277 results on '"Brock Fenton"'
Search Results
2. Airborne eDNA documents a diverse and ecologically complex tropical bat and other mammal community
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Nina R. Garrett, Jonathan Watkins, Nancy B. Simmons, Brock Fenton, Alejandro Maeda‐Obregon, Daniel E. Sanchez, Emma M. Froehlich, Faith M. Walker, Joanne E. Littlefair, and Elizabeth L. Clare
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bats ,chiroptera ,environmental DNA ,terrestrial ,tropical biodiversity ,vertebrates ,Environmental sciences ,GE1-350 ,Microbial ecology ,QR100-130 - Abstract
Abstract Environmental (e)DNA has rapidly become a powerful biomonitoring tool, particularly in aquatic ecosystems. This approach has not been as widely adopted in terrestrial communities where the methods of vertebrate eDNA collection have varied from the use of secondary collectors such as blood feeding parasites and spider webs, to washing surfaces of leaves and soil sampling. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of direct collection of eDNA from air sampling, but none have tested how effective airborne eDNA sampling might be in a biodiverse environment. We used three prototype samplers to actively sample a mixed neotropical bat community in a partially controlled environment. We assess whether airborne eDNA can accurately characterize a high diversity community with skewed abundances and to determine if filter design impacts DNA collection and taxonomic recovery. Our study provides evidence for the accuracy of airborne eDNA as a detection tool and highlights its potential for monitoring high density, diverse assemblages such as bat roosts. Analysis of air samples recovered >91% of the species present and some limited relationship between species abundance and read count. Our data suggests this method can accurately depict a diverse mixed‐mammal community, particularly when the location is contained (e.g., a roost, den or burrow) but also highlights the potential for secondary transfer of eDNA material on clothing and equipment. Our results also demonstrate that simple, inexpensive, battery‐operated homemade air samplers can collect an abundance of eDNA from the air, opening the opportunity for sampling in remote environments.
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- 2023
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3. Opening the black box of bird-window collisions: passive video recordings in a residential backyard
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Brendon Samuels, Brock Fenton, Esteban Fernández-Juricic, and Scott A. MacDougall-Shackleton
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Behavior ,Birds ,Bird feeding ,Collisions ,Conservation ,Field study ,Medicine ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
Collisions with windows on buildings are a major source of bird mortality. The current understanding of daytime collisions is limited by a lack of empirical data on how collisions occur in the real world because most data are collected by recording evidence of mortality rather than pre-collision behaviour. Based on published literature suggesting a causal relationship between bird collision risk and the appearance of reflections on glass, the fact that reflections vary in appearance depending on viewing angle, and general principles of object collision kinematics, we hypothesized that the risk and lethality of window collisions may be related to the angle and velocity of birds’ flight. We deployed a home security camera system to passively record interactions between common North American bird species and residential windows in a backyard setting over spring, summer and fall seasons over 2 years. We captured 38 events including 29 collisions and nine near-misses in which birds approached the glass but avoided impact. Only two of the collisions resulted in immediate fatality, while 23 birds flew away immediately following impact. Birds approached the glass at variable flight speeds and from a wide range of angles, suggesting that the dynamic appearance of reflections on glass at different times of day may play a causal role in collision risk. Birds that approached the window at higher velocity were more likely to be immediately killed or stunned. Most collisions were not detected by the building occupants and, given that most birds flew away immediately, carcass surveys would only document a small fraction of window collisions. We discuss the implications of characterizing pre-collision behaviour for designing effective collision prevention methods.
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- 2022
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4. Correction: A vesicular stomatitis virus-based prime-boost vaccination strategy induces potent and protective neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.
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Gyoung Nyoun Kim, Jung-Ah Choi, Kunyu Wu, Nasrin Saeedian, Eunji Yang, Hayan Park, Sun-Je Woo, Gippeum Lim, Seong-Gyu Kim, Su-Kyeong Eo, Hoe Won Jeong, Taewoo Kim, Jae-Hyung Chang, Sang Hwan Seo, Na Hyung Kim, Eunsil Choi, Seungho Choo, Sangkyun Lee, Andrew Winterborn, Yue Li, Kate Parham, Justin M Donovan, Brock Fenton, Jimmy D Dikeakos, Gregory A Dekaban, S M Mansour Haeryfar, Ryan M Troyer, Eric J Arts, Stephen D Barr, Manki Song, and C Yong Kang
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Immunologic diseases. Allergy ,RC581-607 ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010092.].
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- 2022
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5. A vesicular stomatitis virus-based prime-boost vaccination strategy induces potent and protective neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.
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Gyoung Nyoun Kim, Jung-Ah Choi, Kunyu Wu, Nasrin Saeedian, Eunji Yang, Hayan Park, Sun-Je Woo, Gippeum Lim, Seong-Gyu Kim, Su-Kyeong Eo, Hoe Won Jeong, Taewoo Kim, Jae-Hyung Chang, Sang Hwan Seo, Na Hyung Kim, Eunsil Choi, Seungho Choo, Sangkyun Lee, Andrew Winterborn, Yue Li, Kate Parham, Justin M Donovan, Brock Fenton, Jimmy D Dikeakos, Gregory A Dekaban, S M Mansour Haeryfar, Ryan M Troyer, Eric J Arts, Stephen D Barr, Manki Song, and C Yong Kang
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Immunologic diseases. Allergy ,RC581-607 ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
The development of safe and effective vaccines to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections remains an urgent priority worldwide. We have used a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV)-based prime-boost immunization strategy to develop an effective COVID-19 vaccine candidate. We have constructed VSV genomes carrying exogenous genes resulting in the production of avirulent rVSV carrying the full-length spike protein (SF), the S1 subunit, or the receptor-binding domain (RBD) plus envelope (E) protein of SARS-CoV-2. Adding the honeybee melittin signal peptide (msp) to the N-terminus enhanced the protein expression, and adding the VSV G protein transmembrane domain and the cytoplasmic tail (Gtc) enhanced protein incorporation into pseudotype VSV. All rVSVs expressed three different forms of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins, but chimeras with VSV-Gtc demonstrated the highest rVSV-associated expression. In immunized mice, rVSV with chimeric S protein-Gtc derivatives induced the highest level of potent neutralizing antibodies and T cell responses, and rVSV harboring the full-length msp-SF-Gtc proved to be the superior immunogen. More importantly, rVSV-msp-SF-Gtc vaccinated animals were completely protected from a subsequent SARS-CoV-2 challenge. Overall, we have developed an efficient strategy to induce a protective response in SARS-CoV-2 challenged immunized mice. Vaccination with our rVSV-based vector may be an effective solution in the global fight against COVID-19.
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- 2021
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6. Bed bugs: The move to humans as hosts
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Benoit Talbot, Nusha Keyghobadi, and Brock Fenton
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bed bug ,Cimicidae ,evolutionary biology ,parasite–host interactions ,public health ,Education ,Science - Abstract
Cimicid insects, bed bugs and their allies, include about 100 species of blood-feeding ectoparasites. Among them, a few have become widespread and abundant pests of humans. Cimicids vary in their degree of specialization to hosts. Whereas most species specialize on insectivorous birds or bats, the common bed bug can feed on a range of distantly related host species, such as bats, humans, and chickens. We suggest that association with humans and generalism in bed bugs led to fundamentally different living conditions that fostered rapid growth and expansion of their populations. We propose that the evolutionary and ecological success of common bed bugs reflected exploitation of large homeothermic hosts (humans) that sheltered in buildings. This was a departure from congeners whose hosts are much smaller and often heterothermic. We argue that interesting insights into the biology of pest species may be obtained using an integrated view of their ecology and evolution.
