| the recently discovered bokeloh bat lyssavirus: insights into its genetic heterogeneity and spatial distribution in europe and the population genetics of its primary host. | in 2010, a novel lyssavirus named bokeloh bat lyssavirus (bblv) was isolated from a natterer's bat (myotis nattereri) in germany. two further viruses were isolated in the same country and in france in recent years, all from the same bat species and all found in moribund or dead bats. here we report the description and the full-length genome sequence of five additional bblv isolates from germany (n=4) and france (n=1). interestingly, all of them were isolated from the natterer's bat, except one f ... | 2017 | 29029727 |
| surveillance for adenoviruses in bats in italy. | adenoviruses are important pathogens of humans and animals. bats have been recognized as potential reservoirs of novel viruses, with some viruses being regarded as a possible zoonotic threat to humans. in this study, we report the detection and analysis of adenoviruses from different bat species in northern italy. upon sequence and phylogenetic analysis, based on a short diagnostic fragment of the highly-conserved dna polymerase gene, we identified potential novel candidate adenovirus species, i ... | 2019 | 31174292 |
| investigating cat predation as the cause of bat wing tears using forensic dna analysis. | cat predation upon bat species has been reported to have significant effects on bat populations in both rural and urban areas. the majority of research in this area has focussed on observational data from bat rehabilitators documenting injuries, and cat owners, when domestic cats present prey. however, this has the potential to underestimate the number of bats killed or injured by cats. here, we use forensic dna analysis techniques to analyze swabs taken from injured bats in the united kingdom, ... | 2020 | 32788986 |
| species-specific colocalization of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus attachment and entry receptors. | middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) uses the s1b domain of its spike protein to bind to dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (dpp4), its functional receptor, and its s1a domain to bind to sialic acids. the tissue localization of dpp4 in humans, bats, camelids, pigs, and rabbits generally correlates with mers-cov tropism, highlighting the role of dpp4 in virus pathogenesis and transmission. however, mers-cov s1a does not indiscriminately bind to all α2,3-sialic acids, and the species-specif ... | 2019 | 31167913 |
| a comparison of the mitochondrial proteome and lipidome in the mouse and long-lived pipistrelle bats. | it is accepted that smaller mammals with higher metabolic rates have shorter lifespans. the very few species that do not follow these rules can give insights into interesting differences. the recorded maximum lifespans of bats are exceptional - over 40 years, compared with the laboratory mouse of 4 years. we investigated the differences in the biochemical composition of mitochondria between bat and mouse species. we used proteomics and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with hi ... | 2019 | 30892277 |
| serological survey of lyssaviruses in polish bats in the frame of passive rabies surveillance using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. | background: bats are known to host a number of nonpathogenic viruses, as well as highly pathogenic viruses causing fatal diseases like rabies. serological surveys as part of active and passive bat rabies surveillance mainly use seroneutralization assays, demonstrating the presence of lyssavirus-specific antibodies in a variety of european bats, particularly against european bat lyssaviruses type 1 (eblv-1). here, we present the first serological survey in european bats of this kind during which ... | 2020 | 32121200 |
| comparing acoustic and radar deterrence methods as mitigation measures to reduce human-bat impacts and conservation conflicts. | where humans and wildlife co-exist, mitigation is often needed to alleviate potential conflicts and impacts. deterrence methods can be used to reduce impacts of human structures or activities on wildlife, or to resolve conservation conflicts in areas where animals may be regarded as a nuisance or pose a health hazard. here we test two methods (acoustic and radar) that have shown potential for deterring bats away from areas where they forage and/or roost. using both infrared video and acoustic me ... | 2020 | 32053663 |
| estimating population density of insectivorous bats based on stationary acoustic detectors: a case study. | automated recording units are commonly used by consultants to assess environmental impacts and to monitor animal populations. although estimating population density of bats using stationary acoustic detectors is key for evaluating environmental impacts, estimating densities from call activity data is only possible through recently developed numerical methods, as the recognition of calling individuals is impossible.we tested the applicability of generalized random encounter models (grems) for det ... | 2020 | 32076503 |
| wing membrane and fur samples as reliable biological matrices to measure bioaccumulation of metals and metalloids in bats. | there is a growing conservation concern about the possible consequences of environmental contamination in the health of bat communities. most studies on the effects of contaminants in bats have been focused on organic contaminants, and the consequences of bat exposure to metals and metalloids remain largely unknown. the aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of external biological matrices (fur and wing membrane) for the assessment of exposure and bioaccumulation of metals in bats. th ... | 2019 | 31310870 |
| full genome characterization of two novel alpha-coronavirus species from italian bats. | coronaviruses (covs) have been detected worldwide in several bat species, which are considered the main reservoir. the attention to the high diversity of covs hosted by bats has increased during the last decade due to the high number of human infections caused by two zoonotic beta-covs, sars-cov and mers-cov, that cause several respiratory diseases. among coronaviruses, two alpha-cov strains (hucov-229e and hucov-nl63) cause mild respiratory disease that can change to severe disease in children, ... | 2019 | 30447246 |
| tillage and herbicide reduction mitigate the gap between conventional and organic farming effects on foraging activity of insectivorous bats. | the increased use of pesticides and tillage intensification is known to negatively affect biodiversity. changes in these agricultural practices such as herbicide and tillage reduction have variable effects among taxa, especially at the top of the trophic network including insectivorous bats. very few studies compared the effects of agricultural practices on such taxa, and overall, only as a comparison of conventional versus organic farming without accurately accounting for underlying practices, ... | 2018 | 29435227 |
