguine JP. Crop protection practices and viral zoonotic risks within a One Health framework. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 774:145172. [PMID: 33610983 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Recent viral zoonotic epidemics have been attributed partially to the negative impact of human activities on ecosystem biodiversity. Agricultural activities, particularly conventional crop protection (CP) practices, are a major threat to global biodiversity, ecosystem health and human health. Here we review interactions between CP practices and viral zoonoses (VZs), the first time this has been done. It should be noted that a) VZs stand at the interface between human, animal and ecosystem health; b) some VZs involve arthropod vectors that are affected by CP practices; and c) some crop pests, or their natural enemies are vertebrate reservoirs/carriers of certain VZs, and their contact with humans or domestic animals is affected by CP practices. Our review encompasses examples highlighting interactions between VZs and CP practices, both efficiency improvement-based (i.e. conventional with agrochemical insecticides and rodenticides), substitution-based (i.e. mainly with physical/mechanical or biopesticidal pest control), and redesign-based (i.e. mainly with conservation biological pest control, including some forms of crop-livestock integration). These CP practices mainly target arthropod and vertebrate pests. They also target, to a lesser extent, weeds and plant pathogens. Conventional and some physical/mechanical control methods and some forms of biopesticidal and crop-livestock integration practices were found to have mixed outcomes in terms of VZ risk management. Conversely, practices based on biological control by habitat conservation of arthropod or vertebrate natural enemies, falling within the Agroecological Crop Protection (ACP) framework, result in VZ prevention at various scales (local to global, and short-term to long-term). ACP addresses major global challenges including climate resilience, biodiversity conservation and animal welfare, and helps integrate plant health within the extended "One Health" concept.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alain Ratnadass
- CIRAD, UPR HortSys, F-97455 Saint-Pierre, Réunion, France; HortSys, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France.
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10
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Monthly fluctuation of colony size and composition of the free-tailed bat Tadarida brasiliensis in the southernmost roost of Mexico. MAMMAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-021-00559-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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11
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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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12
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Weaver SP, Jones AK, Hein CD, Castro-Arellano I. Estimating bat fatality at a Texas wind energy facility: implications transcending the United States–Mexico border. J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Wind energy development causes bat fatalities. Despite emphasis on understanding and reducing these impacts, few data are available for the southwest region of the United States and northern Mexico. We monitored bat fatalities for a full year (March 2017–March 2018) at a wind energy facility in south Texas near the United States–Mexico border. We established search plots of 100-m radius at eight randomly selected turbines (of 255) and searched the roads and pads at an additional 92 turbines. We conducted weekly searches from spring through fall and bimonthly during winter. We used GenEst (Generalized Mortality Estimator) to estimate bat fatalities corrected for searcher efficiency, carcass removal, and density-weighted proportion of area searched. We found 205 bats during standardized searches, the majority of which were Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis, 76%). The corrected fatality estimates were 16 bats/megawatt/year (95% confidence interval [CI]: 12 – 30 bats/megawatt/year) across all species. Species composition at our site is similar to that of northern Mexico, an area of expanding wind energy development with no published studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara P Weaver
- Bowman Consulting Group, Ltd, San Marcos, TX, USA
- Biology Department, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA
| | | | - Cris D Hein
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA
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13
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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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Cohen Y, Bar-David S, Nielsen M, Bohmann K, Korine C. An appetite for pests: Synanthropic insectivorous bats exploit cotton pest irruptions and consume various deleterious arthropods. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:1185-1198. [PMID: 32153071 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Conservation biological control (CBC) seeks to minimize the deleterious effects of agricultural pests by enhancing the efficiency of natural enemies. Despite the documented potential of insectivorous bats to consume pests, many synanthropic bat species are still underappreciated as beneficial species. We investigated the diet of Kuhl's pipistrelle (Pipistrellus kuhlii), a common synanthropic insectivorous bat that forages in urban and agricultural areas, to determine whether it may function as a natural enemy in CBC. Faecal samples of P. kuhlii were collected throughout the cotton-growing season from five roost sites near cotton fields located in a Mediterranean agroecosystem, Israel, and analyzed using DNA metabarcoding. Additionally, data on estimated abundance of major cotton pests were collected. We found that the diet of P. kuhlii significantly varied according to sites and dates and comprised 27 species of agricultural pests that were found in 77.2% of the samples, including pests of key economic concern. The dominant prey was the widespread cotton pest, the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella, found in 31% of the samples and in all the roosts. Pink bollworm abundance was positively correlated with its occurrence in the bat diet. Furthermore, the bats' dietary breadth narrowed, while temporal dietary overlap increased, in relation to increasing frequencies of pink bollworms in the diet. This suggests that P. kuhlii exploits pink bollworm irruptions by opportunistic feeding. We suggest that synanthropic bats provide important pest suppression services, may function as CBC agents of cotton pests and potentially contribute to suppress additional deleterious arthropods found in their diet in high frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuval Cohen
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Shirli Bar-David
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Martin Nielsen
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kristine Bohmann
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carmi Korine
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
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Doty AC, Wilson AD, Forse LB, Risch TS. Assessment of the Portable C-320 Electronic Nose for Discrimination of Nine Insectivorous Bat Species: Implications for Monitoring White-Nose Syndrome. BIOSENSORS-BASEL 2020; 10:bios10020012. [PMID: 32069963 PMCID: PMC7168176 DOI: 10.3390/bios10020012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The development of new C-320 electronic-nose (e-nose) methods for pre-symptomatic detection of White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) in bats has required efficacy studies of instrument capabilities to discriminate between major sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) derived from clinical samples. In this phase-2 study, we further tested this e-nose for capabilities to distinguish between bat species based on differences in whole-body VOC emissions. Live healthy individuals of nine bat species were temporarily captured outside of caves in Arkansas and Louisiana. VOC emissions from bats were collected using newly developed portable air collection and sampling-chamber devices in tandem. Sensor-array output responses to bat VOC emissions were compared to those of 22 pure VOC analytical standards from five chemical classes. Distinct smellprint signatures were produced from e-nose analyses of VOC metabolites derived from individual bat species. Smellprint patterns were analyzed using 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to produce aroma map plots showing effective discrimination between bat species with high statistical significance. These results demonstrate potential instrument efficacy for distinguishing between species-specific, bat-derived VOC metabolite emissions as major components of clinical samples collected from bats in caves for disease detection prior to symptom development. This study provided additional information required to fully test the efficacy of a portable e-nose instrument for diagnostic applications in subsequent phase-3 testing of noninvasive, early WNS disease detection in intra-cave hibernating bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C. Doty
- Department of Biology, California State University Bakersfield, Bakersfield, CA 93311, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72467, USA;
- Correspondence: (A.C.D.); Tel.: +1-870-530-2955
| | - A. Dan Wilson
- Pathology Department, Southern Hardwoods Laboratory, Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA; (A.D.W.); (L.B.F.)
