Author: Brandon Lee PerryPublisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
Natural History and Microhabitat Characteristics of a Colony of Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus Fuscus) in a Hydroelectric Dam
Author: Brandon Lee PerryObservations on Summer Colonies of the Big Brown Bat, Eptesicus Fuscus, in Southwestern Ohio
Author: Michael Scott KranbuhlPublisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bats
Languages : en
Pages : 90
Book Description
Big Brown Bat
Author: Intraspecific Variation in Metabolism and Thermoregulation in Eptesicus Fuscus (the Big Brown Bat)
Author: Christopher Seth RichardsonPublisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 530
Book Description
Abstract: I examined regulatory nonshivering thermogenesis (NST), basal metabolic rate (BMR), and plasma levels of thyroid hormone (T3), leptin and cortisol in the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, at seven maternity colonies in Massachusetts (MA) (northern population) and two maternity colonies in Alabama (AL)/Georgia (GA) (southern population) in 1997 and 1998 to test the hypothesis that these traits vary geographically. After accounting for effects of body mass and stage of pregnancy and within-population variation, I found that bats from the northern population did not differ significantly from those in the southern population for NST, BMR, T3, leptin and cortisol. For all traits, except for cortisol, the test for differences among all colonies from both populations was significant. For NST, colonies did not differ significantly within MA, whereas bats from the AL colony tended to have greater NST than all other colonies of bats examined. For BMR, colonies differed significantly within MA, whereas bats from the AL colony had significantly greater BMR than those from the GA colony. Moreover, the AL colony tended to have greater BMR than all other colonies of bats examined. For T3, leptin and cortisol, colonies did not differ significantly within MA, whereas bats from the AL colony had significantly greater T3, lower leptin and lower cortisol than those in the GA colony. Additionally, bats from the AL colony tended to have greater T3, lower leptin and lower cortisol than all other colonies. Thus, for NST, BMR, T3, leptin and cortisol, most or all of the variation among colonies cannot be explained by differences between populations (i.e., macro-geographic variation). Clearly, the absence of any predicted population differences along a clinal (adaptive) direction rules out evolutionary adaptations of bats to different thermal environments as the primary reason for differences among colonies for NST, BMR and their hormone correlates. However, the clear presence of among-colony, and within-population variation (i.e., micro-geographic) for these traits, suggests that environmental factors (acting recently) may play an important role in shaping the observed intra-specific variation in NST and BMR. Additionally, inter-individual variation and seasonal and sex differences were found for NST, BMR and the hormones.
Humidity, Huddling & the Hibernation Energetics of Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus Fuscus).
Author: Kristina A. MuisePublisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
During winter, many mammals hibernate and lower their body temperature and metabolic rate (MR) in prolonged periods of torpor. Hibernators will use energetically expensive arousals (i.e., restore body temperature and MR) presumably to re-establish water balance. Some hibernating mammals however will huddle in groups, possibly to decrease energetic costs and total evaporative water loss (EWL), although the benefit is not fully understood. Research on the relationship between behaviour, physiology, water loss, and energy expenditure of bats during hibernation is especially important because of a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome (WNS). To date, 12 North American bat species are affected by WNS, however big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) appear resistant, although the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. The overall objective of my thesis was to understand the influence of humidity and huddling on the behavioural and physiological responses of hibernating big brown bats. To test my hypotheses, I used a captive colony of hibernating big brown bats (n = 20). Specifically, for Chapter 2, I first tested the hypothesis that big brown bats adjust huddling and drinking behaviour depending on humidity, to maintain a consistent pattern of periodic arousals, and therefore energy balance during hibernation. I found that bats hibernating in a dry environment did not differ in arousal/torpor bout frequency, or torpor bout duration throughout hibernation but drank at twice the rate as bats in a humid environment. Bats in the dry treatment also had shorter arousals, and huddled in a denser huddle, potentially to reduce rates of total EWL. During late hibernation, for Chapter 3, I used open-flow respirometry to test two additional hypotheses, first that phenotypic flexibility in total EWL helps explain the tolerance of hibernating big brown bats for a wide range of humidity relative to other bat species. I found that dry-acclimated bats had lower rates of total EWL, compared to bats acclimated to humid conditions. I then tested the second hypothesis that big brown bats can use huddling to mitigate the challenge of dry conditions. I found that, for humid-acclimated bats, rates of total EWL were reduced with huddling bats but there was no effect of huddling on EWL for bats acclimated to dry conditions. These results suggest that the ability of big brown bats to reduce rates of total EWL through acclimation may reduce the need to huddle with conspecifics to avoid water loss and thus dehydration. Overall, my thesis suggests that big brown bats use both behavioural and physiological mechanisms to reduce water loss which could allow them to exploit habitats for hibernation that are unavailable to other bat species and could also help explain their apparent resistance to WNS.
