Assessment of the effects of forest fragmentation on aerial insectivorous bats in the Amazonian rainforest

Land use change and habitat fragmentation are among the most severe threats to biodiversity, especially in the tropics. In the Amazon, the abandonment of formerly deforested areas allowed the expansion of secondary regrowth, a type of habitat where bats are known to provide important ecosystem services. Amongst them, aerial insectivorous bats have been neglected in most Neotropical studies and remain poorly studied. However, the current upsurge in acoustic technology makes them easy targets to be monitored using ultrasound detectors. The aim of this thesis was to reveal the diversity of aerial insectivorous bats and quantify the effects of forest fragmentation on this ensemble within the Biological Dynamics Forest Fragments Project, a whole ecosystem experiment in the Amazon, currently composed of a mosaic of unflooded rainforest with continuous forest, and forest fragments embedded in a matrix of secondary regrowth. As part of this thesis, the first “Field Guide to the Bats of the Amazon” was published. A custom-built classifier was developed which was able to identify a large proportion of files to sonotype level (with > 90% accuracy), leaving the rest (<25%) to be manually classified. I also tested 20 different recording schemes and provided guidelines to optimize protocols for acoustic studies. In forest fragments and their adjoining secondary forests, taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional α diversity became gradually poorer with decreasing fragment size. In terms of β diversity, bat assemblage composition in secondary forests after ~30 years of recovery was still significantly different from that in continuous forest. However, forest edges harboured highly diverse bat assemblages due to the opening of cluttered areas, and the increase of less-sensitive species. Responses towards fragmentation were species-specific and strongly related to their functional traits. The results of this thesis highlight the irreplaceable value of tropical primary forests due to the long time required to recover fragmented ecosystems.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas [FAPEAM 062.01173 / 2015] (Paulo ED Bobrowiec)Bolsa de estudos do CNPq [160049 / 2013-0] (Paulo ED Bobrowiec

Effects of forest fragmentation on the vertical stratification of neotropical bats

Vertical stratification is a key component of the biological complexity of rainforests. Understanding community- and species-level responses to disturbance across forest strata is paramount for evidence-based conservation and management. However, even for bats, known to extensively explore multiple layers of the complex three-dimensional forest space, studies are biased towards understory-based surveys and only few assessments of vertical stratification were done in fragmented landscapes. Using both ground and canopy mist-nets, we investigated how the vertical structure of bat assemblages is influenced by forest fragmentation in the experimentally fragmented landscape of the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, Central Amazon, Brazil. Over a three year-period, we captured 3077 individuals of 46 species in continuous forest (CF) and in 1, 10 and 100 ha forest fragments. In both CF and forest fragments, the upper forest strata sustained more diverse bat assemblages than the equivalent understory layer, and the midstory layers had significantly higher bat abundance in fragments than in CF. Artibeus lituratus and Rhinophylla pumilio exhibited significant shifts in their vertical stratification patterns between CF and fragments (e.g. R. pumilio was more associated with the upper strata in fragments than in CF). Altogether, our study suggests that fragmentation modulates the vertical stratification of bat assemblages

When bats go viral : negative framings in virological research imperil bat conservation

The recent upsurge in bat-borne virus research has attracted substantial news coverage worldwide. A systematic review of virological literature revealed that bats were described as a major concern for public health in half of all studies (51%), and that their key role in delivering ecosystem services was disregarded in almost all studies (96%). Although research on zoonoses is of the utmost importance, biased framings of bats can undermine decades of conservation efforts. We urge researchers and science communicators to consider the conservation impacts of how research findings are presented to the public carefully, and, whenever possible, to highlight the ecological significance of bats, their dire conservation situation and their importance for human well-being.Peer reviewe

Opportunistic predation by crested owl Lophostrix cristata upon Seba's Short-tailed bat Carollia perspicillata

This note reports two opportunistic events of predation on Seba's Short-tailed Bats Carollia perspicillata (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) by an immature Crested Owl Lophostrix cristata (Strigiformes: Strigidae), in Central Amazonia, Brazil. Both predation events took place while bats were mist-netted. Given the abundance of C. perspicillata in the study area we argue that this bat species likely constitutes a natural prey for L. cristata

Secondary forest buffers the effects of fragmentation on aerial insectivorous bat species following 30 years of passive forest restoration

