Roadway-Associated Culverts May Serve as a Transmission Corridor for Pseudogymnoascus Destructans and White-Nose Syndrome in the Coastal Plains and Coastal Region of Georgia, Usa

Lutsch, Kelly E.; McDonald, Ashley G.; Gabriel, Kyle T.; Cornelison, Christopher T.

doi:10.7589/jwd-d-21-00069

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 23 publications

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“…In the southeastern U.S., summer tri-colored bat populations within the WNS-zone in Georgia have declined by 50% (Perea et al 2022) whereas a population in an infected hibernaculum in South Carolina declined by >90% (Loeb and Winters 2022). The high mortality rates of tricolored bats in southeastern U.S. hibernacula despite shorter winters, may be due to the region's relatively warm hibernacula temperatures (Sirajuddin 2018;Lutsch et al 2022) resulting in faster fungal growth and disease severity (Langwig et al 2016). However, tri-colored bats also use thermally unstable, aboveground roosts in regions devoid of subterranean hibernacula throughout the southeastern U.S. Aboveground roosts used by tri-colored bats include bridges in Louisiana (Ferrara and Leberg 2005) and South Carolina (Newman et al 2021), culverts in Texas (Sandel et al 2001;Meierhofer et al 2019) and Georgia (Lutsch et al 2022), and tree cavities in South Carolina (Newman et al 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Roost thermal stability influences winter torpor patterns in a threatened bat species

Newman

Loeb

Jachowski

2023

Preprint

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Some hibernating bats in thermally stable, subterranean roosts have experienced precipitous declines from white-nose syndrome (WNS). However, some WNS-affected species also use thermally unstable roosts during winter which may impact their torpor patterns and WNS susceptibility. From November to March 2017-2019, we used temperature-sensitive transmitters to document winter torpor patterns of tri-colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) using thermally unstable roosts in the upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina. Daily mean roost temperature fluctuation was 4.8 ± 2°C SD in bridges and 4.0 ± 1.9°C in accessible cavities with maximum fluctuations of 13.8°C and 10.5°C, respectively. Mean torpor bout duration was 2.7 ± 2.8 days and was negatively related to ambient temperature and positively related to precipitation. Bats maintained non-random arousal patterns focused near dusk and were active on 33.6% of tracked days. Fifty-one percent of arousals contained passive rewarming. Normothermic bout duration, general activity, and activity away from the roost were positively related to ambient temperature, and activity away from the roost was negatively related to barometric pressure. Our results suggest ambient weather conditions influence winter torpor patterns of tri-colored bats using thermally unstable roosts. Short torpor bout durations and potential nighttime foraging during winter by tri-colored bats in thermally unstable roosts contrasts with behaviors of tri-colored bats in thermally stable roosts. Therefore, tri-colored bat using thermally unstable roosts may be less susceptible to WNS. These results highlight the importance of understanding the effect of roost thermal stability on winter torpor patterns and the physiological flexibility of broadly distributed hibernating species.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Roost thermal stability influences winter torpor patterns in a threatened bat species

Newman

Loeb

Jachowski

2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Thermally unstable roosts influence winter torpor patterns in a threatened bat species

Newman,

Loeb,

Jachowski

2024

Conservation Physiology

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Many hibernating bats in thermally stable, subterranean roosts have experienced precipitous declines from white-nose syndrome (WNS). However, some WNS-affected species also use thermally unstable roosts during winter that may impact their torpor patterns and WNS susceptibility. From November to March 2017–19, we used temperature-sensitive transmitters to document winter torpor patterns of tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) using thermally unstable roosts in the upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina. Daily mean roost temperature was 12.9 ± 4.9°C SD in bridges and 11.0 ± 4.6°C in accessible cavities with daily fluctuations of 4.8 ± 2°C in bridges and 4.0 ± 1.9°C in accessible cavities and maximum fluctuations of 13.8 and 10.5°C, respectively. Mean torpor bout duration was 2.7 ± 2.8 days and was negatively related to ambient temperature and positively related to precipitation. Bats maintained non-random arousal patterns focused near dusk and were active on 33.6% of tracked days. Fifty-one percent of arousals contained passive rewarming. Normothermic bout duration, general activity and activity away from the roost were positively related to ambient temperature, and activity away from the roost was negatively related to barometric pressure. Our results suggest ambient weather conditions influence winter torpor patterns of tricolored bats using thermally unstable roosts. Short torpor bout durations and potential nighttime foraging during winter by tricolored bats in thermally unstable roosts contrasts with behaviors of tricolored bats in thermally stable roosts. Therefore, tricolored bat using thermally unstable roosts may be less susceptible to WNS. More broadly, these results highlight the importance of understanding the effect of roost thermal stability on winter torpor patterns and the physiological flexibility of broadly distributed hibernating species.

show abstract

Roadway-Associated Culverts May Serve as a Transmission Corridor for Pseudogymnoascus Destructans and White-Nose Syndrome in the Coastal Plains and Coastal Region of Georgia, Usa

Cited by 2 publications

References 23 publications

Roost thermal stability influences winter torpor patterns in a threatened bat species

Roost thermal stability influences winter torpor patterns in a threatened bat species

Thermally unstable roosts influence winter torpor patterns in a threatened bat species

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