| | - Lisa B. Forse
- Pathology Department, Southern Hardwoods Laboratory, Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA; (A.D.W.); (L.B.F.)
| | - Thomas S. Risch
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72467, USA;
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16
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Montecino-Latorre D, Goldstein T, Gilardi K, Wolking D, Van Wormer E, Kazwala R, Ssebide B, Nziza J, Sijali Z, Cranfield M, Mazet JAK. Reproduction of East-African bats may guide risk mitigation for coronavirus spillover. ONE HEALTH OUTLOOK 2020; 2:2. [PMID: 33824945 PMCID: PMC7149079 DOI: 10.1186/s42522-019-0008-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bats provide important ecosystem services; however, current evidence supports that they host several zoonotic viruses, including species of the Coronaviridae family. If bats in close interaction with humans host and shed coronaviruses with zoonotic potential, such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus, spillover may occur. Therefore, strategies aiming to mitigate potential spillover and disease emergence, while supporting the conservation of bats and their important ecological roles are needed. Past research suggests that coronavirus shedding in bats varies seasonally following their reproductive cycle; however, shedding dynamics have been assessed in only a few species, which does not allow for generalization of findings across bat taxa and geographic regions. METHODS To assess the generalizability of coronavirus shedding seasonality, we sampled hundreds of bats belonging to several species with different life history traits across East Africa at different times of the year. We assessed, via Bayesian modeling, the hypothesis that chiropterans, across species and spatial domains, experience seasonal trends in coronavirus shedding as a function of the reproductive cycle. RESULTS We found that, beyond spatial, taxonomic, and life history differences, coronavirus shedding is more expected when pups are becoming independent from the dam and that juvenile bats are prone to shed these viruses. CONCLUSIONS These findings could guide policy aimed at the prevention of spillover in limited-resource settings, where longitudinal surveillance is not feasible, by identifying high-risk periods for coronavirus shedding. In these periods, contact with bats should be avoided (for example, by impeding or forbidding people access to caves). Our proposed strategy provides an alternative to culling - an ethically questionable practice that may result in higher pathogen levels - and supports the conservation of bats and the delivery of their key ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Montecino-Latorre
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Tracey Goldstein
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Kirsten Gilardi
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA USA
- Gorilla Doctors, Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project Inc, Davis, CA USA
| | - David Wolking
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Elizabeth Van Wormer
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA USA
- Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE USA
| | - Rudovick Kazwala
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - Benard Ssebide
- Gorilla Doctors, Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project Inc., Kampala, Uganda
| | - Julius Nziza
- Gorilla Doctors, Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project Inc., Musanze, Rwanda
| | - Zikankuba Sijali
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - Michael Cranfield
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA USA
- Gorilla Doctors, Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project Inc, Davis, CA USA
| | - PREDICT Consortium
- https://ohi.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/programs-projects/predict-project/authorship
| | - Jonna A. K. Mazet
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA USA
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17
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Species richness and activity of insectivorous bats in cotton fields in semi-arid and mesic Mediterranean agroecosystems. Mamm Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-019-00002-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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18
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de Brito JLM, Amaral TS, Aguiar LMDS, Lucci CM. Evaluation of reproductive parameters in male Neotropical bats during dry and rainy months in a specific area of the Cerrado biome. Anat Histol Embryol 2020; 49:307-314. [PMID: 31943300 DOI: 10.1111/ahe.12529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyse the reproductive aspects of male bats of three common species of the Phyllostomidae family: Artibeus lituratus, Platyrrhinus lineatus and Sturnira lilium, during dry and rainy months in a specific area of the Cerrado biome. Body weight was significantly higher during the dry months for S. lilium. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) and testicular weight were not significantly different between dry and rainy periods. The tubular parameters were significantly bigger in A. lituratus than in the other two species during both periods. No difference in the tubular/interstitial ratio was observed in any of the species during both periods. In both periods, all sperm cells and germ cell developmental stages were visible on seminiferous tubules whereas sperm cells were observed in epididymides of all sampled animals. The percentage of morphologically normal sperm was low (35%-60%), with no difference between periods. Spermatozoa from A. lituratus presented a leaf-shaped head, while the head was round-shaped in the other two species. In conclusion, our data suggest that males from the three studied species did not present reproductive latency during the most critical weather periods (dry and rainy months) in the metropolitan region of Brasilia, Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Lis Mendes de Brito
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Biological Sciences Institute, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Thales Simioni Amaral
- Department of Zoology, Biological Sciences Institute, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | | | - Carolina Madeira Lucci
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Biological Sciences Institute, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
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19