Passive forest restoration can buffer the effects of habitat loss on biodiversity. We acoustically surveyed aerial insectivorous bats in a whole-ecosystem fragmentation experiment in the Brazilian Amazon over a 2-year period, across 33 sites, comprising continuous old-growth forest, remnant fragments, and regenerating secondary forest matrix. We analyzed the activity of 10 species/sonotypes to investigate occupancy across habitat types and responses to fragment size and interior-edge-matrix (IEM) disturbance gradients. Employing a multiscale approach, we investigated guild (edge foragers, forest specialists, flexible forest foragers, and open space specialists) and species-level responses to vegetation structure and forest cover, edge, and patch density across six spatial scales (0.5–3 km). We found species-specific habitat occupancy patterns and nuanced responses to fragment size and the IEM disturbance gradient. For example, Furipterus horrens had lower activity in secondary forest sites and the interior and edge of the smallest fragments (1 and 10 ha) compared to continuous forest, and only two species (Pteronotus spp.) showed no habitat preference and no significant responses across the IEM and fragment size gradients. Only the Molossus sonotype responded negatively to vegetation structure. We uncovered no negative influence of forest cover or edge density at guild or species-level. Our results indicate that reforestation can buffer the negative effects of fragmentation and although these effects can still be detected in some species, generally aerial insectivorous bats appear to be in recovery after 30 years of passive forest restoration. Our findings reinforce the need to protect regenerating forests while conserving vast expanses of old-growth forest

Erosion of phylogenetic diversity in Neotropical bat assemblages: findings from a whole-ecosystem fragmentation experiment

Abstract The traditional focus on taxonomic diversity metrics for investigating species responses to habitat loss and fragmentation has limited our understanding of how biodiversity is impacted by habitat modification. This is particularly true for taxonomic groups such as bats which exhibit species-specific responses. Here, we investigate phylogenetic alpha and beta diversity of Neotropical bat assemblages across two environmental gradients, one in habitat quality and one in habitat amount. We surveyed bats in 39 sites located across a whole-ecosystem fragmentation experiment in the Brazilian Amazon, representing a gradient of habitat quality (interior-edge-matrix, hereafter IEM) in both continuous forest and forest fragments of different sizes (1, 10, and 100 ha; forest size gradient). For each habitat category, we quantified alpha and beta phylogenetic diversity, then used linear mixed-effects models and cluster analysis to explore how forest area and IEM gradient affect phylogenetic diversity. We found that the secondary forest matrix harboured significantly lower total evolutionary history compared to the fragment interiors, especially the matrix near the 1 ha fragments, containing bat assemblages with more closely related species. Forest fragments ≥ 10 ha had levels of phylogenetic richness similar to continuous forest, suggesting that large fragments retain considerable levels of evolutionary history. The edge and matrix adjacent to large fragments tend to have closely related lineages nonetheless, suggesting phylogenetic homogenization in these IEM gradient categories. Thus, despite the high mobility of bats, fragmentation still induces considerable levels of erosion of phylogenetic diversity, suggesting that the full amount of evolutionary history might not be able to persist in present-day human-modified landscapes.</jats:p

PUFA loses after cookingg of chicken meat

An experiment was conducted to assess the effect ofsupplying with fish or linseed oils on the performance, quality parameters and fatty acid (FA) composition of the meat of broiler chickens. Besides, it aimed to test the relative stability of the FA composition after cooking of the chicken meat. A diet with 4% of tallow plus 4% linseed oil (Tl ) or 4% fish oil (T2) was fed to the birds throughout the 5 wk growth period. After slaughtering of the animals, the FA profile of the raw samples was determined by means of gas chromatography, and also alter cooking in a convector oven (180"C, 35 min). Carcass yield, percentage of valuable parts, texture, juiciness and grill losses of meat were determined as objective quality parameters. Performance parameters were not significantly different among treatments, though a tendency towards a better transformation index was found in Tl fed animals (p<().09). Objective quality meat parameters were not different when compared by treatments. As expected, differences in the FA profile of the samples were found among treatments, being the Tl samples the ones which scored with higher n-3 FA levels, because of its linolenic acid content, while T2 samples showed a higher proportion in n-3 long-chain (LC) polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) in form ofeicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid. Processing of the samples had an important influence on the FA profile of the meat. PUFA content was significantly lower in cooked samples (p<0.()l), thus affecting the relative percentage of saturated FA, which rose to the highest values after cooking. Changes in monounsaturated FA were unnoticeable. Losses in n-6 FA were mainly due to the fall of linoleic acid while almost all n-3 LCPUFA experienced significant losses after cooking of the meat

PUFA Losses after Cooking of Chicken Meat

To study the changes of the fatty acid (FA) profile of Long-Chain omega-3 (LCn3) enriched meat after coo¬ king under consumer conditions

Hacia el reconocimiento de los cuerpos en sus diferencias múltiples.

