scholarly journals Feasting, not fasting: winter diets of cave hibernating bats in the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Riley F. Bernard ◽  
Emma V. Willcox ◽  
Reilly T. Jackson ◽  
Veronica A. Brown ◽  
Gary F. McCracken
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lasiurus Borealis ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Insect Prey ◽  
Corynorhinus Rafinesquii ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Winter Diet ◽  
Winter Diets

AbstractTemperate bat species use extended torpor to conserve energy when ambient temperatures are low and food resources are scarce. Previous research suggests that migratory bat species and species known to roost in thermally unstable locations, such as those that roost in trees, are more likely to remain active during winter. However, hibernating colonies of cave roosting bats in the southeastern United States may also be active and emerge from caves throughout the hibernation period. We report what bats are eating during these bouts of winter activity. We captured 2,044 bats of 10 species that emerged from six hibernacula over the course of 5 winters (October–April 2012/2013, 2013/2014, 2015/2016, 2016/2017, and 2017/2018). Using Next Generation sequencing of DNA from 284 fecal samples, we determined bats consumed at least 14 Orders of insect prey while active. Dietary composition did not vary among bat species; however, we did record variation in the dominant prey items represented in species’ diets. We recorded Lepidoptera in the diet of 72.2% of individual Corynorhinus rafinesquii and 67.4% of individual Lasiurus borealis. Diptera were recorded in 32.4% of Myotis leibii, 37.4% of M. lucifugus, 35.5% of M. sodalis and 68.8% of Perimyotis subflavus. Our study is the first to use molecular genetic techniques to identify the winter diet of North American hibernating bats. The information from this study is integral to managing the landscape around bat hibernacula for insect prey, particularly in areas where hibernating bat populations are threatened by white-nose syndrome.

Molecular Genetic Testing in the United States: Comparison with International Practice

2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret M. McGovern ◽  
Rob Elles ◽  
Elettra Ronchi ◽  
Joe Boone ◽  
Ira M. Lubin
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Genetic Testing ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
The United States ◽  
Molecular Genetic Testing

Most Likely Bridges as Roosting Habitat for Bats: Study for Iowa

2018 ◽  
Vol 2672 (24) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Basak Aldemir Bektas ◽  
Zachary Hans ◽  
Brent Phares ◽  
Emmanuel Nketah ◽  
Joe Carey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Species Distribution ◽  
Prestressed Concrete ◽  
The United States ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
White Nose Syndrome ◽  
Presence Data

Bats play an important role in the natural balance of many ecosystems. There has been a growing concern about the bat population in the United States, mainly because of white-nose syndrome (WNS). The primary objective of this work was to better understand what types of bridges are the most likely to be used by bats as roosting locations. In one of the most comprehensive studies in the United States to date, 517 structures in the state of Iowa were inspected for evidence of bat roosting. Logistic regression models were fitted to identify structure, land cover distribution, and predicted bat species distribution characteristics that increase the probability of bat roosting. The final model indicated that probability of bat roosting on bridges increases under the following conditions: structures are prestressed concrete continuous, prestressed concrete or steel continuous; increased superstructure height above ground; increased superstructure depth; increased wetland coverage within a 0.1-mile radius of the structure; and increased number of potential bat species present at the location. The findings show that bridge characteristics, combined with land cover and bat species distribution data, are significant for higher probabilities of bat roosting. This information can be useful to transportation agencies as they plan bridge maintenance and renewal and can also help conservation efforts targeted toward bats. It is thought that the integration of objective, geospatial land cover data with potential bat presence data, and estimation of quantitative and relative influence of variables on probability of bat roosting are unique to this study.

Growth and Survival of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella on Whole and Sliced Cucumbers

2019 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 301-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
CAMERON A. BARDSLEY ◽  
LAURA N. TRUITT ◽  
RACHEL C. PFUNTNER ◽  
MICHELLE D. DANYLUK ◽  
STEVEN L. RIDEOUT ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
The United States ◽  
Additional Time ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Selective Media ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Contamination Events ◽  
Storage Temperatures

ABSTRACT Cucumbers were associated with four multistate outbreaks of Salmonella in the United States between 2013 and 2016. This study evaluated the fate of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella on whole and sliced cucumbers at various storage temperatures. Cucumbers were inoculated with five-strain cocktails of L. monocytogenes or Salmonella, air dried, and stored at 23 ± 2, 4 ± 2, and −18 ± 2°C. Whole and sliced cucumber samples were enumerated on nonselective and selective media at 0, 0.21, 1, 2, 3, and 4 days (23 ± 2°C); 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, and 21 days (4 ± 2°C); and 0, 7, 28, 60, 90, and 120 days (−18 ± 2°C). For Salmonella, additional time points were added at 8 and 17 h (23 ± 2°C) and at 17 h (4 ± 2°C). Population levels were calculated for whole (CFU per cucumber) and sliced (CFU per gram) cucumbers. Both pathogens grew on whole and sliced cucumbers held at ambient temperatures. At 23 ± 2°C, L. monocytogenes and Salmonella populations significantly increased on whole (2.3 and 3.4 log CFU per cucumber, respectively) and sliced (1.7 and 3.2 log CFU/g, respectively) cucumbers within 1 day. Salmonella populations significantly increased on whole and sliced cucumbers after only 5 h (2.1 log CFU per cucumber and 1.5 log CFU/g, respectively), whereas L. monocytogenes populations were not significantly different on whole and sliced cucumbers at 5 h. L. monocytogenes and Salmonella populations survived up to 21 days on refrigerated whole and sliced cucumbers. At 4 ± 2°C, L. monocytogenes populations significantly increased on whole (2.8 log CFU per cucumber) and sliced (2.9 log CFU/g) cucumbers, whereas Salmonella populations significantly decreased on whole (0.6 log CFU per cucumber) and sliced (1.3 log CFU/g) cucumbers over 21 days. Both pathogens survived on frozen whole and sliced cucumbers for at least 120 days. The ability of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella to grow on whole and sliced cucumbers in short amounts of time at ambient temperatures, and to survive on whole and sliced cucumbers past the recommended shelf life at refrigeration temperatures, highlights the need to reduce the likelihood of contamination events throughout the cucumber supply chain.