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Kolkert H, Andrew R, Smith R, Rader R, Reid N. Insectivorous bats selectively source moths and eat mostly pest insects on dryland and irrigated cotton farms. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:371-388. [PMID: 31988733 PMCID: PMC6972826 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Insectivorous bats are efficient predators of pest arthropods in agroecosystems. This pest control service has been estimated to be worth billions of dollars to agriculture globally. However, few studies have explicitly investigated the composition and abundance of dietary prey items consumed or assessed the ratio of pest and beneficial arthropods, making it difficult to evaluate the quality of the pest control service provided. In this study, we used metabarcoding to identify the prey items eaten by insectivorous bats over the cotton-growing season in an intensive cropping region in northern New South Wales, Australia. We found that seven species of insectivorous bat (n = 58) consumed 728 prey species, 13 of which represented around 50% of total prey abundance consumed. Importantly, the identified prey items included major arthropod pests, comprising 65% of prey relative abundance and 13% of prey species recorded. Significant cotton pests such as Helicoverpa punctigera (Australian bollworm) and Achyra affinitalis (cotton webspinner) were detected in at least 76% of bat fecal samples, with Teleogryllus oceanicus (field crickets), Helicoverpa armigera (cotton bollworm), and Crocidosema plebejana (cotton tipworm) detected in 55% of bat fecal samples. Our results indicate that insectivorous bats are selective predators that exploit a narrow selection of preferred pest taxa and potentially play an important role in controlling lepidopteran pests on cotton farms. Our study provides crucial information for farmers to determine the service or disservice provided by insectivorous bats in relation to crops, for on-farm decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Kolkert
- Ecosystem ManagementSchool of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNSWAustralia
| | - Rose Andrew
- Ecosystem ManagementSchool of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNSWAustralia
| | - Rhiannon Smith
- Ecosystem ManagementSchool of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNSWAustralia
| | - Romina Rader
- Ecosystem ManagementSchool of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNSWAustralia
| | - Nick Reid
- Ecosystem ManagementSchool of Environmental and Rural ScienceUniversity of New EnglandArmidaleNSWAustralia
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20
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Local-Scale Bat Guild Activity Differs with Rice Growth Stage at Ground Level in the Philippines. DIVERSITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/d11090148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
High-flying insectivorous bats, as wide-ranging generalist insectivores, are valuable consumers of high-altitude migrating pests of rice in Southeast Asia. Here, we documented the behavior of relatively low-flying bats over irrigated rice to elucidate their potential role as predators of rice-associated pest insects in the Philippines. Specifically, we tested the local-scale effects of rice stage, particularly seedling and late vegetative stages, and time of night on acoustic activity of bats foraging near ground level within three functional guilds (based on foraging distance from background clutter). We also monitored bat activity from two 50 m-high towers to assess the vertical extent of relatively low-flying guilds, as well as document high-flying bat guild presence and temporal behavior. At ground level, the most active guild biased their activity and feeding over early growth stage fields, but also foraged at tower level. Activity of the bat guild adept at foraging closest to vegetation did not vary with time of night or rice stage and was absent from tower recordings. High-flying bats were predictably rare at rice level, but exhibited high foraging intensity at 50 m. Given the well-documented, sequential arrival of insect guilds with growth stage, these data suggest that at ground level edge-space bats may be important consumers of detritivores (e.g., mosquitoes). Moreover, our data suggest that just as habitat heterogeneity enhances the services of arthropod predators, these management practices also enhance bat activity and, presumably, their contribution to pest suppression.
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21
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Lacher TE, Davidson AD, Fleming TH, Gómez-Ruiz EP, McCracken GF, Owen-Smith N, Peres CA, Vander Wall SB. The functional roles of mammals in ecosystems. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyy183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E Lacher
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Global Wildlife Conservation, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Ana D Davidson
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Theodore H Fleming
- Emeritus, Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Emma P Gómez-Ruiz
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, México
| | - Gary F McCracken
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Norman Owen-Smith
- Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Wits, South Africa
| | - Carlos A Peres
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen B Vander Wall
- Department of Biology and the Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
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22
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The Monumental Mistake of Evicting Bats from Archaeological Sites—A Reflection from New Delhi. HERITAGE 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/heritage2010036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
We highlight the importance of an integrated management policy for archaeological monuments and the insect-eating bats that roost inside them. We refer to India, but the issue is general and of worldwide significance. There is increasing evidence that the ecosystem services provided by insect-eating bats in agricultural fields are of vital economic importance, which is likely to increase as chemical pest-control methods become inefficient due to evolving multi-resistance in insects. We visited five archaeological sites in the city of New Delhi. We found bats at all five locations, and three of them harbored large colonies (many thousands) of mouse-tailed bats and tomb bats. These bats likely disperse over extensive areas to feed, including agricultural fields in the vicinity and beyond. All insect-eating bats should be protected and properly managed as a valuable resource at the archaeological sites where they occur. We firmly believe that “fear” of bats can be turned into curiosity by means of education and that their presence should instead enhance the value of the sites. We suggest some means to protect the bats roosting inside the buildings, while mitigating potential conflicts with archaeological and touristic interests.