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- 2019
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7. Misconceptions and misinformation about bats and viruses
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Sebastien J. Puechmaille, Meriadeg Ar Gouilh, Dina Dechmann, Brock Fenton, Cullen Geiselman, Rodrigo Medellin, Russell Mittermeier, Paul Racey, DeeAnn M. Reeder, Juliane Schaer, Amanda Vicente-Santos, Wes Sechrest, Luis Víquez-R, and Natalie Weber
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Infectious and parasitic diseases ,RC109-216 - Published
- 2021
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8. The benefits of insect-swarm hunting to echolocating bats, and its influence on the evolution of bat echolocation signals.
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Arjan Boonman, Brock Fenton, and Yossi Yovel
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Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
Predation on swarms of prey, especially using visual information, has drawn much interest in studies of collective movement. Surprisingly, in the field of biosonar this aspect of prey detection, which is probably very common, has received little to no attention. Here, we combine computer simulations and actual echo measurements to accurately estimate the echo sound pressure of insect swarms of different size and density. We show that swarm echo sound pressure increases with 3dB for every doubling of insect number, irrespective of swarm density. Thus swarms will be much easier to detect than single insects. Many of the insects bats eat are so small that they are only detectable by echolocation at very short distances. By focusing on detection of swarms of insects, a bat may increase its operating range and diversify its diet. Interestingly, interference between the sound waves reflected from a swarm of insects can sometimes result in echoes that are much weaker than echoes from single insects. We show that bats can reduce this problem by increasing the bandwidth of their echolocation calls. Specifically, a bandwidth of 3-8 kHz would guarantee receiving loud echoes from any angle relative to the swarm. Indeed, many bat species, and specifically bats hunting in open spaces, where swarms are abundant, use echolocation signals with a bandwidth of several kHz. Our results might also explain how the first echolocating bats that probably had limited echolocation abilities, could detect insects through swarm hunting.
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- 2019
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9. Chemical characterisation of potential pheromones from the shoulder gland of the Northern yellow-shouldered-bat, Sturnira parvidens (Phyllostomidae: Stenodermatinae)
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Chris G. Faulkes, J. Stephen Elmore, David A. Baines, Brock Fenton, Nancy B. Simmons, and Elizabeth L. Clare
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Phyllostomidae ,Chiroptera ,Pheromone ,Sturnira ,Shoulder gland ,Medicine ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
Bats of the genus Sturnira (Family Phyllostomidae) are characterised by shoulder glands that are more developed in reproductively mature adult males. The glands produce a waxy secretion that accumulates on the fur around the gland, dyeing the fur a dark colour and giving off a pungent odour. These shoulder glands are thought to play a role in their reproductive behaviour. Using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, we analysed solvent extracts of fur surrounding the shoulder gland in the northern-shouldered bat, Sturnira parvidens to (i) characterise the chemical composition of shoulder gland secretions for the first time, and (ii) look for differences in chemical composition among and between adult males, sub-adult/juvenile males and adult females. Fur solvent extracts were analysed as liquids and also further extracted using headspace solid-phase microextraction to identify volatile components in the odour itself. Odour fingerprint analysis using non-metric multidimensional scaling plots and multivariate analysis revealed clear and significant differences (P < 0.001) between adult males vs both juvenile males and adult females. The chemical components of the shoulder gland secretion included terpenes and phenolics, together with alcohols and esters, most likely derived from the frugivorous diet of the bat. Many of the compounds identified were found exclusively or in elevated quantities among adult (reproductive) males compared with adult females and non-reproductive (juvenile) males. This strongly suggests a specific role in male–female attraction although a function in male–male competition and/or species recognition is also possible.
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- 2019
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10. Host association and selection on salivary protein genes in bed bugs and related blood-feeding ectoparasites
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Benoit Talbot, Ondřej Balvín, Maarten J. Vonhof, Hugh G. Broders, Brock Fenton, and Nusha Keyghobadi
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apyrase ,candidate genes ,coagulation ,nitrophorin ,phylogenetics ,Science - Abstract
Reciprocal selective pressures can drive coevolutionary changes in parasites and hosts, and result in parasites that are highly specialized to their hosts. Selection and host co-adaptation are better understood in endoparasites than in ectoparasites, whose life cycles may be more loosely linked to that of their hosts. Blood-feeding ectoparasites use salivary proteins to prevent haemostasis in the host, and maximize energy intake. Here we looked for signals of selection in salivary protein genes of ectoparasite species from a single genus (Cimex) that associate with a range of hosts including mammals (bats and humans) and birds (swallows). We analysed two genes that code for salivary proteins that inhibit platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction and may directly affect the efficiency of blood feeding in these species. Significant positive selection was detected at five codons in one gene in all bat-associated species groups. Our results suggest association with bats, versus humans or swallows, has posed a selective pressure on the salivary apyrase gene in species of Cimex.
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- 2017
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11. Vision impairs the abilities of bats to avoid colliding with stationary obstacles.
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Dara N Orbach and Brock Fenton
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Medicine ,Science - Abstract
BACKGROUND: Free-flying insectivorous bats occasionally collide with stationary objects they should easily detect by echolocation and avoid. Collisions often occur with lighted objects, suggesting ambient light may deleteriously affect obstacle avoidance capabilities. We tested the hypothesis that free-flying bats may orient by vision when they collide with some obstacles. We additionally tested whether acoustic distractions, such as "distress calls" of other bats, contributed to probabilities of collision. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To investigate the role of visual cues in the collisions of free-flying little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) with stationary objects, we set up obstacles in an area of high bat traffic during swarming. We used combinations of light intensities and visually dissimilar obstacles to verify that bats orient by vision. In early August, bats collided more often in the light than the dark, and probabilities of collision varied with the visibility of obstacles. However, the probabilities of collisions altered in mid to late August, coincident with the start of behavioural, hormonal, and physiological changes occurring during swarming and mating. Distress calls did not distract bats and increase the incidence of collisions. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings indicate that visual cues are more important for free-flying bats than previously recognized, suggesting integration of multi-sensory modalities during orientation. Furthermore, our study highlights differences between responses of captive and wild bats, indicating a need for more field experiments.
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- 2010
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12. Echolocation
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Simard, Peter, Brock Fenton, M., Digweed, Shannon, Section editor, Vonk, Jennifer, editor, and Shackelford, Todd K., editor
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- 2022
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13. Serum Proteomics Identifies Immune Pathways and Candidate Biomarkers of Coronavirus Infection in Wild Vampire Bats
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Daniel J. Becker, Guang-Sheng Lei, Michael G. Janech, Alison M. Bland, M. Brock Fenton, Nancy B. Simmons, Ryan F. Relich, and Benjamin A. Neely
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proteome ,alphacoronavirus ,Desmodus rotundus ,ecoimmunology ,biomarker ,Microbiology ,QR1-502 - Abstract
The apparent ability of bats to harbor many virulent viruses without showing disease is likely driven by distinct immune responses that coevolved with mammalian flight and the exceptional longevity of this order. Yet our understanding of the immune mechanisms of viral tolerance is restricted to a small number of bat–virus relationships and remains poor for coronaviruses (CoVs), despite their relevance to human health. Proteomics holds particular promise for illuminating the immune factors involved in bat responses to infection, because it can accommodate especially low sample volumes (e.g., sera) and thus can be applied to both large and small bat species as well as in longitudinal studies where lethal sampling is necessarily limited. Further, as the serum proteome includes proteins secreted from not only blood cells but also proximal organs, it provides a more general characterization of immune proteins. Here, we expand our recent work on the serum proteome of wild vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) to better understand CoV pathogenesis. Across 19 bats sampled in 2019 in northern Belize with available sera, we detected CoVs in oral or rectal swabs from four individuals (21.1% positivity). Phylogenetic analyses identified all RdRp gene sequences in vampire bats as novel α-CoVs most closely related to known human CoVs. Across 586 identified serum proteins, we found no strong differences in protein composition nor abundance between uninfected and infected bats. However, receiver operating characteristic curve analyses identified seven to 32 candidate biomarkers of CoV infection, including AHSG, C4A, F12, GPI, DSG2, GSTO1, and RNH1. Enrichment analyses using these protein classifiers identified downregulation of complement, regulation of proteolysis, immune effector processes, and humoral immunity in CoV-infected bats alongside upregulation of neutrophil immunity, overall granulocyte activation, myeloid cell responses, and glutathione processes. Such results denote a mostly cellular immune response of vampire bats to CoV infection and identify putative biomarkers that could provide new insights into CoV pathogenesis in wild and experimental populations. More broadly, applying a similar proteomic approach across diverse bat species and to distinct life history stages in target species could improve our understanding of the immune mechanisms by which wild bats tolerate viruses.