Structural and environmental predictors of presence and abundance of tri-colored bats in Texas culverts

2019 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 1274-1281
Author(s):  
Melissa B Meierhofer ◽  
Samantha J Leivers ◽  
Rachel R Fern ◽  
Lilianna K Wolf ◽  
John H Young ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Regional Planning ◽  
Poisson Regression ◽  
Endangered Species Act ◽  
The United States ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Environmental Predictors ◽  
External Temperature ◽  
White Nose Syndrome

Abstract The tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) is being reviewed for listing under the Endangered Species Act by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. It is also listed as a species of greatest conservation need by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department due to its susceptibility to white-nose syndrome (WNS) in other states. Several colonies of hibernating tri-colored bats have been documented roosting in culverts. Culverts are widespread in Texas as part of roadway infrastructure; thus, our objective was to understand and quantify which structural and environmental factors best explain culvert use and abundance of hibernating tri-colored bats in Texas. We selected and surveyed 207 culverts for presence of tri-colored bats using the Generalized Random Tessellation Stratified (GRTS) design and opportunistic sampling across 10 of 12 Texas level III ecoregions during the winters of 2016–2017 and 2017–2018. We recorded environmental and structural features of culverts at each site. We used a zero-inflated Poisson regression to identify which culvert features best explained presence and abundance of hibernating tri-colored bats. We found that number of culvert sections predicted presence of tri-colored bats. We also found that abundance of tri-colored bats was influenced by length of culvert, elevation, number of sections, portal height, portal obstruction, aspect, external VPD, external temperature, and NDVI. With the current threats to tri-colored bat populations, there is a need to consider management of culvert roosts. In addition, it is imperative to further investigate the potential susceptibility to WNS of culvert-roosting bats at more southern latitudes for local and regional planning efforts.

scholarly journals Distribution and Environmental Persistence of the Causative Agent of White-Nose Syndrome, Geomyces destructans, in Bat Hibernacula of the Eastern United States

2012 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 1293-1301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey M. Lorch ◽  
Laura K. Muller ◽  
Robin E. Russell ◽  
Michael O'Connor ◽  
Daniel L. Lindner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
North America ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
The United States ◽  
Culture Technique ◽  
Eastern United States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Geomyces Destructans ◽  
Sediment Samples ◽  
White Nose Syndrome

ABSTRACTWhite-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging disease of hibernating bats caused by the recently described fungusGeomyces destructans. First isolated in 2008, the origins of this fungus in North America and its ability to persist in the environment remain undefined. To investigate the correlation between manifestation of WNS and distribution ofG. destructansin the United States, we analyzed sediment samples collected from 55 bat hibernacula (caves and mines) both within and outside the known range of WNS using a newly developed real-time PCR assay.Geomyces destructanswas detected in 17 of 21 sites within the known range of WNS at the time when the samples were collected; the fungus was not found in 28 sites beyond the known range of the disease at the time when environmental samples were collected. These data indicate that the distribution ofG. destructansis correlated with disease in hibernating bats and support the hypothesis that the fungus is likely an exotic species in North America. Additionally, we examined whetherG. destructanspersists in infested bat hibernacula when bats are absent. Sediment samples were collected from 14 WNS-positive hibernacula, and the samples were screened for viable fungus by using a culture technique. ViableG. destructanswas cultivated from 7 of the 14 sites sampled during late summer, when bats were no longer in hibernation, suggesting that the fungus can persist in the environment in the absence of bat hosts for long periods of time.

scholarly journals Survival and persistence of tricolored bats hibernating in Arkansas mines

2020 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 535-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger W Perry ◽  
Phillip N Jordan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Endemic Area ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
The United States ◽  
Abandoned Mines ◽  
Eastern North America ◽  
High Survival ◽  
Ouachita Mountains ◽  
Apparent Survival ◽  
White Nose Syndrome

Abstract White-nose syndrome (WNS) has caused large declines in bat populations across eastern North America, making information on demographics of affected species critical to determining their risk for extinction. We used Cormack–Jolly–Seber models to estimate apparent survival rates of hibernating tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) for 5 years in four small abandoned mines in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas, located within the WNS endemic area of the United States. Populations in individual mines varied greatly in survival rates, with one mine displaying annual survival rates as high as 0.706 and another as low as 0.101. Differences in survival among bats in different mines could not definitively be attributed to WNS, but may have varied based on a combination of WNS, disturbance, mine climate, and other unknown factors. Further, some hibernacula may have served as temporary winter shelter for young transient males. Sites housing small colonies of hibernating bats may result in high survival rates despite WNS, and protecting these smaller sites may be important for overall species perseverance.

Molecular Genetic Key for the Identification of 17 Ixodes Species of the United States (Acari: Ixodidae): A Methods Model

1999 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 623 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kara L. Poucher ◽  
H. Joel Hutcheson ◽  
James E. Keirans ◽  
Lance A. Durden ◽  
William C. Black IV
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
The United States
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