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23
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Haefele MA, Loomis JB, Merideth R, Lien A, Semmens DJ, Dubovsky J, Wiederholt R, Thogmartin WE, Huang TK, McCracken G, Medellin RA, Diffendorfer JE, López-Hoffman L. Willingness to Pay for Conservation of Transborder Migratory Species: A Case Study of the Mexican Free-Tailed Bat in the United States and Mexico. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 62:229-240. [PMID: 29732478 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-018-1046-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We estimated U.S. and Mexican citizens' willingness to pay (WTP) for protecting habitat for a transborder migratory species, the Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana), using the contingent valuation method. Few contingent valuation surveys have evaluated whether households in one country would pay to protect habitat in another country. This study addresses that gap. In our study, Mexican respondents were asked about their WTP for conservation of Mexican free-tailed bat habitat in Mexico and in the United States. Similarly, U.S. respondents were asked about their WTP for conservation in the United States and in Mexico. U.S. households would pay $30 annually to protect habitat in the United States and $24 annually to protect habitat in Mexico. Mexican households would pay $8 annually to protect habitat in Mexico and $5 annually to protect habitat in the United States. In both countries, these WTP amounts rose significantly for increasing the size of the bat population rather than simply stabilizing the current bat population. The ratio of Mexican household WTP relative to U.S. household WTP is nearly identical to that of Mexican household income relative to U.S. household income. This suggests that the perceived economic benefits received from the bats is similar in Mexico and the United States, and that scaling WTP by relative income in international benefit transfer may be plausible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A Haefele
- Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Colorado State University, B320 Clark Building, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1172, USA
| | - John B Loomis
- Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Colorado State University, B320 Clark Building, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1172, USA.
| | - Robert Merideth
- Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - Aaron Lien
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Darius J Semmens
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, P.O. Box 25046, MS-980, Denver, CO, 80225-0046, USA
| | - James Dubovsky
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Bird Management, 755 Parfet Street Suite 235, Lakewood, CO, 80215, USA
| | - Ruscena Wiederholt
- Everglades Foundation, 18001 Old Cutler Road, Suite 625, Palmetto Bay, FL, 33157, USA
| | - Wayne E Thogmartin
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI, 54603, USA
| | - Ta-Ken Huang
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Gary McCracken
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, 569 Dabney Hall, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Rodrigo A Medellin
- Insituto de Ecologia, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, Ap. Postal 70-275, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - James E Diffendorfer
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, P.O. Box 25046, MS-980, Denver, CO, 80225-0046, USA
| | - Laura López-Hoffman
- Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
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24
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Stepanian PM, Wainwright CE. Ongoing changes in migration phenology and winter residency at Bracken Bat Cave. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:3266-3275. [PMID: 29442413 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Bats play an important role in agroecology and are effective bioindicators of environmental conditions, but little is known about their fundamental migration ecology, much less how these systems are responding to global change. Some of the world's largest bat populations occur during the summer in the south-central United States, when millions of pregnant females migrate from lower latitudes to give birth in communal maternity colonies. Despite a relatively large volume of research into these colonies, many fundamental questions regarding their abundance-including their intra- and interseasonal variability-remain unanswered, and even estimating the size of individual populations has been a long-running challenge. Overall, monitoring these bat populations at high temporal resolution (e.g., nightly) and across long time spans (e.g., decades) has been impossible. Here, we show 22 continuous years of nightly population counts at Bracken Cave, a large bat colony in south-central Texas, enabling the first climate-scale phenological analysis. Using quantitative radar monitoring, we found that spring migration and the summer reproductive cycle have advanced by approximately 2 weeks over the study period. Furthermore, we quantify the ongoing growth of a newly-established overwintering population that indicates a system-wide response to changing environmental conditions. Our observations reveal behavioral plasticity in bats' ability to adapt to changing resource availability, and provide the first long-term quantification of their response to a changing climate. As aerial insectivores, these changes in bat phenology and propensity for overwintering indicate probable shifts in prey availability, with clear implications for pest management across wider regional agrisystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip M Stepanian
- Computational and Analytical Sciences Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK
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25
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Aizpurua O, Budinski I, Georgiakakis P, Gopalakrishnan S, Ibañez C, Mata V, Rebelo H, Russo D, Szodoray-Parádi F, Zhelyazkova V, Zrncic V, Gilbert MTP, Alberdi A. Agriculture shapes the trophic niche of a bat preying on multiple pest arthropods across Europe: Evidence from DNA metabarcoding. Mol Ecol 2018; 27:815-825. [PMID: 29290102 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The interaction between agricultural production and wildlife can shape, and even condition, the functioning of both systems. In this study, we i) explored the degree to which a widespread European bat, namely the common bent-wing bat Miniopterus schreibersii, consumes crop-damaging insects at a continental scale, and ii) tested whether its dietary niche is shaped by the extension and type of agricultural fields. We employed a dual-primer DNA metabarcoding approach to characterize arthropod 16S and COI DNA sequences within bat faecal pellets collected across 16 Southern European localities, to first characterize the bat species' dietary niche, second measure the incidence of agricultural pests across their ranges and third assess whether geographical dietary variation responds to climatic, landscape diversity, agriculture type and vegetation productivity factors. We detected 12 arthropod orders, among which lepidopterans were predominant. We identified >200 species, 44 of which are known to cause agricultural damage. Pest species were detected at all but one sampling site and in 94% of the analysed samples. Furthermore, the dietary diversity of M. schreibersii exhibited a negative linear relation with the area of intensive agricultural fields, thus suggesting crops restrict the dietary niche of bats to prey taxa associated with agricultural production within their foraging range. Overall, our results imply that M. schreibersii might be a valuable asset for biological pest suppression in a variety of agricultural productions and highlight the dynamic interplay between wildlife and agricultural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ostaizka Aizpurua
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ivana Budinski
- Department of Genetic Research, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Panagiotis Georgiakakis
- Department of Biology School of Sciences and Engineering, University of Crete, Irakleio, Greece
| | - Shyam Gopalakrishnan
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carlos Ibañez
- Evolutionary Ecology Department, Estacion Biologica de Doñana (CSIC), Seville, Spain
| | - Vanessa Mata
- CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade Recursos e Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Hugo Rebelo
- CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade Recursos e Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Danilo Russo
