White-nose syndrome-related changes to Mid-Atlantic bat communities across an urban-to-rural gradient

Deeley, Sabrina; Johnson, Joshua B.; Ford, W. Mark; Gates, J. Edward

doi:10.1186/s40850-021-00079-5

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 64 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The changes in Perimyotis subflavus acoustic activity we observed were consistent with our predictions and similar to patterns in northern WNSpositive regions of eastern North America. Previous studies found a decrease in acoustic activity following WNS detection (Ingersoll et al 2013, Nocera et al 2019, Deeley et al 2021. A similar trend in population decline was reported for the federally threatened Myotis septentrionalis following WNS detection in the same WNS-positive region in Georgia where our study occurred (Grider 2020).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Seven-year impact of white-nose syndrome on tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) populations in Georgia, USA

Perea¹,

Yearout²,

Ferrall³

et al. 2022

Endang. Species. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

White-nose syndrome (WNS) has emerged as the most serious threat to North American cave-dwelling bat species, with an estimated mortality of over 6 million since it was first documented in the USA in 2006. Tri-colored bat Perimyotis subflavus is one of the species most affected, with hibernaculum counts at caves in WNS-positive regions reduced by >90% from previous counts. While declines have been documented in hibernaculum surveys, long-term monitoring programs during active seasons provide a unique opportunity to examine population trends and impact of population declines post-WNS. We developed generalized linear mixed models using data from a state-wide, long-term (2011-2020) mobile bat acoustic monitoring program in Georgia, USA, to better understand P. subflavus population trends before and after disease detection and between WNS-negative and WNS-positive regions. We recorded 5046 P. subflavus passes across all acoustic routes during the 10 yr time period. We detected a significant decrease in activity 2 yr after disease detection in the WNS-positive region, whereas activity in the WNS-negative region remained stable over time. Understanding changes in bat populations as WNS spreads and measuring the magnitude of population declines to assess disease impacts is crucial for providing appropriate guidance for management. Our results provide evidence of the critical status of P. subflavus in the southernmost WNS-positive region, but also emphasize the importance of monitoring WNS spread to new regions, as those that remain WNS-free could provide refugia for the species and a potential source of recolonization to WNS-affected areas.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Seven-year impact of white-nose syndrome on tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) populations in Georgia, USA

Perea¹,

Yearout²,

Ferrall³

et al. 2022

Endang. Species. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Gaining information about the natural history of local bat species and determining, observationally and experimentally, the fine‐scale mechanisms that shape their activity could assist the development of management practices that involve bats. Not surprisingly based on earlier regional bat survey assessments (Deeley et al, 2021), we found big brown/silver‐haired bats to be the most active species group in our study area. Our hypothesis that soybean HIPVs affect bat activity was not supported by our results; however, the lack of significant differences in activity does not prove a lack of effect (Alderson, 2004).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

“…Two of the Myotis spp. included in the identification parameters (northern long‐eared and Indiana myotis) were not detected and are largely extirpated from eastern Maryland (Deeley et al, 2021). Bat species was a significant predictor of activity (χ 2 = 2678.4, df = 6, p < 0.001).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the most recent acoustic and mist‐netting bat surveys of eastern Maryland and adjacent Virginia, 10 individual bat species were detected (Deeley et al, 2021; Neece, 2019; True, Perry, et al, 2021; True, Reynolds, et al, 2021), all of which are listed as vertebrate species of greatest conservation need (Maryland Department of Natural Resources, 2015). The big brown ( E. fuscus )/silver‐haired ( Lasionycteris noctivagans ) bat species group, two species commonly combined due to high uncertainty in acoustic auto‐identification software (Ford, 2014), was the most abundant group in these surveys, followed by eastern red bats ( Lasiurus borealis ; Neece, 2019).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on our location in Maryland, we included 10 species as potentially occurring in our study area: big brown bat, eastern red bat, silver‐haired bat, hoary bat ( Lasiurus cinereus ), Seminole bat ( Lasiurus seminolus ), little brown bat ( Myotis lucifugus ), northern long‐eared myotis bat ( Myotis septentrionalis ), Indiana myotis bat ( Myotis sodalis ), evening bat ( Nycticeius humeralis ), and tricolored bat ( Perimyotis subflavus ). We did not include Mexican free‐tailed bat ( Tadarida brasiliensis ) and eastern small‐footed bat ( Myotis leibii ) in our analysis because, while present in central Maryland and western Maryland, respectively, both are absent in this portion of the state (Deeley et al, 2021; Neece, 2019). Because there is high uncertainty in automated program identification between two pairs of extant bats species, we created two phonic groups: (1) Big brown bats and silver‐haired bats were recorded as “big brown/silver‐haired bats” (Ford, 2014); and (2) eastern red bats and Seminole bats were recorded as “eastern red/Seminole bats” (Ford et al, 2006).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Biotic and abiotic factors shaping bat activity in Maryland soybean fields