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- 2022
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14. Bat cellular immunity varies by year and dietary habit in an increasingly fragmented landscape
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Isabella K. DeAnglis, Benjamin R. Andrews, Lauren R. Lock, Kristin E. Dyer, Dmitriy V. Volokhov, M. Brock Fenton, Nancy B. Simmons, Cynthia J. Downs, and Daniel J. Becker
- Abstract
Monitoring the health of wildlife populations is essential in the face of increased agricultural expansion and forest fragmentation. Loss of habitat and habitat degradation can negatively affect an animal’s physiological state, possibly resulting in immunosuppression and increased morbidity or mortality. We sought to determine how fragmentation may differentially impact cellular immunity and infection risk in Neotropical bats species regularly infected with bloodborne pathogens, and to evaluate how effects may vary over time and by dietary habit. We studied common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus), northern yellow-shouldered bats (Sturnira parvidens), and Mesoamerican mustached bats (Pteronotus mesoamericanus), representing the dietary habits of sanguinivory, frugivory, and insectivory respectively, in northern Belize. We compared estimated total white blood cell counts, leukocyte differentials, and infection status with two blood-borne bacterial pathogens (Bartonellaspp. and hemoplasmas) of 118 bats captured in a broadleaf, secondary forest over a three-year period (2017-2019) of increasing habitat fragmentation. We found evidence for bat species-specific responses of cellular immunity between years, with neutrophil counts increasing inD. rotundus, but decreasing inS. parvidensandP. mesoamericanusfrom 2018 to 2019. However, the odds of infection withBartonellaspp. and hemoplasma spp. between 2017 and 2019 did not differ between bat species, contrary to our prediction that pathogen prevalence may increase with increased fragmentation. We conclude that each bat species invested differently in cellular immunity in ways that changed over years of increasing fragmentation. We recommend further research on the interactions between habitat fragmentation, cellular immunity, and infection across dietary habits of Neotropical bats for informed management and conservation.
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- 2023
15. Bat selfies: photographic surveys of flying bats
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Jens, Rydell, Danilo, Russo, Price, Sewell, Ernest C J, Seamark, Charles M, Francis, Sherri L, Fenton, M Brock, Fenton, Rydell, Jen, Russo, Danilo, Sewell, Price, Seamark, Ernest C J, Francis, Charles M, Fenton, Sherri L, and Fenton, M Brock
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High-speed photography ,Monitoring ,Bat identification ,Species recognition ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Conservation ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
The recent pandemic and other environmental concerns have resulted in restrictions on research and surveys involving capture and handling bats. While acoustic surveys have been widely used as an alternative survey method, in this study, we show how photographic surveys can offer an important contribution to study and survey bats. We outline approaches, using high speed flash and automated trip beams to obtain photos of flying bats of sufficient quality for reliable identification of species. We show, through a series of examples of setups and photographs, that photography is effective for surveying bats at a variety of sites, where bats roost, drink, and forage. We note, however, that photographic surveys cannot replace capture in all situations. In addition, although photographing bats is less invasive than capturing them, it can involve disturbance, so we stress the importance of minimizing the impact of such operations on bats.The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42991-022-00233-7.
- Published
- 2022
16. Knowledge gaps about rabies transmission from vampire bats to humans
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Brock Fenton, M., Streicker, Daniel G., Racey, Paul A., Tuttle, Merlin D., Medellin, Rodrigo A., Daley, Mark J., Recuenco, Sergio, and Bakker, Kevin M.
- Published
- 2020
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17. Bats: Their Biology and Behavior
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M. Brock Fenton
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General Agricultural and Biological Sciences - Published
- 2023
18. Decision letter: Echolocating bats prefer a high risk-high gain foraging strategy to increase prey profitability
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Yuuki Y Watanabe and Brock Fenton
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- 2022
19. Review for 'Timing of organogenesis underscores the evolution of neonatal life histories and powered flight in bats'
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null Brock Fenton
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- 2022
20. Comment on 'Population genetics reveal Myotis keenii (Keen’s myotis) and Myotis evotis (long-eared myotis) to be a single species'
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Bryan C. Carstens, M. Brock Fenton, Nancy B. Simmons, and Ariadna E. Morales
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0106 biological sciences ,0303 health sciences ,biology ,Myotis evotis ,Population genetics ,Zoology ,Myotis keenii ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Long-eared myotis ,03 medical and health sciences ,Single species ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Genetic exchange ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,030304 developmental biology - Abstract
Genetic exchange and hybridization appear common among the western long-eared bats from North America. Multiple sources of evidence indicate that lineages within this group are evolving independently, despite genetic exchange. However, evidence of gene flow raises questions about the species-level status of some lineages. C.L. Lausen et al. (2019. Can. J. Zool. 97(3): 267–279) proposed that Myotis evotis (H. Allen, 1864) (long-eared myotis) and Myotis keenii (Merriam, 1895) (Keen’s myotis) are one species, not two. This conclusion is based on analyses of cytochrome b and microsatellite data suggesting gene flow between these taxa. Microsatellites are not reliable markers for identifying species because homoplasy can be a major confounding factor, which appears to be true in this case. We reanalyzed the dataset of C.L. Lausen et al. (2019) and show that it is not reliable to distinguish between gene flow or homoplasy, and that these data do not support the conclusion that M. evotis and M. keenii represent a single species. Previous morphological and genomic studies indicate that these are separate species despite previous genetic exchange between them. Failing to recognize that gene flow can occur between independently evolving lineages is counterproductive for conservation because it can lead to neglect of important independent lineages, and likewise failing to use proper tools to delimit species is counterproductive to efforts to quantify biodiversity and design conservation strategies.