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Portici, Italy
| | | | | | | | - M Thomas P Gilbert
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,NTNU University Museum, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Antton Alberdi
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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26
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McCracken GF, Bernard RF, Gamba-Rios M, Wolfe R, Krauel JJ, Jones DN, Russell AL, Brown VA. Rapid range expansion of the Brazilian free-tailed bat in the southeastern United States, 2008–2016. J Mammal 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyx188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gary F McCracken
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Riley F Bernard
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Melquisidec Gamba-Rios
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Randy Wolfe
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
- Varmint Busters Wildlife Management Services, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Jennifer J Krauel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Devin N Jones
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Amy L Russell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
- Department of Biology, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, USA
| | - Veronica A Brown
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
- Department of Biology, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, USA
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Sample C, Fryxell JM, Bieri JA, Federico P, Earl JE, Wiederholt R, Mattsson BJ, Flockhart DTT, Nicol S, Diffendorfer JE, Thogmartin WE, Erickson RA, Norris DR. A general modeling framework for describing spatially structured population dynamics. Ecol Evol 2017; 8:493-508. [PMID: 29321888 PMCID: PMC5756893 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 09/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in movement across time and space fundamentally shapes the abundance and distribution of populations. Although a variety of approaches model structured population dynamics, they are limited to specific types of spatially structured populations and lack a unifying framework. Here, we propose a unified network-based framework sufficiently novel in its flexibility to capture a wide variety of spatiotemporal processes including metapopulations and a range of migratory patterns. It can accommodate different kinds of age structures, forms of population growth, dispersal, nomadism and migration, and alternative life-history strategies. Our objective was to link three general elements common to all spatially structured populations (space, time and movement) under a single mathematical framework. To do this, we adopt a network modeling approach. The spatial structure of a population is represented by a weighted and directed network. Each node and each edge has a set of attributes which vary through time. The dynamics of our network-based population is modeled with discrete time steps. Using both theoretical and real-world examples, we show how common elements recur across species with disparate movement strategies and how they can be combined under a unified mathematical framework. We illustrate how metapopulations, various migratory patterns, and nomadism can be represented with this modeling approach. We also apply our network-based framework to four organisms spanning a wide range of life histories, movement patterns, and carrying capacities. General computer code to implement our framework is provided, which can be applied to almost any spatially structured population. This framework contributes to our theoretical understanding of population dynamics and has practical management applications, including understanding the impact of perturbations on population size, distribution, and movement patterns. By working within a common framework, there is less chance that comparative analyses are colored by model details rather than general principles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John M Fryxell
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph ON Canada
| | - Joanna A Bieri
- Department of Mathematics University of Redlands Redlands CA USA
| | - Paula Federico
- Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics Capital University Columbus OH USA
| | - Julia E Earl
- School of Biological Sciences Louisiana Tech University Ruston LA USA
| | | | - Brady J Mattsson
- Institute of Silviculture University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Austria.,Present address: Institute of Wildlife Biology & Game Management University of Natural Resources & Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna Austria
| | | | - Sam Nicol
- CSIRO Land and Water, EcoSciences Precinct Dutton Park Qld Australia
| | - Jay E Diffendorfer
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center Denver CO USA
| | - Wayne E Thogmartin
- U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center La Crosse WI USA
| | - Richard A Erickson
- U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center La Crosse WI USA
| | - D Ryan Norris
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph ON Canada
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Predator–prey interaction reveals local effects of high-altitude insect migration. Oecologia 2017; 186:49-58. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-3995-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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29
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Wiederholt R, Bagstad KJ, McCracken GF, Diffendorfer JE, Loomis JB, Semmens DJ, Russell AL, Sansone C, LaSharr K, Cryan P, Reynoso C, Medellín RA, López-Hoffman L. Improving spatio-temporal benefit transfers for pest control by generalist predators in cotton in the southwestern US. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIODIVERSITY SCIENCE, ECOSYSTEM SERVICES & MANAGEMENT 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/21513732.2016.1240712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ruscena Wiederholt
- School of Natural Resources & the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Udall Center for Studies of Public Policy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Kenneth J. Bagstad
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Gary F. McCracken
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Jay E. Diffendorfer
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Denver, CO, USA
| | - John B. Loomis
- Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Darius J. Semmens
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Amy L. Russell
- Department of Biology, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, USA
| | - Chris Sansone
- Crop Science Division, Bayer CropScience, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Kelsie LaSharr
- School of Natural Resources & the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Paul Cryan
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Claudia Reynoso
- School of Natural Resources & the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Rodrigo A. Medellín
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico, Mexico
| | - Laura López-Hoffman
- School of Natural Resources & the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Udall Center for Studies of Public Policy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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Abstract
In agroecosystems worldwide, bats are voracious predators of crop pests and may provide services to farmers worth billions of U.S. dollars. However, such valuations make untested assumptions about the ecological effect of bats in agroecosystems. Specifically, estimates of the value of pest suppression services assume bats consume sufficient numbers of crop pests to affect impact pest reproduction and subsequent damage to crops. Corn is an essential crop for farmers, and is grown on more than 150 million hectares worldwide. Using large exclosures in corn fields, we show that bats exert sufficient pressure on crop pests to suppress larval densities and damage in this cosmopolitan crop. In addition, we show that bats suppress pest-associated fungal growth and mycotoxin in corn. We estimate the suppression of herbivory by insectivorous bats is worth more than 1 billion USD globally on this crop alone, and bats may further benefit farmers by indirectly suppressing pest-associated fungal growth and toxic compounds on corn. Bats face a variety of threats globally, but their relevance as predators of insects in ubiquitous corn-dominated landscapes underlines the economic and ecological importance of conserving biodiversity.
