Article
Zoology
Mohammed Lamine Bendjeddou, Idriss Bouam, Stephane Aulagnier, Seif E. Abdelaziz, Khaled Etayeb, Andrei Daniel Mihalca, Attila D. Sandor
Summary: The lesser horseshoe bat has a broad distribution in warm temperate regions of Europe and Western Asia, and a patchy distribution in Africa. The first record of this species in Libya significantly expands its known geographic range. The species distribution modelling analysis suggests that the suitable habitat for this bat is mainly found within the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome in North Africa.
Article
Biology
Valeria B. Salinas-Ramos, Paolo Agnelli, Luciano Bosso, Leonardo Ancillotto, Victor Sanchez-Cordero, Danilo Russo
Summary: The study on Italian Rhinolophus hipposideros bats found an increase in body size from south to north, in line with Bergmann's rule. However, no temporal changes in body size were observed, ruling out the effects of climate change or urbanization.
Article
Zoology
Marcin Warchalowski, Tomasz Jonderko, Monika Pietraszko-Warchalowska, Czeslaw Szura
Summary: This study characterizes the use of transition roosts by lesser horseshoe bats in an old distillery basement. The results show that the bats prefer central chambers with a temperature of 10-14°C and are more frequently found in September, October, and April. The study also finds that lesser horseshoe bats can stay attached to their transition roosts for longer periods.
NORTH-WESTERN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Weiwei Zhou, Neil M. Furey, Pipat Soisook, Vu D. Thong, Burton K. Lim, Stephen J. Rossiter, Xiuguang Mao
Summary: In this study, genome-wide analysis of four closely related horseshoe bats revealed multiple ancient introgression events, and one taxon exhibited a different chromosome number from the other three, suggesting that the effects of chromosomal variation on introgression reduction are complicated and may contribute to reproductive isolation and speciation in concert with other factors such as phenotypic and genic divergence.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ji Eun Jang, Seo Yeon Byeon, Hye Ri Kim, Ji Young Kim, Hyeon Ho Myeong, Hyuk Je Lee
Summary: Dispersal plays a crucial role in the ecological and evolutionary processes of natural populations, with mating behavior being a critical factor shaping dispersal patterns and extents. Our study on the great horseshoe bat revealed a matrilineal population structure but weak nuclear geographic structure, indicating female philopatry and male-biased dispersal. Additionally, a large-scale phylogenetic analysis showed unexpected deep divergence among different regions, suggesting the presence of a cryptic species complex in Rhinolophus ferrumequinum.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sen Liu, Xufan Wang, Yue Zhu, Dongge Guo, Yanmei Wang, Ying Wang
Summary: In the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), the relative global DNA methylation levels and mRNA expression levels of certain methylation-related proteins, including DNMTs and MBPs, significantly increased in the torpid state compared to the active state. These changes may be involved in methylation or regulation of specific genes according to hibernation status, suggesting the existence of epigenetic mechanisms that facilitate the hibernation process in R. ferrumequinum.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY B-BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Heidi Auerswald, Dolyce H. W. Low, Jurre Y. Siegers, Teyputita Ou, Sonita Kol, Saraden In, Martin Linster, Yvonne C. F. Su, Ian H. Mendenhall, Veasna Duong, Gavin J. D. Smith, Erik A. Karlsson
Summary: The study highlights the importance of bat cell lines in investigating bat-virus interactions and isolating bat-borne viruses, particularly in the current COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers demonstrate the susceptibility and permissiveness of a continuous kidney bat cell line to SARS-CoV-2 and suggest the potential involvement of Rhinolophus species in the replication of the virus. This contributes to a better understanding of emerging viruses and their impact on humans and domestic animals.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Acoustics
Qiao Zhuang, Wen-Xiu Zhai, Fu-Xun Wang, Rui-Wen Kong
Summary: In this study, numerical methods were used to show that the antitragus of a Chinese horseshoe bat has the effect of increasing the acoustic near field and enhancing the reflection coefficient of the external ear. The simulation result provides a direct link between the biosonar signal and the morphological structure.
ACOUSTICS AUSTRALIA
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jon Flanders, Winifred F. Frick, Julius Nziza, Olivier Nsengimana, Prince Kaleme, Marie Claire Dusabe, Innocent Ndikubwimana, Innocent Twizeyimana, Sospeter Kibiwot, Pierre Ntihemuka, Tina L. Cheng, Richard Muvunyi, Paul Webala
Summary: There has been uncertainty about the existence of Hill's horseshoe bat in Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda for forty years. This data paper presents and describes bat species occurrence data collected as part of a long-term collaborative project to rediscover this critically endangered species. It emphasizes the importance of these data for conservation efforts.