- Published
- 2021
21. Jens Rydell (1953–2021)
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Paul A. Racey, Gareth Jones, M. Brock Fenton, Johan S. Eklöf, and Danilo Russo
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Geography ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous) ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Published
- 2021
22. Obituary: Thomas Henry Kunz (1938–2020)
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Robert M. Timm, Winifred F. Frick, Hugh H. Genoways, M. Brock Fenton, Polly Campbell, Allen Kurta, and Gary F. McCracken
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Ecology ,Pseudogymnoascus destructans ,Genetics ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Fungal pathogen ,Obituary ,Biology ,White-nose syndrome ,biology.organism_classification ,Virology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Published
- 2020
23. Brazilian cave heritage under siege
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Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira, Enrico Bernard, Francisco William da Cruz Júnior, Luis Beethoven Piló, Allan Calux, Marconi Souza-Silva, Jos Barlow, Paulo S. Pompeu, Pedro Cardoso, Stefano Mammola, Alejandro Martínez García, William R. Jeffery, William Shear, Rodrigo A. Medellín, J. Judson Wynne, Paulo A. V. Borges, Yoshitaka Kamimura, Tanja Pipan, Nadja Zupan Hajna, Alberto Sendra, Stewart Peck, Bogdan P. Onac, David C. Culver, Hannelore Hoch, Jean-François Flot, Fabio Stoch, Martina Pavlek, Matthew L. Niemiller, Shirish Manchi, Louis Deharveng, Danté Fenolio, José-María Calaforra, Jill Yager, Christian Griebler, Fadi Henri Nader, William F. Humphreys, Alice C. Hughes, Brock Fenton, Paolo Forti, Francesco Sauro, George Veni, Amos Frumkin, Efrat Gavish-Regev, Cene Fišer, Peter Trontelj, Maja Zagmajster, Teo Delic, Diana M. P. Galassi, Ilaria Vaccarelli, Marjan Komnenov, Guilherme Gainett, Valeria da Cunha Tavares, Ľubomír Kováč, Ana Z. Miller, Kazunori Yoshizawa, Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Oana T. Moldovan, David Sánchez-Fernández, Soumia Moutaouakil, Francis Howarth, Helena Bilandžija, Tvrtko Dražina, Nikolina Kuharić, Valerija Butorac, Charles Lienhard, Steve J. B. Cooper, David Eme, André Menezes Strauss, Mattia Saccò, Yahui Zhao, Paul Williams, Mingyi Tian, Krizler Tanalgo, Kyung-Sik Woo, Miran Barjakovic, Gary F. McCracken, Nancy B Simmons, Paul A. Racey, Derek Ford, José Ayrton Labegalini, Nivaldo Colzato, Maria João Ramos Pereira, Ludmilla M. S. Aguiar, Ricardo Moratelli, Gerhard Du Preez, Abel Pérez-González, Ana Sofia P. S. Reboleira, John Gunn, Ann Mc Cartney, Paulo E. D. Bobrowiec, Dmitry Milko, Wanja Kinuthia, Erich Fischer, Melissa B. Meierhofer, and Winifred F Frick
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Caves ,Multidisciplinary ,Geodiversity ,Cave ,conservation ,threat ,subterranean species ,Brazil ,biodiversity - Abstract
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
- Published
- 2022
24. Echolocation
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Peter Simard and M. Brock Fenton
- Published
- 2022
25. The Big Picture and Future Directions for Urban Bat Conservation and Research
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Krista J. Patriquin, Lauren Moretto, and M. Brock Fenton
- Published
- 2022
26. Bat bites and rabies: the Canadian scene
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M. Brock Fenton, Paul A. Faure, and Alan Jackson
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0301 basic medicine ,030231 tropical medicine ,Viral infection ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,parasitic diseases ,Medicine ,image ,lcsh:Science ,Lyssavirus ,variants ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,business.industry ,Transmission (medicine) ,transmission ,lyssavirus ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease ,Virology ,030104 developmental biology ,lcsh:Q ,Rabies ,vampires ,lcsh:L ,business ,Asymptomatic carrier ,lcsh:Education - Abstract
Bats are susceptible to rabies. Although bats may appear to be asymptomatic carriers of rabies for a few days, eventually they fall ill to the viral infection and die. Two of at least four bat-specific variants of rabies virus in Canada have killed humans. Rabies is usually transmitted by biting, but bats are small mammals so their bites may go unnoticed. People exposed to rabid animals should receive postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). With 60 known human deaths from 1950 to 2009, rabies is rare in Canada and the United States of America compared with India where it kills over 100 people annually. In Asia and Africa, most human rabies is acquired from dog bites. In Brazil, dog and bat bites together account for >80% of human rabies. In Canada, rabies is a disease primarily confined to wildlife (foxes, racoons, skunks, and bats). The public image of bats is negatively affected by their association with diseases. Too often bats are victimized by allegations of their role in deadly diseases such as rabies, Ebola, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). In general, bats are not dangerous, but humans should seek treatment if they are bitten by one. (Graphical abstract shows a 4-g elegant myotis biting MBF’s finger—photo by Sherri and Brock Fenton.)
- Published
- 2020
27. Body size affects immune cell proportions in birds and non-volant mammals, but not bats
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Lynn B. Martin, Ololade Ogunsina, Nancy B. Simmons, M. Brock Fenton, Samantha J. Oakey, Cynthia J. Downs, Daniel J. Becker, and Emily Cornelius Ruhs
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0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Origin of avian flight ,Physiology ,Zoology ,Aquatic Science ,Biology ,Body size ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Birds ,03 medical and health sciences ,Immune system ,Immunity ,Chiroptera ,Animals ,Body Size ,Life history ,Molecular Biology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Mammals ,030104 developmental biology ,Taxon ,Flight, Animal ,Insect Science ,Vertebrates ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Mammal ,Allometry - Abstract
Powered flight has evolved several times in vertebrates and constrains morphology and physiology in ways that likely have shaped how organisms cope with infections. Some of these constraints probably have impacts on aspects of immunology, such that larger fliers might prioritize risk reduction and safety. Addressing how the evolution of flight may have driven relationships between body size and immunity could be particularly informative for understanding the propensity of some taxa to harbor many virulent and sometimes zoonotic pathogens without showing clinical disease. Here, we used a comparative framework to quantify scaling relationships between body mass and the proportions of two types of white blood cells – lymphocytes and granulocytes (neutrophils/heterophils) – across 63 bat species, 400 bird species and 251 non-volant mammal species. By using phylogenetically informed statistical models on field-collected data from wild Neotropical bats and from captive bats, non-volant mammals and birds, we show that lymphocyte and neutrophil proportions do not vary systematically with body mass among bats. In contrast, larger birds and non-volant mammals have disproportionately higher granulocyte proportions than expected for their body size. Our inability to distinguish bat lymphocyte scaling from birds and bat granulocyte scaling from all other taxa suggests there may be other ecological explanations (i.e. not flight related) for the cell proportion scaling patterns. Future comparative studies of wild bats, birds and non-volant mammals of similar body mass should aim to further differentiate evolutionary effects and other aspects of life history on immune defense and its role in the tolerance of (zoonotic) infections.
- Published
- 2021
28. M. Brock Fenton
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M. Brock Fenton
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General Agricultural and Biological Sciences ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology - Published
- 2022
29. Ear anatomy traces a family tree for bats
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M. Brock Fenton
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Multidisciplinary - Published
- 2022
30. Surveying the Vampire Bat (
- Author
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Benjamin A, Neely, Michael G, Janech, M Brock, Fenton, Nancy B, Simmons, Alison M, Bland, and Daniel J, Becker
- Subjects
Proteome ,Species Specificity ,Chiroptera ,Animals ,Humans ,Models, Biological ,Article - Abstract
Bats are increasingly studied as model systems for longevity and as natural hosts for some virulent viruses. Yet the ability to characterize immune mechanisms of viral tolerance and to quantify infection dynamics in wild bats is often limited by small sample volumes and few species-specific reagents. Here, we demonstrate how proteomics can overcome these limitations by using data-independent acquisition-based shotgun proteomics to survey the serum proteome of 17 vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) from Belize. Using just 2 μL of sample and relatively short separations of undepleted serum digests, we identified 361 proteins across 5 orders of magnitude. Levels of immunological proteins in vampire bat serum were then compared to human plasma via published databases. Of particular interest were antiviral and antibacterial components, circulating 20S proteasome complex and proteins involved in redox activity. Lastly, we used known virus proteomes to putatively identify Rh186 from Macacine herpesvirus 3 and ORF1a from Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus, indicating that mass spectrometry-based techniques show promise for pathogen detection. Overall, these results can be used to design targeted mass-spectrometry assays to quantify immunological markers and detect pathogens. More broadly, our findings also highlight the application of proteomics in advancing wildlife immunology and pathogen surveillance.
