Importance Of Bats Research Articles

Molecular detection of Trypanosoma (Trypanosomatidae) in bats from Thailand, with their phylogenetic relationships.

The vast majority of trypanosome species is vector-borne parasites, with some of them being medically and veterinary important (such as Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei) and capable of causing serious illness in vertebrate hosts. The discovery of trypanosomes in bats emphasizes the importance of bats as an important reservoir. Interestingly, there is a hypothesis that bats are ancestral hosts of T. cruzi. Trypanosome diversity has never been investigated in bats in Thailand, despite being in a biodiversity hot spot. To gain a better understanding of the diversity and evolutionary relationship of trypanosomes, polymerase chain reaction-based surveys were carried out from 2018 to 2020 in 17 sites. A total of 576 bats were captured, representing 23 species. A total of 38 (6.6%) positive samples was detected in ten bat species. Trypanosoma dionisii and Trypanosoma noyesi were identified from Myotis siligorensis and Megaderma spasma, respectively. The remaining 18S rRNA sequences of trypanosomes were related to other trypanosomes previously reported elsewhere. The sequences in the current study showed nucleotide identity as low as 90.74% compared to those of trypanosomes in the GenBank database, indicating the possibility of new species. All bat trypanosomes identified in the current study fall within the T. cruzi clade. The current study adds to evidence linking T. noyesi to a bat trypanosome and further supports the bat host origin of the T. cruzi clade. To the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first study on bat trypanosomes in Thailand and their phylogenetic relationships with global isolates.

The Broad Range of Coronaviruses Co-existing in Chiropteran: Implications for One Health

Bats are a group of mammals that harbor the most significant number of coronaviruses. The aim of present review article was to analyze the broad spectrum of the coronavirus coexisting in Chiropterans hosts. Bats have certain types of cell receptors that allow them to be the potential hosts of a large number of viruses without the presence of any clinical manifestations, and to be a source of contagion infections for other animals and human species. Emphasis can be placed on five coronaviruses, such as Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Disease, Severe Acute Diarrhea Syndrome, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome 2, which have had significant impacts causing epidemic outbreaks in different parts of the world, and generating implications for both human and animal health. In conclusion, recent research indicated the importance of bats as potential hosts of multiple coroaviruses leading to some zoonotic diseases.

Rickettsia spp. in bats of Romania: high prevalence of Rickettsia monacensis in two insectivorous bat species

BackgroundSpotted fever group rickettsiae represent one of the most diverse groups of vector-borne bacteria, with several human pathogenic species showing an emerging trend worldwide. Most species are vectored by ticks (Ixodidae), with many zoonotic reservoir species among most terrestrial vertebrate groups. While the reservoir competence of many different vertebrate species is well known (e.g. birds, rodents and dogs), studies on insectivorous bats have been rarely performed despite their high species diversity, ubiquitous urban presence and importance in harboring zoonotic disease agents. Romania has a high diversity and ubiquity of bats. Moreover, seven out of eight SFG rickettsiae species with zoonotic potential were previously reported in Romania. Based on this, the aim of this study was to detect Rickettsia species in tissue samples in bats.MethodsHere we report a large-scale study (322 bats belonging to 20 species) on the presence of Rickettsia spp. in Romanian bat species. Tissue samples from insectivorous bats were tested for the presence of Rickettsia DNA using PCR detection amplifying a 381 bp fragment of the gltA gene. Positive results were sequenced to confirm the results. The obtained results were statistically analyzed by chi-squared independence test.ResultsPositive results were obtained in 14.6% of bat samples. Sequence analysis confirmed the presence of R. monacensis in two bat species (Nyctalus noctula and Pipistrellus pipistrellus) in two locations.ConclusionThis study provides the first evidence of a possible involvement of these bat species in the epidemiology of Rickettsia spp., highlighting the importance of bats in natural cycles of these vector-borne pathogens.Graphical

Notas sobre el uso de ecosistemas subterráneos por murciélagos en el Parque Nacional Tingo María, Huánuco, Perú