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Weaver SP, Simpson TR, Baccus JT, Weckerly FW. Baseline population estimates and microclimate data for newly established overwintering Brazilian free-tailed bat colonies in central Texas. SOUTHWEST NAT 2015. [DOI: 10.1894/swnat-d-14-00022.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Naranjo SE, Ellsworth PC, Frisvold GB. Economic value of biological control in integrated pest management of managed plant systems. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 60:621-45. [PMID: 25423598 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-010814-021005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Biological control is an underlying pillar of integrated pest management, yet little focus has been placed on assigning economic value to this key ecosystem service. Setting biological control on a firm economic foundation would help to broaden its utility and adoption for sustainable crop protection. Here we discuss approaches and methods available for valuation of biological control of arthropod pests by arthropod natural enemies and summarize economic evaluations in classical, augmentative, and conservation biological control. Emphasis is placed on valuation of conservation biological control, which has received little attention. We identify some of the challenges of and opportunities for applying economics to biological control to advance integrated pest management. Interaction among diverse scientists and stakeholders will be required to measure the direct and indirect costs and benefits of biological control that will allow farmers and others to internalize the benefits that incentivize and accelerate adoption for private and public good.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven E Naranjo
- USDA-ARS, Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, Arizona 85138;
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López-Hoffman L, Wiederholt R, Sansone C, Bagstad KJ, Cryan P, Diffendorfer JE, Goldstein J, LaSharr K, Loomis J, McCracken G, Medellín RA, Russell A, Semmens D. Market forces and technological substitutes cause fluctuations in the value of bat pest-control services for cotton. PLoS One 2014; 9:e87912. [PMID: 24498400 PMCID: PMC3912186 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2013] [Accepted: 01/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Critics of the market-based, ecosystem services approach to biodiversity conservation worry that volatile market conditions and technological substitutes will diminish the value of ecosystem services and obviate the “economic benefits” arguments for conservation. To explore the effects of market forces and substitutes on service values, we assessed how the value of the pest-control services provided by Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana) to cotton production in the southwestern U.S. has changed over time. We calculated service values each year from 1990 through 2008 by estimating the value of avoided crop damage and the reduced social and private costs of insecticide use in the presence of bats. Over this period, the ecosystem service value declined by 79% ($19.09 million U.S. dollars) due to the introduction and widespread adoption of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton transgenically modified to express its own pesticide, falling global cotton prices and the reduction in the number of hectares in the U.S. planted with cotton. Our results demonstrate that fluctuations in market conditions can cause temporal variation in ecosystem service values even when ecosystem function – in this case bat population numbers – is held constant. Evidence is accumulating, however, of the evolution of pest resistance to Bt cotton, suggesting that the value of bat pest-control services may increase again. This gives rise to an economic option value argument for conserving Mexican free-tailed bat populations. We anticipate that these results will spur discussion about the role of ecosystem services in biodiversity conservation in general, and bat conservation in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura López-Hoffman
- School of Natural Resources & the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
- Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Ruscena Wiederholt
- School of Natural Resources & the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
- Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Chris Sansone
- Bayer CropScience, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Kenneth J. Bagstad
- United States Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Paul Cryan
- United States Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Jay E. Diffendorfer
- United States Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Joshua Goldstein
- Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Kelsie LaSharr
- School of Natural Resources & the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - John Loomis
- Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Gary McCracken
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Rodrigo A. Medellín
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, México
| | - Amy Russell
- Department of Biology, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Darius Semmens
- United States Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
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35
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Stechert C, Kolb M, Bahadir M, Djossa BA, Fahr J. Insecticide residues in bats along a land use-gradient dominated by cotton cultivation in northern Benin, West Africa. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 21:8812-21. [PMID: 24756668 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-2817-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 03/20/2014] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Many regions in Africa are currently being converted from subsistence to cash crop farming such as cotton. Agricultural intensification is usually accompanied by increased use of pesticides, which can have an impact on non-target organisms. Bats are particularly sensitive to insecticide loads while providing substantial ecosystem services as predators of herbivorous insects. In this study, pesticide residues in bats in a landscape in northern Benin were investigated, which spanned a land use gradient from an agricultural zone dominated by cotton farms, through a buffer zone, and into a national park. Insecticides used in cotton cultivation, such as endosulfan, chlorpyrifos, flubendiamide, and spirotetramat, as well as persistent insecticides such as bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane (DDT), lindane, and aldrine, were analysed. Insecticide residues detected in bats comprised DDT, endosulfan, and their corresponding transformation products. Maximum concentrations in the sampled bats were 11.2 mg/kg lipid of p,p'-DDE (median: 0.0136 mg/kg lipid) and 0.797 mg/kg lipid of β-endosulfan (median: below detection limit [DL]). While insecticide concentrations were below lethal concentrations our data suggest that DDT had probably been recently used in the study region, and larger scale use would pose an increased risk for bat populations due to the high biomagnification of DDT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Stechert
- Institute of Environmental and Sustainable Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
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36
