White-Nose Syndrome in bats:
Mid-winter white-nose syndrome research web conference
February 20, 2009
Survey update from the historical range (pre-2009)
Hicks, Herzog, Darling, Dickson, Kocer, von Oettingen
Survey update from the expansion range (new states in 2009)
Turner, Butchkoski, Stihler, Wallace, Valent, Brunkhurst
Fungi in European bats
Paul Cryan
White-Nose Syndrome: Current Progress at the USGS-National Wildlife Health Center
David Blehert, Anne Ballmann, Brenda Berlowski-Zier, Julia Hoeh, Jeff Lorch, and Carol Meteyer
Update of Work at Cornell: Necropsy Findings in NY Bats, Wing Membrane Analysis and PHA Study
Elizabeth Buckles
Update from the NY Wildlife Pathology Unit
Ward Stone
Are hibernating bats affected with ‘White Nose Syndrome’ immunocompromised?
Marianne S. Moore, Jonathan D. Reichard, Timothy D. Murtha, Bita Zahedi, Renee M. Fallier, and Thomas H. Kunz
Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, Boston University
To help identify the potential causes and correlates of ‘White Nose Syndrome’ (WNS) in North American hibernating bat species, we are conducting a field- and laboratory-based study to assess various aspects of relative immune function in the little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus). Several methods are being used to measure the immune system in bats from affected and unaffected sites, and at each site a time course of blood samples is collected from torpid bats and bats that have incrementally higher body temperatures, or stages of arousal. Analyses will include comparisons between: (1) sites, (2) bats with and without visible signs of fungal growth, (3) bats sampled during early, mid- and late-hibernation, and (4) multiple assessments of immune response. These approaches are being used to test several hypotheses associated with WNS. First, measuring relative immune function in bats from affected and unaffected sites will help elucidate whether bats with WNS are experiencing immunosuppression. If they are, we will determine whether reduced immune defenses are solely due to physiological constraints associated with deep torpor or to some other cause, such as an immunosuppressive infectious agent, a contaminant, or a lack of sufficient energy reserves. Second, measuring immune function in bats at different stages of arousal will specifically test the ability of hibernating bats, in general, to mount an immune response. Assuming that bats must arouse from torpor to mount effective immune responses against invading pathogens that are associated with WNS, failure to arouse may contribute to increased levels of mortality associated with this condition. It is also possible that bats affected with WNS are immunocompromised because of an extrinsic factor or factors and because of intrinsic constraints associated with torpor. Results from this study will also provide important new information regarding levels of immunocompetence in hibernating bats and related areas of bat physiology.
White-Nose Syndrome and Metabolic Rates of Myotis lucifugus
Tom Tomasi and Amanda Janicki
Missouri State University
We are testing the hypothesis that little brown bats (M. lucifugus) with WNS have elevated metabolic rates while torpid. To do this, we measured in situ oxygen consumption rates and body temperatures (w/ iBBats) throughout the hibernation season at a Williams Lake mine (WNS-affected area in NY), at Woodward Cave (possible WNS-affected area in PA), and at Brooks Cave on Ft. Leonard Wood military base (unaffected area in MO). Although the study is still underway, preliminary analysis of metabolic data from Williams Lake and Woodward Cave are included in this presentation. Some bats did not demonstrate typical oxygen consumption patters of a torpid animal, but these were relatively rare and no pattern was noted by location. Of those that did show normal torpor metabolism (n = 13 to 27 per site and month), the metabolic rates of bats in NY were 2X – 3X that of bats in PA, both in early hibernation (October) and mid-hibernation (January) (P = 0.001). This is consistent with our hypothesis, even though Woodward Cave may be considered “affected” this winter. We conclude that torpid metabolic rates of Williams Lake bats are elevated, rather than those in Woodward Cave being depressed, because the latter are similar to rates measured in other species in our lab. When we have body temperature data analyzed, we predict that torpor in the NY bats will not be as deep as seem in the PA bats. [funding to support this research was received from Bat Conservation International and the National Speleological Society]
Annual patterns of body condition, wing damage, and fat reserves in the little brown bat (Myotis lucifigus) in the northeastern U.S.
