Abstract
BackgroundWhite-nose Syndrome (WNS) is a mycosis caused by a cutaneous infection with the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). It produces hibernation mortality rates of 75–98% in 4 bats: Myotis lucifugus, M. septentrionalis, M. sodalis, and Perimyotis subflavus. These high mortality rates were observed during the first several years after the arrival of P. destructans at a hibernation site. Mortality is caused by a 60% decrease in torpor bout duration, which results in a premature depletion of depot fat prior to spring.ResultsLittle is known about the long-term effects of Pd on torpor and mortality, thus we conducted a 9-year study on M. lucifugus at 5 of the hibernation sites where Pd first appeared in North America during the winter of 2007–08. The M. lucifugus hibernating at one of these sites one year after the arrival of Pd (2008–09) had: a) a mean torpor bout duration of 7.6 d, b) no depot fat reserves by March, and c) an apparent over-winter mortality rate of 88%. The M. lucifugus hibernating at this same site 6–9 years after the arrival of Pd, in contrast, had: a) a mean torpor bout duration of 14.7 d, b) depot fat remaining in March, and c) an apparent mortality rate of 50%. The number of M. lucifugus hibernating at 2 of these sites has consistently increased since 2010 and is now more than 3.0-fold higher than the number remaining after the winter of 2008–09.ConclusionsThese findings indicate that this population of M. lucifugus has evolved mechanisms to hibernate well in the presence of Pd, thus reducing over-winter mortality.
Highlights
White-nose Syndrome (WNS) is a mycosis caused by a cutaneous infection with the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd)
These findings indicate that this population of M. lucifugus has evolved mechanisms to hibernate well in the presence of Pd, reducing over-winter mortality
The mean torpor bout durations observed during Pd Seasons 6 and 7 (Table 2) were 1.7X and 1.9X greater than that observed during Pd Season 1, respectively (F2,34 = 6.276, p = 0.005)
Summary
White-nose Syndrome (WNS) is a mycosis caused by a cutaneous infection with the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). It produces hibernation mortality rates of 75–98% in 4 bats: Myotis lucifugus, M. septentrionalis, M. sodalis, and Perimyotis subflavus. White-nose Syndrome (WNS) is an emergent mycosis caused by an extensive cutaneous infection with the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). It was first observed at a single cave in New York State during the winter of 2006–2007, and spread to 5 more caves/ mines in New York State during the winter of 2007–08 [1]. Hibernators do not remain torpid throughout the hibernation season; instead bouts of torpor last from days to weeks, interrupted by brief (< 3 h for bats) periods of high metabolic rates and Tb, known as arousal episodes [12], which account for ~ 90% of the depot fat utilized during hibernation, but their physiological function is
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