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Wiederholt R, López-Hoffman L, Cline J, Medellín RA, Cryan P, Russell A, McCracken G, Diffendorfer J, Semmens D. Moving across the border: modeling migratory bat populations. Ecosphere 2013. [DOI: 10.1890/es13-00023.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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McCracken GF, Westbrook JK, Brown VA, Eldridge M, Federico P, Kunz TH. Bats track and exploit changes in insect pest populations. PLoS One 2012; 7:e43839. [PMID: 22952782 PMCID: PMC3432057 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2012] [Accepted: 07/30/2012] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of bats or any generalist predator in suppressing prey populations depends on the predator's ability to track and exploit available prey. Using a qPCR fecal DNA assay, we document significant association between numbers of Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) consuming corn earworm (CEW) moths (Helicoverpa zea) and seasonal fluctuations in CEW populations. This result is consistent with earlier research linking the bats' diet to patterns of migration, abundance, and crop infestation by important insect pests. Here we confirm opportunistic feeding on one of the world's most destructive insects and support model estimates of the bats' ecosystem services. Regression analysis of CEW consumption versus the moth's abundance at four insect trapping sites further indicates that bats track local abundance of CEW within the regional landscape. Estimates of CEW gene copies in the feces of bats are not associated with seasonal or local patterns of CEW abundance, and results of captive feeding experiments indicate that our qPCR assay does not provide a direct measure of numbers or biomass of prey consumed. Our results support growing evidence for the role of generalist predators, and bats specifically, as agents for biological control and speak to the value of conserving indigenous generalist predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary F McCracken
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America.
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38
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Wolcott KA, Vulinec K. Bat Activity at Woodland/Farmland Interfaces in Central Delaware. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2012. [DOI: 10.1656/045.019.0107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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39
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Ecomorphology, differentiated habitat use, and nocturnal activities of Rhinolophus and Hipposideros species in East Asian tropical forests. ZOOLOGY 2012; 115:22-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2011.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2011] [Revised: 07/12/2011] [Accepted: 07/29/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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40
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Ghanem SJ, Voigt CC. Increasing Awareness of Ecosystem Services Provided by Bats. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-394288-3.00007-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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41
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Kunz TH, Braun de Torrez E, Bauer D, Lobova T, Fleming TH. Ecosystem services provided by bats. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2011; 1223:1-38. [PMID: 21449963 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06004.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 592] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Ecosystem services are the benefits obtained from the environment that increase human well-being. Economic valuation is conducted by measuring the human welfare gains or losses that result from changes in the provision of ecosystem services. Bats have long been postulated to play important roles in arthropod suppression, seed dispersal, and pollination; however, only recently have these ecosystem services begun to be thoroughly evaluated. Here, we review the available literature on the ecological and economic impact of ecosystem services provided by bats. We describe dietary preferences, foraging behaviors, adaptations, and phylogenetic histories of insectivorous, frugivorous, and nectarivorous bats worldwide in the context of their respective ecosystem services. For each trophic ensemble, we discuss the consequences of these ecological interactions on both natural and agricultural systems. Throughout this review, we highlight the research needed to fully determine the ecosystem services in question. Finally, we provide a comprehensive overview of economic valuation of ecosystem services. Unfortunately, few studies estimating the economic value of ecosystem services provided by bats have been conducted to date; however, we outline a framework that could be used in future studies to more fully address this question. Consumptive goods provided by bats, such as food and guano, are often exchanged in markets where the market price indicates an economic value. Nonmarket valuation methods can be used to estimate the economic value of nonconsumptive services, including inputs to agricultural production and recreational activities. Information on the ecological and economic value of ecosystem services provided by bats can be used to inform decisions regarding where and when to protect or restore bat populations and associated habitats, as well as to improve public perception of bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H Kunz
- Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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42
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin G Boyles
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.
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43
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Jung K, Kalko EKV. Adaptability and vulnerability of high flying Neotropical aerial insectivorous bats to urbanization. DIVERS DISTRIB 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2010.00738.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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44
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Fukui D, Agetsuma N. Seasonal Change in the Diet Composition of the Asian Parti-Coloured BatVespertilio sinensis. MAMMAL STUDY 2010. [DOI: 10.3106/041.035.0402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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45
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Turmelle AS, Allen LC, Jackson FR, Kunz TH, Rupprecht CE, McCracken GF. Ecology of rabies virus exposure in colonies of Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) at natural and man-made roosts in Texas. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2010; 10:165-75. [PMID: 19492942 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2008.0163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have investigated rabies virus (RABV) epizootiology in Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) in natural cave roosts. However, little is known about geographic variation in RABV exposure, or if the use of man-made roosts by this species affects enzootic RABV infection dynamics within colonies. We sampled rabies viral neutralizing antibodies in bats at three bridge and three cave roosts at multiple time points during the reproductive season to investigate temporal and roost variation in RABV exposure. We report seropositive bats in all age and sex classes with minimal geographic variation in RABV seroprevalence among Brazilian free-tailed bat colonies in south-central Texas. While roost type was not a significant predictor of RABV seroprevalence, it was significantly associated with seasonal fluctuations, suggesting patterns of exposure that differ between roosts. Temporal patterns suggest increased RABV seroprevalence after parturition in cave colonies, potentially related to an influx of susceptible young, in contrast to more uniform seroprevalence in bridge colonies. This study highlights the importance of life history and roost ecology in understanding patterns of RABV seroprevalence in colonies of the Brazilian free-tailed bat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy S Turmelle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
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46
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Puechmaille SJ, Verdeyroux P, Fuller H, Gouilh MA, Bekaert M, Teeling EC. White-nose syndrome fungus (Geomyces destructans) in bat, France. Emerg Infect Dis 2010; 16:290-3. [PMID: 20113562 PMCID: PMC2958029 DOI: 10.3201/eid1602.091391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
White-nose syndrome is caused by the fungus Geomyces destructans and is responsible for the deaths of >1,000,000 bats since 2006. This disease and fungus had been restricted to the northeastern United States. We detected this fungus in a bat in France and assessed the implications of this finding.