- Published
- 2021
31. Community structure of a Neotropical bat fauna as revealed by stable isotope analysis: Not all species fit neatly into predicted guilds
- Author
-
Hugh G. Broders, Nancy B. Simmons, M. Brock Fenton, and Phillip J. Oelbaum
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Ecological niche ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Ecology ,Niche ,Endangered species ,Interspecific competition ,15. Life on land ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Competitive exclusion principle ,Sympatric speciation ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Trophic level ,Isotope analysis - Abstract
Neotropical bat communities are among the most diverse mammal communities in the world, and a better understanding of these assemblages may permit inferences about how so many species coexist. While broad trophic guilds (e.g., frugivore, insectivore) of bats are recognized, details of diet and similarities among species remain largely unknown. We used stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) to characterize the community structure of a diverse Neotropical bat fauna from Belize to test predictions of niche theory and the competitive exclusion principle. We predicted that (1) interspecific variation in isotopic overlap would be greater within guilds than between guilds, and (2) no two sympatric populations would have isotopic niches that overlap completely, unless there is variation along some other axis (e.g., temporal, spatial). We additionally tested body size as an explanatory metric of potential overlap and predicted that larger‐bodied animals would have greater niche breadths. Results suggest that while guild‐level characterizations of communities are at least somewhat informative, there are multiple examples of intra‐ and inter‐guild species pairs with significantly overlapping isotopic niches, suggesting that, counter to predictions, they may compete for resources. Understanding the trophic structure of animal communities is fundamental to conservation and management of endangered species and ecosystems and important for evolutionary studies, and stable isotope analyses can provide key insights as well as informing hypotheses of the diet of species that are not well known. Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.
- Published
- 2019
32. Bed bugs: The move to humans as hosts
- Author
-
Nusha Keyghobadi, Benoit Talbot, and Brock Fenton
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,parasite–host interactions ,animal structures ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Ecology ,fungi ,evolutionary biology ,public health ,Cimicidae ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,03 medical and health sciences ,030104 developmental biology ,Bed bug ,bed bug ,lcsh:Q ,Parasite-Host Interactions ,lcsh:L ,lcsh:Science ,lcsh:Education - Abstract
Cimicid insects, bed bugs and their allies, include about 100 species of blood-feeding ectoparasites. Among them, a few have become widespread and abundant pests of humans. Cimicids vary in their degree of specialization to hosts. Whereas most species specialize on insectivorous birds or bats, the common bed bug can feed on a range of distantly related host species, such as bats, humans, and chickens. We suggest that association with humans and generalism in bed bugs led to fundamentally different living conditions that fostered rapid growth and expansion of their populations. We propose that the evolutionary and ecological success of common bed bugs reflected exploitation of large homeothermic hosts (humans) that sheltered in buildings. This was a departure from congeners whose hosts are much smaller and often heterothermic. We argue that interesting insights into the biology of pest species may be obtained using an integrated view of their ecology and evolution.
- Published
- 2019
33. Approaches to integrating genetic data into ecological networks
- Author
-
Elizabeth L. Clare, Amanda M. Adams, Steven G. Newmaster, Rebecca Girton, Juliet Nagel, Aron J. Fazekas, Paul D. N. Hebert, Natalia Ivanova, Robin Floyd, and M. Brock Fenton
- Subjects
Costa Rica ,0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Food Chain ,Insecta ,Computational biology ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,DNA barcoding ,Data type ,DNA sequencing ,03 medical and health sciences ,symbols.namesake ,Genetics ,Animals ,DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ,Symbiosis ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Trophic level ,Sanger sequencing ,Ecology ,Plants ,Ecological network ,030104 developmental biology ,DNA profiling ,symbols ,Network analysis - Abstract
As molecular tools for assessing trophic interactions become common, research is increasingly focused on the construction of interaction networks. Here, we demonstrate three key methods for incorporating DNA data into network ecology and discuss analytical considerations using a model consisting of plants, insects, bats and their parasites from the Costa Rica dry forest. The simplest method involves the use of Sanger sequencing to acquire long sequences to validate or refine field identifications, for example of bats and their parasites, where one specimen yields one sequence and one identification. This method can be fully quantified and resolved and these data resemble traditional ecological networks. For more complex taxonomic identifications, we target multiple DNA loci, for example from a seed or fruit pulp sample in faeces. These networks are also well resolved but gene targets vary in resolution and quantification is difficult. Finally, for mixed templates such as faecal contents of insectivorous bats, we use DNA metabarcoding targeting two sequence lengths (157 and 407 bp) of one gene region and a MOTU, BLAST and BIN association approach to resolve nodes. This network type is complex to generate and analyse, and we discuss the implications of this type of resolution on network analysis. Using these data, we construct the first molecular-based network of networks containing 3,304 interactions between 762 nodes of eight trophic functions and involving parasitic, mutualistic and predatory interactions. We provide a comparison of the relative strengths and weaknesses of these data types in network ecology.
- Published
- 2018
34. Disentangling interactions among mercury, immunity and infection in a Neotropical bat community
- Author
-
Hugh G. Broders, Dmitriy V. Volokhov, Matthew M. Chumchal, M. Brock Fenton, Catherene L. Baijnauth, Kelly A. Speer, Raina K. Plowright, Thomas R. Rainwater, Hannah F. Droke, Jennifer M. Korstian, Alexis Brown, Daniel J. Becker, Nancy B. Simmons, and Ticha Padgett-Stewart
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Bartonella ,Cellular immunity ,Ecology ,biology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Ecoimmunology ,Wildlife ,Zoology ,chemistry.chemical_element ,Stenodermatinae ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Article ,Mercury (element) ,Habitat ,chemistry ,Immunity ,Pteronotus - Abstract
Contaminants such as mercury are pervasive and can have immunosuppressive effects on wildlife. Impaired immunity could be important for forecasting pathogen spillover risks, as many land-use changes that generate mercury contamination also bring wildlife into close contact with humans and domestic animals. However, the interactions among contaminants, immunity, and infection are difficult to study in natural systems, and empirical tests of possible directional relationships remain rare.We capitalized on extreme mercury variation in a diverse bat community in Belize to test association among contaminants, immunity, and infection. By comparing a previous dataset of bats sampled in 2014 with new data from 2017, representing a period of rapid agricultural land conversion, we first confirmed bat species more reliant on aquatic prey had higher fur mercury. Bats in the agricultural habitat also had higher mercury in recent years. We then tested covariation between mercury and cellular immunity and determined if such relationships mediated associations between mercury and common bacterial pathogens. As bat ecology can dictate exposure to mercury and pathogens, we also assessed species-specific patterns in mercury–infection relationships.Across the bat community, individuals with higher mercury had fewer neutrophils but not lymphocytes, suggesting stronger associations with innate immunity. However, the odds of infection for hemoplasmas and Bartonella spp. were generally lowest in bats with high mercury, and relationships between mercury and immunity did not mediate infection patterns. Mercury also showed species- and clade-specific relationships with infection, being associated with especially low odds for hemoplasmas in Pteronotus mesoamericanus and Dermanura phaeotis. For Bartonella spp., mercury was associated with particularly low odds in the genus Pteronotus but high odds in the Stenodermatinae.Synthesis and application: Lower general infection risk in bats with high mercury despite weaker innate defense suggests contaminant-driven loss of pathogen habitat (i.e., anemia) or vector mortality as possible causes. Greater attention to these potential pathways could help disentangle relationships among contaminants, immunity, and infection in anthropogenic habitats and help forecast disease risks. Our results also suggest contaminants may increase infection risk in some taxa but not others, emphasizing the importance of considering surveillance and management at different phylogenetic scales.