BIODIVERSITY DATA JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Wei Guo, Zixuan Li, Tong Liu, Jiang Feng
Summary: The study assessed the habitat suitability and predicted future distribution changes of Myotis pilosus in China, the only known fishing bat in East Asia. It identified temperature and precipitation as important environmental factors affecting its distribution. The suitable habitat was mainly located in southwest and southeast China, with future expansion and shift to higher latitudes and altitudes. However, the area of suitable habitats for colonization will be reduced in the future. Potential future climate refugia were identified, suggesting priority protection and long-term monitoring. This study provides valuable information for the conservation of this vulnerable piscivorous bat species.
Article
Zoology
Aditya Srinivasulu, Bhargavi Srinivasulu, Tharaka Kusuminda, Chamara Amarasinghe, Kanishka D. B. Ukuwela, Mathisha Karunarathna, Amani Mannakkara, Wipula B. Yapa, Chelmala Srinivasulu
Summary: Insularity provides opportunities for species diversification, but some insects show high morphological diversity with minimal genetic variations. In this study, we used bioacoustics, morphometric and molecular data to evaluate the relationships between the taxa of lesser woolly horseshoe bats in India and Sri Lanka. Our study reveals a close genetic relationship between beddomei and sobrinus with perniger, suggesting that beddomei and sobrinus should be recognized as subspecies of Rhinolophus beddomei.
Article
Zoology
Sen Liu, Yue Zhu, Haixia Leng, Ying Wang, Xiangju Yin, Yajun Zhao
Summary: This study investigated the epigenetic variation in six tissues of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, revealing significant DNA methylation differences among tissues, with BAT and B tissues showing distinct methylation profiles compared to the other tissues.
PAKISTAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Joon Hyuk Sohn, Dai Fukui, Taro Nojiri, Kazuhiro Minowa, Junpei Kimura, Daisuke Koyabu
Summary: The study utilized histological observation and diceCT technology to conduct a detailed three-dimensional analysis of the male genital organs in the greater horseshoe bat, revealing unique features such as the urethral gland. This research provides new insights into the reproductive anatomy of bats and suggests potential mating behaviors in the species.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALIAN EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zekai Tan, Yanghe Yuan, Shiyuan Huang, Yingxin Ma, Zhengyi Hong, Ying Wang, Xianyi Wu, Zexi Li, Jianhao Ye, Lanyue Zhang
Summary: In this study, georeferenced herbarium records were analyzed to study the ecological distribution and richness of Angelica plants in China. The MaxEnt model was used to simulate the current and future distribution. The results showed that the distribution of Angelica plants covered 32 provinces in China, with Sichuan, Gansu, and Yunnan having the highest number of herbariums. The simulation indicated that precipitation in the warmest season, annual precipitation, and the driest monthly precipitation were the key factors affecting the distribution of the selected Angelica plants. The suitable growth areas of A. polymorpha and A. valida increased, while the suitable growth areas of the other six species of Angelica decreased to varying degrees.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Yiman Shan, Xinyue Gao, Xinyu Hu, Yunfeng Hou, Fang Wang
Summary: The study used MaxEnt model to predict the potential distribution of the fig wax scale, Ceroplastes rusci, showing that temperature annual range and mean temperature of the warmest quarter are key factors influencing its distribution. Potential range expansions or reductions were predicted under different future climate change scenarios.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Christopher Young, Chloe Bellamy, Vanessa Burton, Geoff Griffiths, Marc J. Metzger, Jessica Neumann, Jonathan Porter, James D. A. Millington
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rebecca Spake, Chloe Bellamy, Robin Gill, Kevin Watts, Tom Wilson, Ben Ditchburn, Felix Eigenbrod
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2020)
Review
Ecology
Rebecca Spake, Akira S. Mori, Michael Beckmann, Philip A. Martin, Alec P. Christie, Marlyse C. Duguid, C. Patrick Doncaster
Summary: Biodiversity studies are sensitive to temporal and spatial scale dependencies, and cross-study syntheses may exaggerate these influences. The use of log response ratio metric can improve accuracy in estimating biodiversity differences.
