Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Megan L. Moran, William Boyd, Jesse L. de la Cruz, Andrea S. Bertke, W. Mark Ford
Summary: A study was conducted on 235 little brown bats from the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States, and no SARS-CoV-2 was detected in any of them. The potential introduction of the virus into North American bat populations is of interest to wildlife managers, especially in species that are already experiencing declines.
Article
Ecology
Brian G. Slough, Donald G. Reid, Dafna S. Schultz, Maria C. -Y. Leung
Summary: Agriculture poses a threat to bat populations by destroying habitats and intensifying production. A study in southern Yukon, Canada, found that little brown bats preferred forest ponds and forest interiors for feeding, while open fields and cleared edges of ponds were less preferred. It is recommended to exclude wetlands from agricultural land disposition and retain forested buffers and patches connecting to riparian areas and larger forests.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Devin N. Jones, Gregory L. Boyer, Julia S. Lankton, M. Megan Woller-Skar, Amy L. Russell
Summary: This study investigates the potential transfer of cyanobacterial hepatotoxin microcystin from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems through trophic interactions, using bats as a case study.
Article
Zoology
Amy K. Wray, M. Zachariah Peery
Summary: Agricultural intensification has led to declines in population and species diversity of arthropods and their predators. The effects of land-use change on the trophic relationships between nocturnal arthropod predators and their prey have rarely been studied. In this research, the isotopic niche overlap of little brown and big brown bats was found to increase over time. Stable isotope values were also correlated with the prevalence of certain landcover variables such as wetland, forest, and grassland habitats.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gregory G. Turner, Brent J. Sewall, Michael R. Scafini, Thomas M. Lilley, Daniel Bitz, Joseph S. Johnson
Summary: The study found that after mass mortality due to White-nose syndrome, winter bat populations tend to be higher and growing faster in hibernacula with lower temperatures, while some bat species also show strong responses to vapor pressure deficits. Adjusting the temperature of warm and underutilized hibernacula is an effective strategy for combating White-nose syndrome.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Evan L. Pannkuk, Nicole A. S. -Y. Dorville, Shivani Bansal, Sunil Bansal, Yvonne A. Dzal, Quinn E. Fletcher, Kaleigh J. O. Norquay, Albert J. Fornace Jr, Craig K. R. Willis
Summary: This study investigates the lipidomic changes in bats with white-nose syndrome (WNS) and suggests that oxidative stress occurs in the early stages of WNS before fat depletion, but not inflammatory response. The study compared WNS-susceptible Myotis lucifugus to WNS-resistant Eptesicus fuscus and found altered splenic lipid levels only in M. lucifugus.
JOURNAL OF PROTEOME RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Nerea Vallejo, Joxerra Aihartza, Lander Olasagasti, Miren Aldasoro, Urtzi Goiti, Inazio Garin
Summary: Myotis emarginatus, a European bat species, has a unique feeding style of fondness for spiders and flies. This paper aimed to study its diet changes throughout the maternity season using DNA metabarcoding methods. The research observed significant changes in diet diversity and composition, showing an increase in consumption of orb-web-building spiders and diurnal flies as the season progressed. The conservation of orb-web-building spiders is crucial for providing attractive hunting grounds and preventing the potential negative impact of diurnal flies.
Article
Biology
Justyna Borzecka, Agata Piecuch, Tomasz Kokurewicz, Kathleen H. Lavoie, Rafal Ogorek
Summary: The study found that airborne fungi were present near hibernating greater mouse-eared bats, but do not pose a threat to human health. Greater mouse-eared bats are a common bat species in Europe and may contribute to an increase in airborne fungi in underground ecosystems.
