Abstract
Since its discovery in the winter of 2005-2006, white-nose syndrome (WNS) has killed over one million little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) in the American northeast. Although many studies have reported die-offs of bats at winter hibernacula, it is important to understand how bat mortality linked to WNS at winter hibernacula affects bat activity levels in their summer ranges. In the summer (May-August) of 2007, 2008 and 2009, we recorded echolocation calls to determine bat activity at sites along the Hudson River, NY (within approx. 100 km of where WNS was first reported). We documented a 78 per cent decline in the summer activity of M. lucifugus, coinciding with the arrival and spread of WNS. We suggest that mortality of M. lucifugus in winter hibernacula is reflected by reduced levels of activity in the summer and that WNS affects the entire bat population of an area, and not only individual hibernacula.
Highlights
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a condition identified by a visible white fungus (Geomyces destructans) found on the tissue of the face, ears or wings of hibernating, cave-roosting bats [1,2]
Many bats affected by WNS emerge from winter hibernacula well before spring, presumably in search of food, which leads to their death [1,3,5]
Reduction we observed in the summer activity of M. lucifugus in 2009 appears to coincide with the outbreak and rapid spread of WNS, which had been reported from only four hibernacula in the winter of 2006– 2007, but from 38 in 2007– 2008, and over 65 in 2008– 2009 [8]
Summary
Going, going, gone: the impact of white-nose syndrome on the summer activity of the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus). Since its discovery in the winter of 2005 –2006, white-nose syndrome (WNS) has killed over one million little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) in the American northeast. Many studies have reported die-offs of bats at winter hibernacula, it is important to understand how bat mortality linked to WNS at winter hibernacula affects bat activity levels in their summer ranges. 100 km of where WNS was first reported). We documented a 78 per cent decline in the summer activity of M. lucifugus, coinciding with the arrival and spread of WNS. We suggest that mortality of M. lucifugus in winter hibernacula is reflected by reduced levels of activity in the summer and that WNS affects the entire bat population of an area, and individual hibernacula
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