En el Perú existe poca información sobre la biodiversidad de los ecosistemas subterráneos, particularmente de las cuevas. En este trabajo registré qué especies de murciélagos habitan las cuevas del Parque Nacional Tingo María (PNTM) y cómo se distribuyen dentro de las mismas categorizándolas en tipos de percha. Evalué seis formaciones rocosas en el PNTM en los años 2015 y 2017. Se usaron redes de niebla y de mano para capturar a los murciélagos. En total registre 16 especies de murciélagos pertenecientes a las familias Phyllostomidae, Emballonuridae y Mormoopidae. En la cueva de “Las lechuzas” encontré el mayor número de especies (10). Categoricé tres tipos de percha usados por los murciélagos dentro de las cuevas: (I) pequeñas bóvedas formadas como depresiones en el techo, (II) espacios angostos en medio de las estalactitas, (III) cavidades amplias entre las estalactitas y la pared en forma de campana. Las cuevas del PNTM contribuyen a la persistencia local de los murciélagos proveyéndoles de refugios, y existe la necesidad de conocer sobre los aspectos ecológicos y la importancia funcional de los murciélagos dentro de estas cuevas.

Importance of Bats in Wildlife: Not Just Carriers of Pandemic SARS-CoV-2 and Other Viruses

Bats are the only flying mammals that carry multiple pathogens, such as the SARS-CoV-2. As a consequent of fear of the zoonotic origin of SARS-CoV-2, there is an adverse reaction in multiple countries against these animals. Bats contribute with arthropod control and pollination, among other positive roles of these animals.

Pollination by bats enhances both quality and yield of a major cash crop in Mexico

Abstract Bats pollinate many plants of high socio‐economic value, including the majority of columnar cacti (Cactaceae) in Mexico, which have been used by humans for food and materials for thousands of years. However, the importance of bats as pollinators has been overlooked, with a consequent lack of knowledge of the reliance of crops on bats for harvest yield and quality. We used exclusion experiments to determine the effect of different pollinator taxa on the yield and quality of pitayas (fruit of Stenocereus queretaroensis (F.A.C. Weber) Buxbaum), a major crop in central Mexico. We studied the three most economically important cultivars and wild individuals in the principal region for pitaya production. For each pollinator taxon we recorded fruit set and measured three key parameters of fruit quality: weight, sucrose concentration and seed set. We placed camera traps to determine pollinator identity and the effect of visitation rate on fruit quality. We found the primary pollinators of pitayas to be nectarivorous bats in the genus Leptonycteris. When bats were excluded from flowers and flowers were pollinated by other taxa (i.e. diurnal birds and insects), pitaya yield decreased by 35%, though pollination dependence varied between cultivars. Fruit quality decreased significantly in the absence of bat pollination across all cultivars, with fruits 46% lighter and 13% less sweet when pollinated by other taxa; reducing economic value, as size determines market price. Additionally, seed set (an indicator of effective pollination) was significantly lower in the absence of bat pollinators. Visitation rate had no effect on fruit quality. Synthesis and applications. Our study shows that bats provide a vital ecosystem service by pollinating a crop of major socio‐economic importance, and that consideration of both crop quality and yield are essential to fully understanding the benefits of bat pollination. A reduction of this service would result in a decrease in both the size and quality of the harvest, causing substantial loss of income for rural communities. Bats world‐wide face many threats, and management efforts targeted to the enhancement of wild bat pollinator populations would preserve the sustainability of both bat‐pollinated crops and wild plants.

Bat (Mammalia: Chiroptera) road casualties in the Kresna Gorge, Bulgaria

The Kresna Gorge is a biodiversity hotspot with high conservation value not only for Bulgaria, but the Balkan Peninsula. In the gorge region, many rare, endemic, and protected species and habitats are found (Hubenov 2012). Since the beginning of the 21st century, several road and highway projects have threatened the ecological prosperity of this area. Intensive chiropterological research in the last 25 years (beginning in 1993) has revealed that the Kresna Gorge is an area of great importance for bats, providing habitats for more than 50% of the 33 species present in Bulgaria (Petrov 2001). There is growing evidence that roads negatively affect bats' populations (Altringham and Kerth 2016). Theoretical studies have shown that in some situations, collisions might lead to population decline (see references in Altringham and Kerth 2016). Identifying parts of the road where bats experience collisions more frequently can have strong conservation implications. Between 2013 and 2016 we recorded roadkilled bats on a weekly basis, from March to October. We monitored a 16 km section of a high-traffic intensity road passing through the Kresna Gorge. We recorded 78 dead bats on the road, belonging to 10 species. During our survey, we recorded Myotis brandtii (Eversmann, 1845), a new species for the bat fauna of the Kresna Gorge. The presence of two species, Nyctalus leisleri (Kuhl, 1817) and Miniopterus schreibersii (Kuhl, 1817), previously with single or doubtful records, were confirmed. Statistically significant hotspots of roadkill were modelled using Getis-Ord Gi statistic. We identified five road stretches as hotspots for bat accidents. They are all relatively close to bridges, tunnel exits, and/or bat roosts. Оur study adds new data on the bats' species composition in the gorge, as well as it demonstrates that road elements in this section of the Pan-European Corridor IV concentrate and increase road accidents with bats.