Review
Forestry
Kazuhiro Kawamura, Yuichi Yamaura, Masashi Soga, Rebecca Spake, Futoshi Nakamura
Summary: The study found that the planted tree family/species had varying impacts on biodiversity in plantations, with pine family species playing a significant role in ecosystem functionality, while cypress family species had a larger impact on biodiversity. Further research efforts are needed to address research gaps identified in the literature review, such as scarce studies on vertebrates in western Japan.
JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ella McKnight, Rebecca Spake, Amanda Bates, Dan A. Smale, Marc Rius
Summary: Contemporary climate change and biological invasions are two main drivers of biodiversity redistribution. Studies suggest that non-native species tend to outperform native species under warming and freshening conditions. Ocean warming is expected to facilitate future spread and success of non-native species, while increased freshening may have negative impacts on both native and non-native species in coastal marine ecosystems.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rebecca Spake, Masashi Soga, Jane A. Catford, Felix Eigenbrod
Summary: The stress-gradient hypothesis explains how environmental context affects biotic interactions, and can be used to predict geographic variability in management interventions on biological invasions. In this study, interactions between solar radiation, temperature, and tree canopy cover were found to influence the invasion of giant bamboo in secondary forests in Japan. In cooler regions with high solar radiation, shade from dense canopies facilitates invasion, while in warmer regions, dense canopies inhibit spread through competition for resources.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
P. G. R. Wright, C. Bellamy, P. B. Hamilton, H. Schofield, D. Finch, F. Mathews
Summary: This study aimed to identify the optimal relationship between gene flow and habitat suitability models for two bat species in Britain. The results showed that bats are able to disperse through areas of poor habitat for breeding but will avoid the most unsuitable areas. Multiple transformations of HSMs at different resolutions are recommended for a more accurate representation of gene flow across heterogeneous landscapes.
Review
Ecology
Rebecca Spake, Rose E. O'Dea, Shinichi Nakagawa, C. Patrick Doncaster, Masahiro Ryo, Corey T. Callaghan, James M. Bullock
Summary: Ecological syntheses are a dominant research approach in ecology, but the concept of generality is often undefined, leading to a lack of precision and scientific basis in interpreting research findings. Therefore, it is necessary to develop quantitative and qualitative criteria to ensure the generality and transferability of research results.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Shinichi Nakagawa, Daniel W. A. Noble, Malgorzata Lagisz, Rebecca Spake, Wolfgang Viechtbauer, Alistair M. Senior
Summary: The log response ratio (lnRR) is commonly used in ecology meta-analysis, but missing standard deviations (SDs) pose a challenge in estimating the sampling variance. We propose a new method using weighted average coefficient of variation (CV) from studies reporting SDs to address this issue. Our results show that using the average CV to estimate sampling variances for all observations, regardless of missingness, performs better than the conventional approach using individual study-specific CV with complete data. This approach is broadly applicable and can be implemented in all lnRR meta-analyses.
Article
Biology
Rebecca Spake, Diana E. Bowler, Corey T. Callaghan, Shane A. Blowes, C. Patrick Doncaster, Laura H. Antao, Shinichi Nakagawa, Richard McElreath, Jonathan M. Chase
Summary: Ecologists often use statistical models to detect and explain interactions among ecological drivers, but overlook two fundamental properties: the measurement scale and symmetry. Overlooking these properties can lead to three types of inferential errors: misinterpretation of detection and magnitude, misinterpretation of the sign of effect modification, and misidentification of underlying processes. We illustrate these errors using various ecological questions and propose guidelines to improve the study of interactions in ecology.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shinichi Nakagawa, Yefeng Yang, Erin L. Macartney, Rebecca Spake, Malgorzata Lagisz
Summary: Meta-analysis is a valuable method in environmental sciences, but current practices and reporting standards are poor. To improve this, this paper provides practical guidance on various procedures of meta-analysis, including effect size estimation, multilevel meta-analysis, publication bias assessment, and reporting guidelines. This guidance aims to enhance the quality and reliability of meta-analytic evidence in environmental sciences.
ENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Rebecca M. Collins, Dianna Smith, Booker O. Ogutu, Kerry A. Brown, Felix Eigenbrod, Rebecca Spake
Summary: This study examines the impact of private gardens on individuals' mental health in Britain, compared to public greenspaces. The findings indicate that having a private garden significantly reduces the probability of poor mental health for men, regardless of access to public greenspaces. For women, the presence of local public greenspace results in comparable mental health for those with and without a garden. Additionally, women without access to local public greenspaces benefit from having a private garden in reducing the predicted probability of poor mental health later in life.
LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING
(2023)