- Published
- 2020
35. Surveying the vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) serum proteome: a resource for identifying immunological proteins and detecting pathogens
- Author
-
Nancy B. Simmons, Alison M. Bland, Daniel J. Becker, Michael G. Janech, Benjamin A. Neely, and M. Brock Fenton
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,030102 biochemistry & molecular biology ,biology ,Virulence ,General Chemistry ,Computational biology ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease_cause ,Proteomics ,Biochemistry ,03 medical and health sciences ,030104 developmental biology ,Vampire bat ,Proteome ,Desmodus rotundus ,medicine ,Shotgun proteomics ,Pathogen ,Coronavirus - Abstract
Bats are increasingly studied as model systems for longevity and as natural hosts for some virulent viruses. Yet our ability to characterize immune mechanisms of viral tolerance and to quantify infection dynamics in wild bats is often limited by small sample volumes and few species-specific reagents. Here, we demonstrate how proteomics can overcome these limitations by using data-independent acquisition-based shotgun proteomics to survey the serum proteome of 17 vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) from Belize. Using just 2 μL of sample and relatively short separations of undepleted serum digests, we identified 361 proteins across five orders of magnitude. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD022885. Levels of immunological proteins in vampire bat serum were then compared to human plasma via published databases. Of particular interest were anti-viral and anti-bacterial components, circulating 20S proteasome complex, and proteins involved in redox activity; whether any results are specific to vampire bats could be assessed by future pan-mammalian analyses. Lastly, we used known virus proteomes to identify Rh186 from Macacine herpesvirus 3 and ORF1a from Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus, indicating that mass spectrometry-based techniques show promise for pathogen detection. Overall, these results can be used to design targeted mass-spectrometry assays to quantify immunological markers and detect pathogens. More broadly, our findings also highlight the application of proteomics in advancing wildlife immunology and pathogen surveillance.
- Published
- 2020
36. A Miscellany of Bats
- Author
-
M. Brock Fenton, Jens Rydell, M. Brock Fenton, and Jens Rydell
- Subjects
- Bats--Miscellanea
- Abstract
Bats have long been the focus of fascination, and sometimes fear: they move faultlessly through the darkness and spend the day hanging upside down in gloomy caverns and cracks – most at home where humans are least comfortable. Bats also represent a hugely important, numerous and varied group, accounting for 20% of all mammal species worldwide. Covering their biodiversity, ecology and natural history, A Miscellany of Bats offers a hoard of insights into the lives of these creatures. For over a quarter of a century Brock Fenton and the late Jens Rydell collaborated on projects involving bats. Here they bring together a collection of stories and anecdotes about bat research, brought to life by stunning photographs of these animals in action. Key topics include flight and echolocation, diet and roosting habits, and the complex social lives of bats. Jens and Brock also address issues of conservation and the interactions between bats and people, ranging from matters of disease to bats'role as symbols, and our fixation with vampire bats. They explore how echolocation and flight shape batkind, from their appearance to where they go and why. Overall, this book is an entertaining and personal vision of bats'central place in the universe. More than 150 species are covered.
- Published
- 2023
37. A Natural History of Bat Foraging : Evolution, Physiology, Ecology, Behavior, and Conservation
- Author
-
Danilo Russo, Brock Fenton, Danilo Russo, and Brock Fenton
- Abstract
A Natural History of Bat Foraging: Evolution, Physiology, Ecology, Behavior, and Conservation offers an all-inclusive resource on all aspects encompassing the vital process of foraging for bats. The book explores knowledge in the field, including sensory ecology, the development of cognitive maps, bat microbiomes, and molecular approaches to studying a bat's diet. It covers the importance of foraging in biology, from evolution and natural selection, to physiology, behavior, ecology, and natural history. In addition, it provides a unique focus on the implications of bat foraging for conservation purposes, including the role that molecular biology can play in preventing species depletion or extinction. With over 1,400 species, bats are among the most diverse vertebrate groups, having evolved an astonishingly broad range of foraging strategies to adapt to nearly all global regions and environments. The book assesses manmade and environmental issues that bats must overcome to ensure survival and prevent extinction. Written by international leaders in bat research, this is the ideal resource for bat specialists and conservationists, as well as zoologists, animal behaviorists, and academics associated with such disciplines. Offers multiple expert perspectives on bat foraging behavior, a key element that influences ecosystem dynamics and modern animal ecology Formatted in an easy-to-read structure throughout all chapters Addresses the conservation and protection status for bat foraging for current and future practical applications
- Published
- 2023
38. Misconceptions and misinformation about bats and viruses
- Author
-
Brock Fenton, Natalie Weber, Rodrigo A. Medellín, Amanda Vicente-Santos, Luis R. Víquez-R, Meriadeg Ar Gouilh, Russell Mittermeier, Wes Sechrest, DeeAnn M. Reeder, Cullen Geiselman, Sébastien J. Puechmaille, Dina K. N. Dechmann, Paul A. Racey, and Juliane Schaer
- Subjects
Microbiology (medical) ,2019-20 coronavirus outbreak ,Infectious Diseases ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,General Medicine ,Misinformation ,Infectious and parasitic diseases ,RC109-216 ,Biology ,Virology - Published
- 2021
39. COVID-19 and threats to bats
- Author
-
Nancy B. Simmons, Samira Mubareka, Susan M. Tsang, Daniel J. Becker, and M. Brock Fenton
- Subjects
Multidisciplinary ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,covid-19 ,bats ,lcsh:Q ,Biology ,lcsh:L ,lcsh:Science ,lcsh:Education - Abstract
Bats are very diverse, including over 1400 species (Simmons and Cirranello 2020), meaning that one in every five living mammal species is a bat. These remarkable animals include species living on every continent except Antarctica. Many of them perform essential ecosystem services including consuming large quantities of insects, dispersing seeds, and pollinating flowers of numerous tropical and subtropical plants including many of economic importance (e.g., durian in southeast Asia, agaves used to make tequila in North America; Kunz et al. 2011). Lamentably, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List (2020) identifies 77 species of bats as Endangered. Most bats are small mammals with low rates of reproduction (typically one or two young per year) and exceptionally long lifespans, with some individuals living over 40 years in the wild (Munshi-South and Wilkinson 2010).
- Published
- 2020
40. Knowledge gaps about rabies transmission from vampire bats to humans
- Author
-
Daniel G. Streicker, M. Brock Fenton, Mark Daley, Merlin D. Tuttle, Paul A. Racey, Sergio Recuenco, Kevin M. Bakker, and Rodrigo A. Medellín
- Subjects
Vaccines ,Geography ,Ecology ,Rabies ,Chiroptera ,Vampire ,Animals ,Humans ,Rabies transmission ,Virology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Article ,Biomarkers - Abstract
Vaccines that autonomously transfer among individuals have been proposed as a strategy to control infectious diseases within inaccessible wildlife populations. However, rates of vaccine spread and epidemiological efficacy in real-world systems remain elusive. Here, we investigate whether topical vaccines that transfer among individuals through social contacts can control vampire bat rabies-a medically and economically important zoonosis in Latin America. Field experiments in three Peruvian bat colonies, which used fluorescent biomarkers as a proxy for the bat-to-bat transfer and ingestion of an oral vaccine, revealed that vaccine transfer would increase population-level immunity up to 2.6 times beyond the same effort using conventional, non-spreadable vaccines. Mathematical models showed that observed levels of vaccine transfer would reduce the probability, size and duration of rabies outbreaks, even at low but realistically achievable levels of vaccine application. Models further predicted that existing vaccines provide substantial advantages over culling bats-the policy currently implemented in North, Central and South America. Linking field studies with biomarkers to mathematical models can inform how spreadable vaccines may combat pathogens of health and conservation concern before costly investments in vaccine design and testing.