The Effects of Microclimate Variations on the Behavior of a Maternity Colony of Eptesicus Fuscus, the Big Brown Bat
Author: David SchwanSelected Aspects of the Ecology of the Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus Fuscus) in Grant County, Indiana
Author: Thomas W. LandrumPublisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bats
Languages : en
Pages : 126
Book Description
Molecular Ecology of the Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus Fuscus)
Author: Melissa A. NeubaumPublisher:
ISBN:
Category : Big brown bat
Languages : en
Pages : 112
Book Description
Ecology of Bats
Author: T.H. KunzPublisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1461334217
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 434
Book Description
Among living vertebrates bats and birds are unique in their ability to fly, and it is this common feature that sets them apart ecologically from other groups. Bats are in some ways the noctumal equivalents of birds, having evolved and radiated into a diversity of forms to fill many of the same niches. The evolution of flight and echolocation in bats was undoubtedly a prime mover in the diversification of feeding and roosting habits, reproductive strategies, and social behaviors. Bats have successfully colonized almost every continential region on earth (except Antarctica), as weIl as many oceanic islands and archipelagos. They comprise the second largest order of mammals (next to rodents) in number of species and probably exceed all other such groups in overall abundance. Bats exhibit a dietary diversity (including insects, fruits, leaves, flowers, nectar and pollen, fish. other vertebrates, and blood) unparalleled among other living mammals. Their reproductive pattems range from seasonal monestry to polyestry, and mating systems inelude promiscuity, monogamy, and polygyny. The vast majority of what we know about the ecology of bats is derived from studies of only a few of the approximately 850 species, yet in the past two decades studies on bats have escalated to a level where many important empirical pattems and processes have been identified. This knowledge has strengthened our understanding of ecological relationships and encouraged hypothesis testing rather than perpetuated a catalog of miscellaneous observations.
A Genetic Analysis of the Fission-fusion Roosting Behavior of Tree-roosting Maternity Colonies of Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus Fuscus)
Author: Jackie Dawn MethenyPublisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bats
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
"In Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, Saskatchewan, Canada, tree-roosting big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) exhibit fission-fusion roosting behavior and are philopatric to one of three non-overlapping roosting areas. Bats switch roost trees and potentially roost-mates about every two days, and bats appear to have preferred roost-mates. To assess whether genetic relationships mediate fission-fusion behavior in tree-roosting bats, I combined genetic analyses (microsatellite loci and mitochondrial DNA) with behavioral studies. First, I determined whether female philopatry produced genetic subdivision among the roosting areas. Second, I examined roosting associations within one roosting area to determine whether roost-mate decisions were based on genetic relationships. I found that female-mediated gene flow was restricted between roosting areas while male-mediated gene flow was not. Roosting associations were not influenced by genetic relationships. Mating and dispersal behavior of E. fuscus generate group members that are generally not closely related, and bats do not preferentially roost with closely related or matrilineal females. Thus, kin selection is an unlikely explanation for preferred roost-mates, group stability, and cooperation in tree-roosting E. fuscus."--Abstract from author supplied metadata.