Brown Adipose Tissue - role in metabolic disorders

Brown adipose tissue, a thermogenic organ, previously thought to be present in only small mammals and children has recently been identified in adult humans. Located primarily in the supraclavicular and cervical area, it produces heat by uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation due to the unique presence of uncoupling protein 1 by a process called nonshivering thermogenesis. BAT activity depends on many factors including age, sex, adiposity and outdoor temperature. Positron-emission tomography using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose and computed tomography (18F-FDG PET–CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and thermal imaging (IRT) are among several methods used to detect BAT in humans. The importance of BAT is due to its role in whole body energy expenditure and fuel metabolism. Thus it is postulated that it may be useful in the treatment of metabolic diseases. However, there are still many unanswered questions to the clinical usefulness of this novel tissue.
 IMC J Med Sci 2019; 13(1): 002

Evaluación indirecta de la efectividad de la dispersión de semillas de Solanum riparium (Solanaceae) en base al uso del hábitat y tasa de desaparición de frutos

(*)The ability of a plant’s propagule to reach microhabitats with the adequate conditions for seed germination and sapling establishment will have a direct effect on the plant’s fitness. In the case of fleshy- fruited plants, the seeds are dispersed by frugivorous animals. One part of the seed dispersal process is the removal of the fruits, which contain the seeds, from the parental plant. Another important part of the dispersal process is where the seeds land, especially for species with specific light, temperature or humidity needs for germination, such as disturbance colonizers. Solanum riparium (Solanaceae) is a shade intolerant species found in forest gaps within a subtropical montane forest and along river and road edges in North-western Argentina. In this study I assess the relative importance of bats and birds as seed dispersers of S. riparium (Solanaceae) in forest gaps and river edges, based on data on fruit disappearance during the night and during the day. I also classify seed dispersers according to the habitat types in which they were caught with mist-nets. Diurnal and nocturnal fruit disappearance rate did not differ and neither did disappearance rate between habitats. The results of this study suggest that, based on habitat use, the best seed dispersers for S. riparium are the frugivorous birds Atlapetes citrinellus and Turdus rufiventris , commonly caught at river edges and forest gaps. Based on habitat use of the frugivorous bats studied here, Sturnira lilium and S. erythromos , they potentially disperse half of the seeds to forest gaps and river edges, which are appropriate sites for germination of S. riparium seeds, and half to the river bank, a place with high risk of seeds being washed away and destroyed by occasionally strong water currents. (*)Picture: Pedro Blendinger

Managing coniferous production forests towards bat conservation

Context Forest management has impacts on bats worldwide. Given that many forest bats are threatened and that bats are important providers of ecosystem services, understanding the effects of forest management practices on their activity is fundamental for the implementation of conservation measures. Despite these important issues, studies on the effects of management practices on bats are scarce. Aims To propose management measures for coniferous production forests, to ensure sustainability of bat populations. Methods We evaluated bat species richness and activity during gestation, lactation and mating/swarming/dispersion seasons in differently managed pine stands to evaluate how vegetation structure influences those variables. Bat activity was surveyed using acoustic monitoring in 28 sampling plots within stands with distinct management records in Portugal. We also sampled arthropods using light traps to ascertain how prey availability influenced bat species richness and activity in those plots. Key results Bat species richness and activity varied along the three phenological seasons and were higher in autumn, when mating, swarming and dispersion from nurseries to hibernacula took place. Prey availability varied, but was higher during the lactation season. We hypothesise that the lower levels of bat species richness and activity registered during that period were due to a reduced availability of roosts, rather than food scarcity. Species richness was positively correlated with canopy cover and prey taxa richness, and negatively associated with dry branches cover. Total bat activity was positively correlated with tree height and prey taxa richness, and negatively associated with dry branches cover. The activity of edge-space foragers was positively associated with average tree height and prey taxa richness, while the activity of open-space foragers was negatively associated with dry branches cover. Conclusions Coniferous production forests are of great importance for bats during the mating/swarming/dispersion season. Canopy cover, dry branches cover, tree height and prey taxa richness influence bat species richness and activity as a whole, particularly the activity of open- and edge- foraging guilds. Implications Based on our results, two straightforward management actions should be implemented in coniferous production forests to increase their value for bat assemblages: the maintenance of old coniferous stands, and the cutting of dry branches at the subcanopy level.