Este trabajo tiene el objetivo de analizar algunas de las aportaciones feministas más relevantes dentro del discurso científico y filosófico occidental con respecto a la concepción de los cuerpos en sus diferencias, con el fin de reflexionar sobre los intereses que actúan en la construcción de un sistema de pensamiento con el que se pretende fundamentar una determinada ordenación social. Para ello resulta imprescindible acudir a las diferentes concepciones sobre las categorías de sexo y género, al igual que a las relaciones entre lo comprendido como lo Uno y la Alteridad, que determinan la jerarquización de los cuerpos y, por lo tanto, su reconocimiento en sociedad o, por el contrario, su exclusión.<br /

El tipo de grasa y su estado oxidativo provocan cambios en la resistencia de la membrana de los eritrocitos en pollos broiler

El objetivo de estetrabajo escomprobarsieldiferentegradodeinsaturacióndelagrasay la presencia de antioxidantes o alteración oxidativa dietética, afectan al estado de oxidación in vivo. Para ello se utilizaron dos métodos de estimaciónde laestabilidadde la membrana de eritrocitos: la resistencia a la hemolisis y la susceptibilidad a la peroxidación lipídica (TBARs). Se realizaron dos experimentos con pollosde carne en fase de crecimiento (4 a 18 días, Exp. 1 y 21 a 42 días, Exp. 2), utilizando grasas con distinta estabilidad oxidativa. En el experimento 1, tres raciones experimentales que contenían grasa añadida al 6 %: aceite de girasol (G), aceite de girasol oxidado (O) y aceite de girasol + 200 ppm. de acetato de alfatocoferol(V).Enelexperimento2,los3 tratamientos dietéticos incluían 6 % de linaza (L). 6 % de sebo y un pienso sin grasa añadida (C). Con relación a la tasa de hemolisis, en el primer experimento, la suplementación con acetato de alfa tocoferol dio lugar a valores inferiores al resto de tratamientos, que fueronestadísticamente significativosfrentealtratamiento(G)eldía11 de vida (P = 0.008). Una evolución similar se observa para los niveles de oxidación (TBARs) siendo lostratamientosG yO losquepresentanunamayorsusceptibilidadala oxidación (P <0.05) el día 11 (G y O vs. V) y el día 18 (O vs. V). Enelexperimento2, los animales alimentados con la grasa más insaturada (linaza), presentaron una mayor sensibilidad a la hemolisis (P = 0.032) respecto a aquellos alimentados sin grasa o con grasa saturada (sebo). De forma similar, se observa un mayor niveldeoxidaciónenla sangre de los animales alimentados con aceite rico en AGPI n-3 (P <0.001). Podemos concluir, que la presenciade productosdeoxidaciónyaltosnivelesdeinsaturaciónenla dieta, produce una mayor sensibilidad de loseritrocitosa larotura. Laincorporaciónde acetato de alfa-tocoferol permite mejorar la estabilidad de los lípidos de la membrana. Existe un paralelismo entre losresultadosde latasadehemolisisylasusceptibilidadala oxidación de los eritrocitos. Ambos métodos de determinación son capaces de discriminar estados de oxidación in vivo.This study is performed to study the effect of unsaturated fat, oxidized fat and antioxidants included in the diet, on the in vivo oxidative status. We usedtwo different methods to determine the lipid oxidation: the haemolysis level andtheTBARstest. We carried out two trials using broiler chickens ofdifferent ages and using fatsdifferingon the oxidative stability. In experiment 1, animals were fedthree dietscontaining 6%of: sunflower oil (G), oxidized sunflower oil (O) or sunflower oil + 200 ppm ofalfatocopherol acetate (V). Inexperiment2,dietsincluded6%of,linseedoil(L),tallow(S) or no added fat (C). In experiment 1, alfa-tocopherol inclusion promoted the lower haemolysis values, whichbecame significantlydifferentto(G)for 11 daysoldchickens (P = 0.008). Oxidation level (TBARs) showed a pattern similar to that shown for haemolysis. Irt particular, Gand O treatmentsshowedthehighestoxidationeffects(p<0.05) on 11 (G and O vs. V) and 18 days old chickens (O vs. V). In experiment 2, linseed oil increased haemolysis (P = 0.032) compared totreatments S andC.Treatment L, the treatment presenting higher PÜFA n-3 level, also increased (P = 0.001) the oxidation level (TBARS). From the here presented results we conclude that oxidized and high PUFA fats, included in the diet, increase haemolysis level. Moreover, inclusion of alfa-tocopherol acetate in the diet improves membrane lipid stability. Finally, results for haemolysis and oxidation present similarpattern; bothmethods are able to show in vivo oxidation status