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47
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Interactions among predators and the cascading effects of vertebrate insectivores on arthropod communities and plants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2010; 107:7335-40. [PMID: 20368418 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1001934107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Theory on trophic interactions predicts that predators increase plant biomass by feeding on herbivores, an indirect interaction called a trophic cascade. Theory also predicts that predators feeding on predators, or intraguild predation, will weaken trophic cascades. Although past syntheses have confirmed cascading effects of terrestrial arthropod predators, we lack a comprehensive analysis for vertebrate insectivores-which by virtue of their body size and feeding habits are often top predators in these systems-and of how intraguild predation mediates trophic cascade strength. We report here on a meta-analysis of 113 experiments documenting the effects of insectivorous birds, bats, or lizards on predaceous arthropods, herbivorous arthropods, and plants. Although vertebrate insectivores fed as intraguild predators, strongly reducing predaceous arthropods (38%), they nevertheless suppressed herbivores (39%), indirectly reduced plant damage (40%), and increased plant biomass (14%). Furthermore, effects of vertebrate insectivores on predatory and herbivorous arthropods were positively correlated. Effects were strongest on arthropods and plants in communities with abundant predaceous arthropods and strong intraguild predation, but weak in communities depauperate in arthropod predators and intraguild predation. The naturally occurring ratio of arthropod predators relative to herbivores varied tremendously among the studied communities, and the skew to predators increased with site primary productivity and in trees relative to shrubs. Although intraguild predation among arthropod predators has been shown to weaken herbivore suppression, we find this paradigm does not extend to vertebrate insectivores in these communities. Instead, vertebrate intraguild preda-tion is associated with strengthened trophic cascades, and insectivores function as dominant predators in terrestrial plant-arthropod communities.
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48
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Dense and sparse aggregations in complex motion: Video coupled with simulation modeling. ECOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecocom.2009.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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49
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Stevenson DE, Harris MK. Determining circadian response of adult male Acrobasis nuxvorella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) to synthetic sex attractant pheromone through time-segregated trapping with a new clockwork timing trap. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2009; 38:1690-1696. [PMID: 20021765 DOI: 10.1603/022.038.0622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Mate finding is a key lifecycle event for the pecan nut casebearer, Acrobasis nuxvorella Neunzig, as it is for virtually all Lepidoptera, many of which rely on long-range, species-specific sex pheromones, regulated largely by circadian clocks. Adult male moths were trapped at discrete time intervals during the first two seasonal flights for 6 yr to determine times of peak activity associated with male response to pheromones. From 1997 to 2002, the Harris-Coble automated clockwork timing trap was used for hourly time-segregated sampling. Analysis of variance with linear contrasts determined that circadian response of A. nuxvorella males to pecan nut casebearer pheromone began at approximately 2100 hours, the first hour of total darkness, lasting for 6-7 h. It peaked from midnight to 0400 hours and ended at the onset of morning twilight, approximately 0500 hours. The hours of peak activity are hours of minimal bat predation. The study shows that pecan nut casebearer males become responsive to pheromone several hours before females start calling and remain responsive for at least 1 h after they stop. The extended response period conforms to studies of other polygamous Lepidoptera in which a selective advantage is conferred on early responding males in scramble competition for available females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglass E Stevenson
- Department of Entomology, Texas AgriLife Extension, The Texas A&M University System, Pecan Insect Laboratory, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2475, USA.
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Dimitrov DT, Hallam TG. Effects of immune system diversity and physical variation of immunotypic mixing on the dynamics of rabies in bats. JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL DYNAMICS 2009; 3:164-179. [PMID: 22880827 DOI: 10.1080/17513750802702443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The ecology and life history of rabies viruses in bats suggest a need for an integrated modelling treatment that extends beyond traditional epidemiological approaches. We modify our adaptive modelling approach to investigate the effects of immune system structure and immunological mixing events on the disease profile of the bat colony and subsequently on the dynamics of rabies viruses in bats. Our theoretical framework, which is based on individual (intra-host) models of the response of the host to a viral challenge and virus-specific disease mechanisms, integrates the individual components to provide information about the disease structure and the demographic composition of the bat colony. We focus on the changes in dynamics at the population level due to two processes: (1) immunological diversity in a biological process, reproduction, and (2) immunological diversity in a physical-physiological process, migration. The results suggest that immunotypic mixing plays a critical role in the disease progression within populations and it is an important factor in determining the persistence of rabies in exposed bat colonies.
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