4 research outputs found

    Increasing Incidence of Geomyces destructans Fungus in Bats from the Czech Republic and Slovakia

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    BACKGROUND: White-nose syndrome is a disease of hibernating insectivorous bats associated with the fungus Geomyces destructans. It first appeared in North America in 2006, where over a million bats died since then. In Europe, G. destructans was first identified in France in 2009. Its distribution, infection dynamics, and effects on hibernating bats in Europe are largely unknown. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We screened hibernacula in the Czech Republic and Slovakia for the presence of the fungus during the winter seasons of 2008/2009 and 2009/2010. In winter 2009/2010, we found infected bats in 76 out of 98 surveyed sites, in which the majority had been previously negative. A photographic record of over 6000 hibernating bats, taken since 1994, revealed bats with fungal growths since 1995; however, the incidence of such bats increased in Myotis myotis from 2% in 2007 to 14% by 2010. Microscopic, cultivation and molecular genetic evaluations confirmed the identity of the recently sampled fungus as G. destructans, and demonstrated its continuous distribution in the studied area. At the end of the hibernation season we recorded pathologic changes in the skin of the affected bats, from which the fungus was isolated. We registered no mass mortality caused by the fungus, and the recorded population decline in the last two years of the most affected species, M. myotis, is within the population trend prediction interval. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: G. destructans was found to be widespread in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with an epizootic incidence in bats during the most recent years. Further development of the situation urgently requires a detailed pan-European monitoring scheme

    Social behaviour and ecology of bats of the genus Pipisttrellus

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    43 Summary of results of presented research Since discrimination of two cryptic species inside Pipistrellus pipistrellus s.l based on echolocation calls (Jones & van Parijs 1993), social calls (Barlow & Jones 1997), and molecular data (Barratt et al. 1997), the genus Pipistrellus have been studied intensively. The mainstream of my research were reproduction strategies and vocalization behaviour of Nathusius's pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusii). It is a small European insectivorous species, which is known for his migratory behaviour. The dominant mating system is resource-defence polygyny. Males vocalize during flight (songflight) and from entrances of their day roosts (sedentary display). Advertising calls occur during whole active season, but they considerable increase during mating season. Males show strong fidelity to their mating roosts whereas females are fixed to maternity colonies (Schmidt 1984, Rachwald 1992, Gerell-Lundberg & Gerell 1994, Furmankiewitz 2003, Petersons 2004). This species exhibits variability in mating behaviour in different countries, probably due to long- distance migrations. In Czech Republic, the species was considered to be rare and only sporadic indications of reproduction were found (Hanák & Gaisler 1976, Šefrová & Buřič 1998). Main research area of my study was in South..

    Social behaviour and ecology of bats of the genus Pipisttrellus

    No full text
    43 Summary of results of presented research Since discrimination of two cryptic species inside Pipistrellus pipistrellus s.l based on echolocation calls (Jones & van Parijs 1993), social calls (Barlow & Jones 1997), and molecular data (Barratt et al. 1997), the genus Pipistrellus have been studied intensively. The mainstream of my research were reproduction strategies and vocalization behaviour of Nathusius's pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusii). It is a small European insectivorous species, which is known for his migratory behaviour. The dominant mating system is resource-defence polygyny. Males vocalize during flight (songflight) and from entrances of their day roosts (sedentary display). Advertising calls occur during whole active season, but they considerable increase during mating season. Males show strong fidelity to their mating roosts whereas females are fixed to maternity colonies (Schmidt 1984, Rachwald 1992, Gerell-Lundberg & Gerell 1994, Furmankiewitz 2003, Petersons 2004). This species exhibits variability in mating behaviour in different countries, probably due to long- distance migrations. In Czech Republic, the species was considered to be rare and only sporadic indications of reproduction were found (Hanák & Gaisler 1976, Šefrová & Buřič 1998). Main research area of my study was in South...Souhrnýsledků dizertdčnípráce Po rozlišenídvoukryptickýchdruhů,netopýrahvízdavéhoa n.nejmenšího(P.pipistrellus a P.pygmaeus)v rárnci širocerozšířenéhoevropskéhodruhuPipistrelluspipistrelluss.l, se začalavěnovattěmtodruhůmvelká pozornost'AčkoliuŽ dřívebyla doloŽenabimodální echolokaceu Pipistrelluspipis|relluss.l teprveJones& van Parijs(1993)položilitentojev do souvislostis přítomnostíkryptickýchdruhů,a pozdějibyl jejichpředpokladpotvrzenna základěmolekulrí'rníchdat(Barrattet al.|997).Takétypiclqimisociálnímisignályvysílanými za letusetytodvadruhyliší(Barlow& Jonesl997).Společněs intenzivnímvýzkumemnově rozlišenýchdruhůse věnova|ai pozornostdalšímpříbuznýmdruhůmroduPipistrellus,n. jiŽnímua n'parkovému(P'kuhliiaP.nathusii)v celéEvropě. Takév Ceskérepublicebyl zahájenrozsáh|ýmonitoringa výzkum těchtodvou druhů (výskytna územíCR za pouŽititradičníchmetoda ultrazvukovýchdetektorů'eko|ogické nároky'výzkumecholokačnícha sociálníchsigná|ů,molekulárníanalýzy).Dílrryrozvojia dostupnostiultrazvukovýchdetektorůsbíralitato data nejenchiropterologové'ale také laikové.Právě pro tentoúčeljsem sepsalasoúrn recentníchpoznatkůo echolokačnícha sociálníchsignálechvšechdruhů.kterése vyskytovaliv tédobéna územíČR (P.nathusii, P.pipistrellus,P'pygmaeus)a doplnilaje o informaceo dalšímdruhl, P.kuhlii (za|oŽenéna vlastníchdatechz...Department of ZoologyKatedra zoologieFaculty of SciencePřírodovědecká fakult
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