Implications of Ebola virus disease on wildlife conservation in Nigeria.

The recent Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in some West African countries spanning from late 2013 and currently on as of 13th March, 2015 is the most widespread and fatal with human mortality that has surpassed all previous outbreaks. The outbreak has had its toll on conservation of endangered species. This portends danger for the wild fauna of the country if proactive measures are not taken to prepare grounds for evidence- based assertions concerning the involvement of wild species. To this end, there is an urgent need for sweeping census of reserves, national parks and wetlands. As well as the creation of a system involving reportage by sectors like the industries (extractive and construction) including persons and organisations involved with wildlife related activities. This documentation of die offs and unusual events to collaborating institutions, will help in monitoring trends which hitherto would have gone unnoticed. The importance of bats and primates in agriculture and public health via consumption of vermin insects and seed dispersal cannot be over-emphasized. There is the need for caution on the tendencies to destroy indicator species which could be silent pointers to emerging or remerging health and environmental issues. Wildlife resources are still reliably useful and caution is advised in the use of blanket destructive policies like fumigation of caves, indiscriminate culling and poisoned baits to destroy supposedly Ebola Disease Virus wildlife reservoirs. This paper highlights the immediate conservation problems and likely future implications of Ebola saga in Nigeria. It tries to identify the gaps in wildlife researches and makes recommendations for probable workable conservation strategies.

Immunology of bats and their viruses: challenges and opportunities.

Bats are reservoir hosts of several high-impact viruses that cause significant human diseases, including Nipah virus, Marburg virus and rabies virus. They also harbor many other viruses that are thought to have caused disease in humans after spillover into intermediate hosts, including SARS and MERS coronaviruses. As is usual with reservoir hosts, these viruses apparently cause little or no pathology in bats. Despite the importance of bats as reservoir hosts of zoonotic and potentially zoonotic agents, virtually nothing is known about the host/virus relationships; principally because few colonies of bats are available for experimental infections, a lack of reagents, methods and expertise for studying bat antiviral responses and immunology, and the difficulty of conducting meaningful field work. These challenges can be addressed, in part, with new technologies that are species-independent that can provide insight into the interactions of bats and viruses, which should clarify how the viruses persist in nature, and what risk factors might facilitate transmission to humans and livestock.

Isolation and identification of gastrointestinal microbiota from the short-nosed fruit bat Cynopterus brachyotis brachyotis

Studies on the microbial ecology of gut microbiota in bats are limited and such information is necessary in determining the ecological significance of these hosts. Short-nosed fruit bats (Cynopterus brachyotis brachyotis) are good candidates for microbiota studies given their close association with humans in urban areas. Thus, this study explores the gut microbiota of this species from Peninsular Malaysia by means of biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene sequences analysis. The estimation of viable bacteria present in the stomach and intestine of C. b. brachyotis ranged from 3.06×1010 to 1.36×1015CFU/ml for stomach fluid and 1.92×1010 to 6.10×1015CFU/ml for intestinal fluid. A total of 34 isolates from the stomach and intestine of seven C. b. brachyotis were retrieved. A total of 16 species of bacteria from eight genera (Bacillus, Enterobacter, Enterococcus, Escherichia, Klebsiella, Pantoea, Pseudomonas and Serratia) were identified, Enterobacteriaceae being the most prevalent, contributing 12 out of 16 species isolated. Most isolates from the Family Enterobacteriaceae have been reported as pathogens to humans and wildlife. With the possibility of human wildlife transmission, the findings of this study focus on the importance of bats as reservoirs of potential bacterial pathogens.