- Published
- 2020
41. Ecological and evolutionary drivers of hemoplasma infection and bacterial genotype sharing in a Neotropical bat community
- Author
-
Sonia Altizer, Raina K. Plowright, Kelly A. Speer, M. Brock Fenton, Alex D. Washburne, Nancy B. Simmons, Alexis Brown, Daniel J. Becker, Dmitriy V. Volokhov, Daniel G. Streicker, and Vladimir E. Chizhikov
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0303 health sciences ,Genetic diversity ,Phylogenetic tree ,Transmission (medicine) ,Ecology ,Host (biology) ,Infection prevalence ,Mycoplasma ,Biology ,medicine.disease_cause ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,03 medical and health sciences ,Genotype ,medicine ,Pathogen ,030304 developmental biology - Abstract
Most emerging pathogens can infect multiple species, underscoring the importance of understanding the ecological and evolutionary factors that allow some hosts to harbor greater infection prevalence and share pathogens with other species. Investigating such factors can inform surveillance efforts and help forecast disease emergence. However, our understanding of pathogen jumps is primarily based around viruses, despite bacteria accounting for the greatest proportion of zoonoses. Because bacterial pathogens in bats (Order: Chiroptera) can have conservation and human health consequences, studies that examine the ecological and evolutionary drivers of bacterial prevalence and barriers to pathogen sharing are crucially needed. We here studied hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. (i.e., hemoplasmas) across a species-rich bat community in Belize over two years. Across 469 bats spanning 33 species, half of individuals and two-thirds of species were hemoplasma positive. Infection prevalence was higher for males, heavier species, and those with larger colony sizes. Hemoplasmas displayed high genetic diversity (21 novel genotypes) and strong host specificity. Evolutionary patterns supported co-divergence of bats and bacterial genotypes alongside phylogenetically constrained host shifts. Bat species centrality to the network of shared hemoplasma genotypes was phylogenetically clustered and unrelated to prevalence, further suggesting rare—but detectable—bacterial sharing between species. Our study highlights the importance of using fine phylogenetic scales when assessing host specificity and suggests phylogenetic similarity may play a key role in host shifts for not only viruses but also bacteria. Such work more broadly contributes to increasing efforts to understand cross-species transmission and epidemiological consequences of bacterial pathogens.
- Published
- 2019
42. The benefits of insect-swarm hunting to echolocating bats, and its influence on the evolution of bat echolocation signals
- Author
-
Brock Fenton, Yossi Yovel, and Arjan Boonman
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Insecta ,Physiology ,Echoes ,Bat echolocation ,Social Sciences ,Predation ,Insect ,0302 clinical medicine ,Chiroptera ,Bats ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Psychology ,Biology (General) ,Sound pressure ,Animal Flight ,media_common ,Mammals ,Animal Behavior ,Ecology ,Physics ,Swarm behaviour ,Eukaryota ,Trophic Interactions ,Insects ,Computational Theory and Mathematics ,Community Ecology ,Modeling and Simulation ,Physical Sciences ,Vertebrates ,Engineering and Technology ,Sound Pressure ,Research Article ,Food Chain ,Arthropoda ,QH301-705.5 ,Bioacoustics ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Acoustics ,Prey detection ,Finite Element Analysis ,Human echolocation ,Biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience ,Imaging, Three-Dimensional ,Genetics ,Animals ,Computer Simulation ,Molecular Biology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Population Density ,Behavior ,Stochastic Processes ,Biological Locomotion ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Computational Biology ,Signal Bandwidth ,Invertebrates ,030104 developmental biology ,Echolocation ,Flight, Animal ,Predatory Behavior ,Amniotes ,Signal Processing ,Insect Flight ,Zoology ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
Predation on swarms of prey, especially using visual information, has drawn much interest in studies of collective movement. Surprisingly, in the field of biosonar this aspect of prey detection, which is probably very common, has received little to no attention. Here, we combine computer simulations and actual echo measurements to accurately estimate the echo sound pressure of insect swarms of different size and density. We show that swarm echo sound pressure increases with 3dB for every doubling of insect number, irrespective of swarm density. Thus swarms will be much easier to detect than single insects. Many of the insects bats eat are so small that they are only detectable by echolocation at very short distances. By focusing on detection of swarms of insects, a bat may increase its operating range and diversify its diet. Interestingly, interference between the sound waves reflected from a swarm of insects can sometimes result in echoes that are much weaker than echoes from single insects. We show that bats can reduce this problem by increasing the bandwidth of their echolocation calls. Specifically, a bandwidth of 3–8 kHz would guarantee receiving loud echoes from any angle relative to the swarm. Indeed, many bat species, and specifically bats hunting in open spaces, where swarms are abundant, use echolocation signals with a bandwidth of several kHz. Our results might also explain how the first echolocating bats that probably had limited echolocation abilities, could detect insects through swarm hunting., Author summary When bats hunt, they often encounter insects that fly in swarms. Echolocating bats emit sonar signals to search for prey and it is currently unknown what such swarms look like to a bat. Unlike vision, sonar senses the delay or distance to objects directly. We show that when bats hunt for insects in the sky, the echoes from the insects in a swarm will most of the time sum up and therefore become much louder than the echo of a single insect. Every time an insect swarm would double in number, a bat would hear an echo that is 3dB stronger. This could enable a bat to detect prey from longer distances and some bats might thus profit from swarm hunting. However, the echoes reflected from the many insects in the swarm also create acoustic interference so that sometimes the summed echo is actually weak at a certain frequency. We show how bats could deal with this drawback. It is known that most bats do not use sonar signals with a single tone but that they modulate their tones. Our analysis shows that this modulation can solve the problem of spectral interference ensuring that the swarm-echo is always loud.
- Published
- 2019
43. Host association influences variation at salivary protein genes in the bat ectoparasiteCimex adjunctus
- Author
-
Brock Fenton, Benoit Talbot, Nusha Keyghobadi, Hugh G. Broders, and Maarten J. Vonhof
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Bedbugs ,Candidate gene ,Genotype ,Zoology ,Biology ,Generalist and specialist species ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Host-Parasite Interactions ,Gene flow ,03 medical and health sciences ,Genetic drift ,Molecular evolution ,Chiroptera ,Animals ,Salivary Proteins and Peptides ,Selection, Genetic ,Allele ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Genetic diversity ,Host (biology) ,Genetic Variation ,030104 developmental biology ,North America - Abstract
Parasite-host relationships create strong selection pressures that can lead to adaptation and increasing specialization of parasites to their hosts. Even in relatively loose host-parasite relationships, such as between generalist ectoparasites and their hosts, we may observe some degree of specialization of parasite populations to one of the multiple potential hosts. Salivary proteins are used by blood-feeding ectoparasites to prevent hemostasis in the host and maximize energy intake. We investigated the influence of association with specific host species on allele frequencies of salivary protein genes in Cimex adjunctus, a generalist blood-feeding ectoparasite of bats in North America. We analysed two salivary protein genes: an apyrase, which hydrolyses ATP at the feeding site and thus inhibits platelet aggregation, and a nitrophorin, which brings nitrous oxide to the feeding site, inhibiting platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction. We observed more variation at both salivary protein genes among parasite populations associated with different host species than among populations from different spatial locations associated with the same host species. The variation in salivary protein genes among populations on different host species was also greater than expected under a neutral scenario of genetic drift and gene flow. Finally, host species was an important predictor of allelic divergence in genotypes of individual C. adjunctus at both salivary protein genes. Our results suggest differing selection pressures on these two salivary protein genes in C. adjunctus depending on the host species.
- Published
- 2018
44. Population structure in two geographically sympatric and congeneric ectoparasites (Cimex adjunctusandCimex lectularius) in the North American Great Lakes region
- Author
-
Benoit Talbot, Nusha Keyghobadi, M. Brock Fenton, Hugh G. Broders, and Maarten J. Vonhof
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,education.field_of_study ,Ecology ,Population ,Population structure ,Genetic data ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Cimex adjunctus ,03 medical and health sciences ,030104 developmental biology ,Sympatric speciation ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Cimex lectularius ,education ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
Subdivided populations can be described by different models of population structure that reflect population organization, dynamics, and connectivity. We used genetic data to investigate population structure in two geographically sympatric, congeneric species of generalist ectoparasites of warm-blooded animals. We characterized the spatial genetic structure of the eastern bat bug (Cimex adjunctus Barber, 1939), an understudied and fairly abundant species, using microsatellite markers at a spatial scale representing contemporary dispersal of the species. We found seven genetic clusters, global [Formula: see text] of 0.2, 33% of genetic variation among sites, and nonsignificant isolation-by-distance. We compared these results with the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius L., 1758), a closely related but conversely well-known species, in the same geographic area. We found stronger genetic structuring in C. lectularius than in C. adjunctus, with 11 genetic clusters, [Formula: see text] of 0.7, 57% of genetic variation among sites, and significant but weak isolation-by-distance (R2= 0.09). These results suggest that while both species can be described as having classic metapopulation structure, C. adjunctus leans more towards a patchy population and C. lectularius leans more towards a nonequilibrium metapopulation. The difference in population structure between these species may be attributable to differences in movement potential and extinction–colonization dynamics.