et al. 2023

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Bats are important pest control agents in agriculture. Yet, the underlying fine‐scale biotic and abiotic mechanisms that drive their foraging behaviors and responses to insect outbreaks are unclear. Herbivore‐induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) can attract both invertebrate and vertebrate natural enemies that use the chemical plant cues to locate insect prey. The ability of HIPVs to attract multiple species raises the question of whether they may also be a biotic factor influencing insectivorous bat activity. Additionally, abiotic factors, such as weather conditions, can affect bat activity in agricultural settings, but little is known about how bats respond to shifting environmental conditions on short timescales in this landscape context. Using a model crop system, soybean (Glycine max), our study asked three questions: (1) Which bat species are active in eastern Maryland soybean fields? (2) Is insectivorous bat activity affected by naturally occurring soybean HIPVs and/or synthetic soybean HIPVs (indole or farnesene)? (3) How is insectivorous bat activity affected by hourly weather conditions in this landscape? In soybean fields in eastern Maryland, we created paired treatment plots: HIPV plots (damaged plants or synthetic HIPV dispensers) and control plots (undamaged plants or empty dispensers). We measured bat activity using ultrasonic recorders, summarizing hourly and nightly activity, and detected 10 total species. The most abundant species were big brown/silver‐haired bats (Eptesicus fuscus/Lasionycteris noctivagans). Bat activity did not significantly differ between control and HIPV plots in any of the three experiments. Thus, our results do not support our expectation that bats in eastern Maryland use soybean HIPVs to locate insect prey. However, bat activity did increase with increasing average hourly temperature and wind speed. This initial study of bats and HIPVs, as well as the fine‐scale examination of weather conditions on bat activity, may serve as a guide for future research on bat–plant interactions that can support the development of new strategies for sustainable pest management.

show abstract

Factors influencing the detection and occupancy of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus)

Hohoff,

Deppe

2024

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Using acoustics to survey for bats has increased as the need for data on increasingly rare species has also increased. We set out to better understand the difference between mist netting and acoustic detection probabilities between these two methods for the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), a species highly impacted by white‐nose syndrome and currently considered for federal listing in the United States. We also analyzed occupancy relationships with local and landcover variables. We surveyed 15 sites using mist netting paired with an acoustic recorder for multiple nights to estimate detection probability of this species. We also deployed acoustic recorders at another 73 sites. We found that detection rates for mist netting were very low but increased with day of year and decreased from proximity to water. Acoustic surveys had higher detection rates, but there was an approximately 30% likelihood of false‐positive detections. At the mean distance to water and day of year, acoustic surveys had a detection rate 55 times higher than mist netting. There were not significant factors influencing occupancy of little brown bats, only a slight positive relationship between forested largest patch, landscape patch richness and forest basal area. Given the declines in little brown bat populations since white‐nose syndrome, it is even more critical that we consider the very low detection rate of mist netting compared to acoustic surveys.

show abstract

White-nose syndrome-related changes to Mid-Atlantic bat communities across an urban-to-rural gradient

Cited by 12 publications

References 64 publications

Seven-year impact of white-nose syndrome on tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) populations in Georgia, USA

Seven-year impact of white-nose syndrome on tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) populations in Georgia, USA

Biotic and abiotic factors shaping bat activity in Maryland soybean fields

Factors influencing the detection and occupancy of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About