Conservation by trans-border cooperation: population genetic structure and diversity of geoffroy’s bat (Myotis emarginatus) at its north-western european range edge

Abstract

In the European Union, all bat species are strictly protected and member states must ensure their conservation. However, if populations are genetically structured, conservation units that correspond to whole countries may be too large, putting small populations with specific conservation requirements at risk. Geoffroy’s bat (Myotis emarginatus) has undergone well-documented declines at its north-western European range edge between the 1960 and 1990s and is considered to be negatively affected by habitat fragmentation. Here we analysed the species’ genetic population structure and diversity to identify subpopulations with reduced genetic diversity and to scientifically inform conservation management. We generated 811 microsatellite-based genetic profiles obtained from 42 European nursery colonies and analysed a total of 932 sequences of the hypervariable region II of the mitochondrial control region sampled from across Europe. While two geographically widespread genetic populations were inferred to be present in north-western Europe, both nuclear and mitochondrial genetic diversity were lowest in the areas that had experienced a decline during the last century. A microsatellite-based analysis of demographic history did not permit, however, to unequivocally link that reduced genetic diversity to the population contraction event. Given the large geographic extent of the genetic populations, preserving the connectivity of mating sites requires concerted conservation efforts across multiple political jurisdictions. Genetic monitoring ought to be done on a regular basis to ensure that large-scale connectivity is maintained and further loss of genetic diversity is prevented.

Microsatellite profiling of hosts from parasite-extracted DNA illustrated with raccoons (Procyon lotor) and their Baylisascaris procyonis roundworms

“…Negative controls were included at every stage of the process to monitor contamination. Similar to other DNA extracts that are low in quality and quantity, such as faecal DNA, genotyping errors are likely to occur during PCR when using roundworm-extracted DNA to genotype the raccoon host [ 37 , 38 ]. Genotyping errors include ‘allelic dropout’, where one allele of a heterozygous genotype is not amplified, and ‘false alleles’, where an artificial allele is generated during the PCR as a result of slippage during the initial PCR cycles [ 39 ].…”

All-you-can-eat buffet: A spider-specialized bat species (Myotis emarginatus) turns into a pest fly eater around cattle

“…This species’ range extends from southern, southwestern and central Europe to Asia Minor. The study area corresponded to the northern limit of the range of this bat species where, despite a trend towards a recovery in the population size in recent decades [ 45 ], a combination of insular distribution [ 34 ] and low genetic diversity [ 46 ] makes it especially vulnerable. ME—a thermophilic species—probably encounters ecological limits in Belgium.…”

Far-reaching displacement effects of artificial light at night in a North American bat community

“…Many Myotis species require high habitat connectivity for commuting among foraging and roosting areas (Henderson and Broders 2008, Browning et al 2021, Cable et al 2021, Frantz et al 2022). Therefore, ALAN is likely to be an agent of fragmentation and habitat loss for light-averse bats (Ditmer et al 2021).…”