| traffic noise playback reduces the activity and feeding behaviour of free-living bats. | increasing levels of road noise are creating new anthropogenic soundscapes that may affect wildlife globally. bats, which form about a third of all mammal species, are sensitive bioindicators, and may be particularly vulnerable because of their dependency on echolocation. here we present the first controlled field experiment with free-living bats. using a before-after-control-impact phantom road experimental design, we examine the impacts of traffic noise on their activity and feeding behaviour. ... | 2020 | 32320902 |
| high frequency social calls indicate food source defense in foraging common pipistrelle bats. | social calls have the function to coordinate the behavior of animals. in the presence of conspecifics foraging common pipistrelle bats (p. pipistrellus) emitted, in addition to typical echolocation signals, two types of social calls: complex social calls and an as-of-yet undescribed, short, frequency-modulated call type with high terminal frequency, which we term "high frequency social call". by recording the flight and acoustic behavior of free flying pairs of foraging p. pipistrellus with an a ... | 2020 | 32238828 |
| genome sequence of an aichivirus detected in a common pipistrelle bat (pipistrellus pipistrellus). | the family picornaviridae includes important human and animal pathogens that are associated with a wide range of diseases and, in some cases, have zoonotic potential. during epidemiological surveillance of bats, we identified, by next-generation sequencing (ngs) techniques, the presence of picornavirus rna in a common pipistrelle bat (pipistrellus pipistrellus). by coupling ngs, primer-walking strategies, and sequence-independent protocols to obtain the sequences of the 5' and 3' termini, we rec ... | 2020 | 32056001 |
| rickettsiae in the common pipistrelle pipistrellus pipistrellus (chiroptera: vespertilionidae) and the bat soft tick argas vespertilionis (ixodida: argasidae). | increasing molecular evidence supports that bats and/or their ectoparasites may harbor vector-borne bacteria, such as bartonellae and borreliae. however, the simultaneous occurrence of rickettsiae in bats and bat ticks has been poorly studied. | 2020 | 31918751 |
| habitat usage of daubenton's bat (myotis daubentonii), common pipistrelle (pipistrellus pipistrellus), and soprano pipistrelle (pipistrellus pygmaeus) in a north wales upland river catchment. | distributions of daubenton's bat (myotis daubentonii), common pipistrelle, (pipistrellus pipistrellus), and soprano pipistrelle (pipistrellus pygmaeus) were investigated along and altitudinal gradient of the lledr river, conwy, north wales, and presence assessed in relation to the water surface condition, presence/absence of bank-side trees, and elevation. ultrasound recordings of bats made on timed transects in summer 1999 were used to quantify habitat usage. all species significantly preferred ... | 2019 | 31031948 |
| bartonella dna in heart tissues of bats in central and eastern europe and a review of phylogenetic relations of bat-associated bartonellae. | bats are among the most widely distributed mammals worldwide and can represent hosts or reservoirs for a number of different pathogens. bartonella spp. are opportunistic bacterial pathogens, which are transmitted by a large variety of arthropods. the aim of this study was to investigate the presence and host-associations of these gram-negative bacteria in heart tissues of bats collected in four different countries from eastern and central europe and to analyze their phylogenetic relationship wit ... | 2018 | 30157912 |
| body size information in large-scale acoustic bat databases. | citizen monitoring programs using acoustic data have been useful for detecting population and community patterns. however, they have rarely been used to study broad scale patterns of species traits. we assessed the potential of acoustic data to detect broad scale patterns in body size. we compared geographical patterns in body size with acoustic signals in the bat species pipistrellus pipistrellus. given the correlation between body size and acoustic characteristics, we expected to see similar r ... | 2018 | 30155347 |
| effects of dimming light-emitting diode street lights on light-opportunistic and light-averse bats in suburban habitats. | emerging lighting technologies provide opportunities for reducing carbon footprints, and for biodiversity conservation. in addition to installing light-emitting diode street lights, many local authorities are also dimming street lights. this might benefit light-averse bat species by creating dark refuges for these bats to forage and commute in human-dominated habitats. we conducted a field experiment to determine how light intensity affects the activity of the light-opportunistic pipistrellus pi ... | 2018 | 30110419 |
| habitat preferences of soprano pipistrelle pipistrellus pygmaeus (leach, 1825) and common pipistrelle pipistrellus pipistrellus (schreber, 1774) in two different woodlands in north east scotland. | alek rachwald, tim bradford, zbigniew borowski, and paul a. racey (2016) the habitat preferences of the soprano pipistrelle pipistrellus pygmaeus and the common pipistrelle pipistrellus pipistrellus living in sympatry, were investigated in north east scotland, using bat detector transects. bat flight, foraging and social activity in natural birch woodland was compared with that in managed non-native coniferous woodland. each area consists of riparian habitat, meadow-forest ecotone and dense fore ... | 2016 | 31966167 |
| characterizing wing tears in common pipistrelles (pipistrellus pipistrellus): investigating tear distribution, wing strength, and possible causes. | bats have large, thin wings that are particularly susceptible to tearing. anatomical specializations, such as fiber reinforcement, strengthen the wing and increase its resistance to puncture, and an extensive vasculature system across the wing also promotes healing. we investigated whether tear positioning is associated with anatomy in common pipistrelles (pipistrellus pipistrellus). wing anatomy was described using histological techniques, imaging, and material testing. tear information, includ ... | 2019 | 31379390 |
| habitat associations of bats in an agricultural landscape: linear features versus open habitats. | 1. bats are important components of agricultural ecosystems. however, little is known about the extent to which bats use linear features when foraging and commuting in agricultural settings, when compared to the interior of fields. 2. as part of a large-scale citizen science project, bat detectors were placed in the centre of agricultural fields (arable and pasture) and along linear features (intensively managed hedgerows, sympathetically managed hedgerows and treelines). 3. our results show tha ... | 2020 | 33053844 |