Waking to drink: rates of evaporative water loss determine arousal frequency in hibernating bats

Ben-Hamo, Miriam; Muñoz‐Garcia, Agustí; Williams, Joseph B.; Korine, Carmi; Pinshow, Berry

doi:10.1242/jeb.078790

Cited by 79 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…As WNS progresses towards more extensive and severe wing lesions, dehydration may be further exacerbated by water and electrolyte loss across the damaged epidermis of the wing [9,30], further stimulating arousal from hibernation to drink [29,31,32]. Positive feedback loops are then established that link worsening disease-associated wing pathology to further increases in arousal frequency, water loss, and energy use resulting in additional observed acute physiologic changes, including hypocapnia, hypoglycemia, hyponatremia, hypochloremia, and emaciation [9][10][11].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

White-nose syndrome initiates a cascade of physiologic disturbances in the hibernating bat host

et al. 2014

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Background: The physiological effects of white-nose syndrome (WNS) in hibernating bats and ultimate causes of mortality from infection with Pseudogymnoascus (formerly Geomyces) destructans are not fully understood. Increased frequency of arousal from torpor described among hibernating bats with late-stage WNS is thought to accelerate depletion of fat reserves, but the physiological mechanisms that lead to these alterations in hibernation behavior have not been elucidated. We used the doubly labeled water (DLW) method and clinical chemistry to evaluate energy use, body composition changes, and blood chemistry perturbations in hibernating little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) experimentally infected with P. destructans to better understand the physiological processes that underlie mortality from WNS. Results: These data indicated that fat energy utilization, as demonstrated by changes in body composition, was two-fold higher for bats with WNS compared to negative controls. These differences were apparent in early stages of infection when torpor-arousal patterns were equivalent between infected and non-infected animals, suggesting that P. destructans has complex physiological impacts on its host prior to onset of clinical signs indicative of late-stage infections. Additionally, bats with mild to moderate skin lesions associated with early-stage WNS demonstrated a chronic respiratory acidosis characterized by significantly elevated dissolved carbon dioxide, acidemia, and elevated bicarbonate. Potassium concentrations were also significantly higher among infected bats, but sodium, chloride, and other hydration parameters were equivalent to controls.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

White-nose syndrome initiates a cascade of physiologic disturbances in the hibernating bat host

et al. 2014

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“…Kurian, Lautz & Mitchell, 2013) will not only affect overwinter soil temperatures and lead to encasement if the water refreezes, but also provide liquid water for plants and animals that might otherwise suffer from a water deficit, such as hibernating mammals (e.g. Ben-Hamo et al, 2013). Conversely, increased free water may increase rates of heat loss and risk of flooding, decreasing survival of small mammals (Kausrud et al, 2008).…”

Section: (3) Changing Snow Covermentioning

confidence: 99%

Cold truths: how winter drives responses of terrestrial organisms to climate change

2014

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Winter is a key driver of individual performance, community composition, and ecological interactions in terrestrial habitats. Although climate change research tends to focus on performance in the growing season, climate change is also modifying winter conditions rapidly.Changes to winter temperatures, the variability of winter conditions, and winter snow cover can interact to induce cold injury, alter energy and water balance, advance or retard phenology, and modify community interactions. Species vary in their susceptibility to these winter drivers, hampering efforts to predict biological responses to climate change. Existing frameworks for predicting the impacts of climate change do not incorporate the complexity of organismal responses to winter. Here, we synthesise organismal responses to winter climate change, and use this synthesis to build a framework to predict exposure and sensitivity to negative impacts, and that can be used to estimate the vulnerability of species to winter climate change. We describe the importance of relationships between winter conditions and performance during the growing season in determining fitness, and demonstrate how summer and winter processes are linked.Incorporating winter into current models will require concerted effort from theoreticians and empiricists, and the expansion of current growing season studies to incorporate winter.

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“…Other competing explanations for bat winter activity include physiological or immune function responses. Attempts to develop a broadly applicable hypothesis have proven difficult because there is considerable within-and between-species variation in activity intensity and apparent purpose (Ransome 1968;Avery 1985;Whitaker and Rissler 1992;Park et al 1999;Luis and Hudson 2006;Boyles et al 2006;Geluso 2007;Turbill 2008;Ben-Hamo et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional differences in winter activity of hibernating greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) from Korea

2019

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Background: Hibernating bats exhibit ubiquitous winter activity in temperate zones, but there is considerable between-and within-species variety in their intensity and purpose. Bats may fly during winter for sustenance or travel to other hibernacula. This study compared inter-regional variation in the winter activity of the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum). We predicted that weather and hibernacula-environmental conditions would influence winter activity patterns. Results: Winter activity patterns differed between regions. In the Anseong area, we confirmed movement inside the hibernaculum, but in Hampyeong, we observed movement both inside and between hibernacula. The two regions differ by 4°C in average winter temperatures. Anseong experiences 22 days during which average daily temperatures exceeded 5°C, whereas Hampyeong experienced 50 such days. During the hibernating period, bat body weight decreased by approximately 17-20% in both regions. Conclusions: Ambient temperatures and winter-roost environments appear to be behind regional differences in hibernating bat activity. As winter temperatures in Korea do not favor insect activity, feeding probability is low for bats. However, bats may need to access water. At Anseong, underground water flows inside the hibernaculum when the reservoir outside is frozen. At Hampyeong, the hibernaculum does not contain a water source, but the reservoir outside does not freeze during winter. In conclusion, water-source location is the most likely explanation for regional variation in the winter activity of hibernating bats.

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Waking to drink: rates of evaporative water loss determine arousal frequency in hibernating bats

Cited by 79 publications

References 33 publications

White-nose syndrome initiates a cascade of physiologic disturbances in the hibernating bat host

White-nose syndrome initiates a cascade of physiologic disturbances in the hibernating bat host

Cold truths: how winter drives responses of terrestrial organisms to climate change

Regional differences in winter activity of hibernating greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) from Korea

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