Article
Ecology
Julie P. Thomas, Piia M. Kukka, Justine E. Benjamin, Robert M. R. Barclay, Chris J. Johnson, Fiona K. A. Schmiegelow, Thomas S. Jung
Summary: The study found that the activity of little brown bats is influenced by proximity to potential roosts and foraging habitats such as waterbodies, while avoiding young, cluttered forests. The species mainly inhabit waterbodies and mature forest areas.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Chad L. Seewagen, Julia Nadeau-Gneckow, Amanda M. Adams
Summary: Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a global pollutant that disrupts circadian rhythmicity and physiological processes in animals. The sensitivity to ALAN varies among species, and there is a lack of information on its spatial extent of influence on bats. This study found that ALAN has a disturbance radius of at least 75 m for little brown bats and up to 25 m for big brown bats.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Meghan Ange-Stark, Katy L. Parise, Tina L. Cheng, Joseph R. Hoyt, Kate E. Langwig, Winifred F. Frick, A. Marm Kilpatrick, John Gillece, Matthew D. MacManes, Jeffrey T. Foster
Summary: This study investigated the skin microbial composition of three North American bat species affected by white-nose syndrome. The results showed that bacterial diversity on the skin of Myotis lucifugus significantly decreased when the white-nose syndrome pathogen was present, while bacterial diversity in other bat species remained unaffected. Fungal species present on bats showed overlap with the environmental fungal community, but the presence of the pathogen did not affect fungal composition.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Evan W. Balzer, Adam D. Grottoli, Lynne E. Burns, Hugh G. Broders
Summary: The study indicates that the body mass variation patterns of North American northern latitude temperate bats in summer and fall are influenced by reproductive constraints and interannual survival. There are significant differences in mass variation between females and males, as well as between adult and juvenile bats. Future research should focus on quantifying the fitness benefits of identified patterns.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Virology
Kobey Karamendin, Aidyn Kydyrmanov, Temirlan Sabyrzhan, Sardor Nuralibekov, Yermukhammet Kasymbekov, Yelizaveta Khan
Summary: Bats are an important natural reservoir of pathogens, and monitoring is necessary for zoonotic infections. Novel bat adenovirus species were found in samples from bats in South Kazakhstan, with higher similarity to monkey Rhesus adenovirus than to other Bat adenoviruses. Phylogenetically, these novel bat adenoviruses formed a separate clade from other mammalian adenoviruses. This finding is of interest for both scientific and epidemiological purposes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Devon O'Rourke, Nicholas P. Rouillard, Katy L. Parise, Jeffrey T. Foster
Summary: This study assessed the spatial and temporal variability in prey consumed by little brown bats in New Hampshire, USA. The results showed that little brown bats are flexible foragers, capable of consuming a broad array of locally available prey resources.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Austin G. Waag, John J. Treanor, Jess N. Kropczynski, Joseph S. Johnson
Summary: This study investigated the abundance, roost fidelity, and activity patterns of female little brown myotis bats in an area without known hibernacula. The use of passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology allowed for the monitoring of bat populations and their behavior. These findings are important for areas with limited knowledge of bat habitats.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
D. G. Maucieri, A. J. Ashbaugh, J. M. Theodor
Summary: Sexual dimorphism in bat wing morphology can lead to differences in foraging style between males and females, with pregnant female bats potentially needing wing modifications to match the maneuverability of males. Nonpregnant female bats have higher wing loading than males, indicating lower maneuverability, and wing shape differences among foraging guilds are minimal except for frugivores. Future studies should investigate how female bats forage during their reproductive cycle and examine individual differences in wing shape among bat species.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Dominique G. Maucieri, Julia K. Baum
Summary: Climate change poses a threat to coral reefs, particularly soft corals which have been less studied compared to hard corals. Recent research shows that soft corals are vulnerable to heat stress, with a significant decrease in cover after prolonged heatwaves. However, there is evidence of new growth of soft corals in the years following a heatwave, indicating a potential for recovery.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biology
Dominique G. Maucieri, Samuel Starko, Julia K. Baum
Summary: Multiple anthropogenic stressors co-occur in natural ecosystems and their interactions depend on the strength of the underlying stressors. This study examined the variations in coral alpha- and beta-diversities across sites with different levels of chronic local anthropogenic stress before and after a marine heatwave. The findings revealed additive effects, antagonistic interactions, and tipping points, highlighting the importance of considering complex continuous stressors to understand their ecological impacts.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Julia K. Baum, Danielle C. Claar, Kristina L. Tietjen, Jennifer M. T. Magel, Dominique G. Maucieri, Kim M. Cobb, Jamie M. McDevitt-Irwin
Summary: Corals are at risk from climate change-induced marine heatwaves. The impact of heatwaves on coral reefs depends on the scale of biological organization, with undisturbed sites experiencing greater losses at the community level, while individual corals suffer more under local disturbance.