Metagenomic Analysis of the Viromes of Three North American Bat Species: Viral Diversity among Different Bat Species That Share a Common Habitat

Effective prediction of future viral zoonoses requires an in-depth understanding of the heterologous viral population in key animal species that will likely serve as reservoir hosts or intermediates during the next viral epidemic. The importance of bats as natural hosts for several important viral zoonoses, including Ebola, Marburg, Nipah, Hendra, and rabies viruses and severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV), has been established; however, the large viral population diversity (virome) of bats has been partially determined for only a few of the ∼1,200 bat species. To assess the virome of North American bats, we collected fecal, oral, urine, and tissue samples from individual bats captured at an abandoned railroad tunnel in Maryland that is cohabitated by 7 to 10 different bat species. Here, we present preliminary characterization of the virome of three common North American bat species, including big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus), tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus), and little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus). In samples derived from these bats, we identified viral sequences that were similar to at least three novel group 1 CoVs, large numbers of insect and plant virus sequences, and nearly full-length genomic sequences of two novel bacteriophages. These observations suggest that bats encounter and disseminate a large assortment of viruses capable of infecting many different animals, insects, and plants in nature.

Carpe noctem: the importance of bats as bioindicators

Carpe noctem: the importance of bats as bioindicators

What you see is not what you get: the role of ultrasonic detectors in increasing inventory completeness in Neotropical bat assemblages

Summary 1. Microchiropteran bats have the potential to be important biodiversity indicator species as they are distributed globally and are important in ecosystem functioning. Survey and monitoring protocols for bats are often ineffective as sampling techniques vary in their efficacy depending on the species involved and habitats surveyed. Acoustic sampling using bat detectors may prove an alternative or complementary technique to capture methods but is largely untested in the tropics. 2. To compare the efficacy of bat detectors and capture methods in surveys, we used ground mist nets, sub-canopy mist nets and harp traps to sample bats while simultaneously recording the echolocation calls of insectivorous bats in a diversity of habitats in the Yucatan, Mexico. We described echolocation calls, analysed call characteristics to identify species, and compared species inventories derived from traditional capture methods with those derived from acoustic sampling. 3. A total of 2819 bats representing 26 species and six families were captured; 83% were captured in ground nets, 13% in sub-canopy nets and 4% in harp traps. Fourteen species and five phonic types were identified based on five echolocation call characteristics. Discriminant function analysis showed a high level of correct classification of the calls (84·1%), indicating that identification of species by their echolocation calls is feasible. 4. In all habitats, acoustic sampling and capture methods sampled significantly more species each night than capture methods alone. Capture methods failed to sample 30% of the bat fauna, and aerial insectivores were sampled only by bat detectors. 5. Synthesis and applications . Given the importance of bats in ecosystem functioning, and their potential as indicator species, developing effective methodologies to survey and monitor bats is important for sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation. Acoustic sampling should be used with capture methods to increase inventory completeness in bat assemblage studies, and could form part of a single standardized monitoring protocol that can be used globally in tropical forests, as this method detects aerial insectivores not sampled by capture methods.

Technique for the removal of the brain in bats.

IN public health investigations it is essential that animal hosts and reservoirs be correctly identified. Specialists, particularly mammalogists, are usually willing to identify specimens collected in return for retaining all or a portion of the mammals submitted, especially if the specimens, such as bats, come from a zoologically interesting area, are rare in collections, or might present some challenging taxonomic problem. Since there is an increasing interest in the public health importance of bats (such as their involvement with rabies), countries which have not yet made surveys of their bat populations for the incidence of rabies are being encouraged to do so (Expert Committee on Rabies—Fourth Report, W.H.O. Tech. Rep. Ser. No. 201, 1960). For the purposes of accurate identification, the head is the most important part of the body to the mammalogist, while its contents are of paramount importance to the epidemiologist. The conventional laboratory techniques used for brain tissue removal in rabies diagnosis (W.H.O. Monogr. Ser. No. 23, 1954, and U.S. Public Health Service Pub. No. 568, 1957) frequently mutilate the skin and skull and not only make identification difficult but ruin the specimen for museum purposes.