- Published
- 2017
45. Urban Bats : Biology, Ecology, and Human Dimensions
- Author
-
Lauren Moretto, Joanna L. Coleman, Christina M. Davy, M. Brock Fenton, Carmi Korine, Krista J Patriquin, Lauren Moretto, Joanna L. Coleman, Christina M. Davy, M. Brock Fenton, Carmi Korine, and Krista J Patriquin
- Subjects
- Urban animals, Bats
- Abstract
The Anthropocene is the “age of human influence”, an epoch well known for its urban impact. More than half of all people already live in cities, and this proportion is expected to rise to almost 70 percent by 2050. Like other species in urban areas, bats must contend with the pressures of profound and irreversible land cover change and overcome certain unique challenges, such as the high density of roads, lights, glass, and free-ranging domestic animals. Research on urban bats in recent decades indicates that when it comes to urban life, some bats are synanthropes. In other words, although most species of bats are negatively impacted by urbanisation, many appear to not only succeed, but also thrive in cities and towns. This observation has inspired interesting questions about bats in relation to urbanisation. Which traits and behaviours equip bats for urban success? What features of urban areas increase the likelihood that bats will successfully persist there or even colonize newareas? And how does the success of urban bats affect co-habiting humans?Our book explores the interactions between bats and urban environments through case studies and reviews. Understanding how different species interact with urban environments can reveal potential opportunities to mitigate urban threats to bats and threats posed by bats to other urban organisms, including humans. With this book, we thus aspire to provide a knowledge base to help guide current and future efforts to conserve bats.
- Published
- 2022
46. 50 Years of Bat Research : Foundations and New Frontiers
- Author
-
Burton K. Lim, M. Brock Fenton, R. Mark Brigham, Shahroukh Mistry, Allen Kurta, Erin H. Gillam, Amy Russell, Jorge Ortega, Burton K. Lim, M. Brock Fenton, R. Mark Brigham, Shahroukh Mistry, Allen Kurta, Erin H. Gillam, Amy Russell, and Jorge Ortega
- Subjects
- Ecology, Conservation biology, Physiology, Animal genetics, Bats--Research, Bats, Zoology, Biodiversity, Animal ecology
- Abstract
With more than 1,400 species, bats are an incredibly diverse and successful group of mammals that can serve as model systems for many unique evolutionary adaptations. Flight has allowed them to master the sky, while echolocation enables them to navigate in the dark. Being small, secretive, nocturnal creatures has made bats a challenge to study, but over the past 50 years, innovative research has made it possible to dispel some of the mystery and myth surrounding them to give us a better understanding of the role these animals play in the ecosystem. The structure of the book is based on several broad themes across the biological sciences, including the evolution of bats, their ecology and behavior, and conservation of biodiversity. Within these themes are more specific topics on important aspects of bat research, such as morphology, molecular biology, echolocation, taxonomy, systematics, threats to bats, social structure, reproduction, movements, and feeding strategies. Given its scope, the book will appeal to the wider scientific community, environmental organizations, and government policymakers who are interested in the interdisciplinary aspects of biology and nature.
- Published
- 2021
47. Thomas H. Kunz (1938–2020)
- Author
-
M. Brock Fenton and Sharon M. Swartz
- Subjects
Ecology ,Philosophy ,MEDLINE ,Theology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Published
- 2020
48. The benefits of insect-swarm hunting in echolocating bats, and its influence on the evolution of bat echolocation signals
- Author
-
Arjan Boonman, Yossi Yovel, and Brock Fenton
- Subjects
Acoustics ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Bat echolocation ,Prey detection ,Swarm behaviour ,Human echolocation ,Insect ,Biology ,Sound wave ,Predation ,Echo intensity ,media_common - Abstract
Predation on swarms of prey, especially using visual information, has drawn much interest in studies of collective movement. Surprisingly, in the field of biosonar this aspect of prey detection, which is probably very common, has received little to no attention. Here, we combine computer simulations and actual echo measurements to accurately estimate the echo intensity of insect swarms of different size and density. We show that swarm echo intensity increases with 3dB for every doubling of insect number, irrespective of swarm density. Thus swarms will be much easier to detect than single insects. Many of the insects bats eat are so small that they are only detectable by echolocation at very short distances. By focusing on detection of swarms of insects, a bat may increase its operating range and diversify its diet. Interestingly, interference between the sound waves reflected from a swarm of insects can sometimes result in echoes that are much much weaker than echoes from single insects. We show that bats can reduce this problem by increasing the bandwidth of their echolocation calls. Specifically, a bandwidth of 3-8 kHz would guarantee receiving loud echoes from any angle relative to the swarm. Indeed, many bat species, and specifically bats hunting in open spaces, where swarms are abundant, use echolocation signals with a bandwidth of several kHz. Our results might also explain how the first echolocating bats that probably had limited echolocation abilities, could detect insects through swarm hunting.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Molecular diet analysis finds an insectivorous desert bat community dominated by resource sharing despite diverse echolocation and foraging strategies
- Author
-
John M. Ratcliffe, Joanne E. Littlefair, Rowena Gordon, Loren K. Ammerman, Elizabeth L. Clare, M. Brock Fenton, and Sally Ivens
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Niche ,Foraging ,Human echolocation ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,03 medical and health sciences ,lcsh:QH540-549.5 ,bat foraging ecology ,dietary analysis ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,030304 developmental biology ,Nature and Landscape Conservation ,Original Research ,0303 health sciences ,Ecology ,Insectivore ,Gleaning ,15. Life on land ,Hawking ,Sympatric speciation ,metabarcoding ,Species richness ,lcsh:Ecology ,community ecology - Abstract
Interspecific differences in traits can alter the relative niche use of species within the same environment. Bats provide an excellent model to study niche use because they use a wide variety of behavioral, acoustic, and morphological traits that may lead to multi‐species, functional groups. Predatory bats have been classified by their foraging location (edge, clutter, open space), ability to use aerial hawking or substrate gleaning and echolocation call design and flexibility, all of which may dictate their prey use. For example, high frequency, broadband calls do not travel far but offer high object resolution while high intensity, low frequency calls travel further but provide lower resolution. Because these behaviors can be flexible, four behavioral categories have been proposed: (a) gleaning, (b) behaviorally flexible (gleaning and hawking), (c) clutter‐tolerant hawking, and (d) open space hawking. Many recent studies of diet in bats use molecular tools to identify prey but mainly focus on one or two species in isolation; few studies provide evidence for substantial differences in prey use despite the many behavioral, acoustic, and morphological differences. Here, we analyze the diet of 17 sympatric species in the Chihuahuan desert and test the hypothesis that peak echolocation frequency and behavioral categories are linked to differences in diet. We find no significant correlation between dietary richness and echolocation peak frequency though it spanned close to 100 kHz across species. Our data, however, suggest that bats which use both gleaning and hawking strategies have the broadest diets and are most differentiated from clutter‐tolerant aerial hawking species.
- Published
- 2018
50. Echolocation
- Author
-
Peter Simard and M. Brock Fenton
- Published
- 2018
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