Jonathan D. Reichard, Catherine Kang, Marianne Moore, Timothy Murtha, Laura Vanhkanh and Thomas H. Kunz
Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215
White Nose Syndrome (WNS) has been linked to low body fat reserves and starvation in hibernating North American bat species. This study is designed to identify when bats reach critical fat levels by replicating pre-WNS studies in the currently affected range. We are measuring fat levels of little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) using non-destructive estimates from Total Body Electrical Conductivity (TOBEC) and Body Mass Index (BMI = body mass (g) / forearm length (mm)) and destructive body composition analysis during the summer reproductive season, fall fattening period, and hibernation. Bats from the affected range of WNS are also being compared to bats sampled outside of the affected range. In February 2008, we found no difference in body condition or fat mass of bats with visible fungus and bats without visible fungus at a single affected site, William’s Mine complex. Thus, externally visible fungus does not appear to be a reliable indication of health. All bats that we sampled at affected sites, independent of visible signs of WNS, had significantly lower fat mass than bats at nearby sites where WNS had not been confirmed and bats sampled at a control site in Pennsylvania. Bats sampled at affected sites also had higher percent body water compared to samples from nearby and control sites. This difference may result from greater fat metabolism in affected bats (i.e. accumulation of metabolic water), or alternatively because affected bats were more active (i.e. euthermic) during the prehibernation period. Adult females from maternity colonies had lower body masses across all reproductive conditions in 2008 when compared to 1995 (Reynolds and Kunz, 2000). Estimates of body fat derived from TOBEC measurements suggest these bats also have lower fat mass than before WNS was identified. However, by late summer, adult females and juveniles have body mass and fat mass estimates only slightly lower than in 1995, suggesting bats may either partially recover or die during the summer following hibernation in a WNS-affected hibernaculum. Bats captured at two maternity roosts in affected areas in the spring and summer 2008 were assessed for body mass and wing damage. Bats with the most severe wing damage had significantly lower BMI’s than those without wing damage. In 2008, body mass increased during swarming activity from mid-August to mid-September, similar to the pattern reported from bats collected in 1975 (Kunz et al., 1998). However, body mass was significantly lower in mid-October 2008 compared to mid-October 1975, suggesting bats at a WNS-affected site may have depleted some of their fat reserves before they entered hibernation. Body mass of bats at three affected hibernacula decreased about 1 g between November 2008 and January 2009. While it appears that little brown myotis affected by WNS expend fat reserves more quickly during hibernation than unaffected bats, these studies indicate there may also be a cumulative impact of WNS on body condition. For example, bats that survive hibernation in WNS affected hibernacula, but experienced severe wing damage and have low BMI’s may die prematurely in spring or fail to reproduce in the subsequent summer. They may also be unable to feed sufficiently to recover and deposit adequate fat reserves for the next period of hibernation.
The potential role of dietary alpha-linolenic acid in White Nose Syndrome
Craig L. Frank, Alan C. Hicks, Thomas H. Kunz, and Robert J. Rudd
Hibernation Arousal Patterns in WNS and Unaffected Bats; a Report of the RCN grant
DeeAnn Reeder, Craig Frank, Eric Britzke, Greg Turner, et al.
Over 300 temperature sensitive dataloggers and radiofrequency transmitters have been attached to WNS affected and unaffected bats in 13 sites , in 6 different states, to test the hypothesis that WNS affected bats either arouse too frequently or remain euthermic (warm) for longer periods than normal, resulting in the depletion of body fat stores and eventual death. The electronic tags will remain on bats through the winter hibernation period, so we anticipate data collection to continue through March. If all goes according to plan, we hope to have some preliminary analyses completed by early summer which will help inform plans for continued WNS investigation.
Can Thermal Refugia Increase Survival?
Justin Boyles, Mary Timonin, and Craig Willis
An improved automated bat counter
Carl Herzog and Al Hicks
Chitinase Producing Bacteria in Bats
H. Kathleen Dannelly, Angela K. Chamberlain, and John O. Whitaker, Jr.
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