Method for evaluating the snagging propensity of roofing membranes in buildings by roosting bats

Many buildings suitable as bat roosts contain synthetic roofing materials, hereafter referred to as Non-Bitumen Coated Roofing Membranes (NBCRMs) - this includes Breathable Roofing Membranes (BRMs) and non-Permeable Roofing Membranes (nPRMs), rather than 1F felts. Building regulations require all construction materials to be fit for purpose, but some BRMs (although appropriate for their intended purpose) can potentially threaten the viability of existing, legally protected roosts because of the way bats physically interact with their surface. With the assistance of the Isle of Wight Bat Hospital and real-world observations of how bats physically interact with NBCRMs within a roof void, we present a new laboratory test method capable of reproducing the progressive disintegration of NBCRM surfaces due to the plucking effect of bat claws. The resistance to NBCRM disintegration was characterised using a modified laboratory fabric pilling box test method. The method reproduced the ‘fluffing’ effects and projections of loops of filaments on the surface of BRMs that have been observed within bat roosts. It was established that spunbond nonwoven BRMs, can be highly susceptible to surface disintegration. The newly developed method is intended to aid selection of NBCRMs that reduce the risk to bats in their roosts, promoting bat conservation

Does Diabetes Accelerate the Progression of Aortic Stenosis through Enhanced Inflammatory Response within Aortic valves?

Diabetes predisposes to aortic stenosis (AS). We aimed to investigate if diabetes affects the expression of selected coagulation proteins and inflammatory markers in AS valves. Twenty patients with severe AS and concomitant type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and 40 well-matched patients without DM scheduled for valve replacement were recruited. Valvular tissue factor (TF), TF pathway inhibitor (TFPI), prothrombin, C-reactive protein (CRP) expression were evaluated by immunostaining and TF, prothrombin, and CRP transcripts were analyzed by real-time PCR. DM patients had elevated plasma CRP (9.2 [0.74–51.9] mg/l vs. 4.7 [0.59–23.14] mg/l, p = 0.009) and TF (293.06 [192.32–386.12] pg/ml vs. 140 [104.17–177.76] pg/ml, p = 0.003) compared to non-DM patients. In DM group, TF−, TFPI−, and prothrombin expression within valves was not related to demographics, body mass index, and concomitant diseases, whereas increased expression related to DM was found for CRP on both protein (2.87 [0.5–9]% vs. 0.94 [0–4]%, p = 0.01) and transcript levels (1.3 ± 0.61 vs. 0.22 ± 0.43, p = 0.009). CRP-positive areas were positively correlated with mRNA TF (r = 0.84, p = 0.036). Diabetes mellitus is associated with enhanced inflammation within AS valves, measured by CRP expression, which may contribute to faster AS progression

Mitigating the impact of Bats in historic churches: The response of Natterer's Bats Myotis nattereri to artificial roosts and deterrence

© 2016 Zeale et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Bats frequently roost in historic churches, and these colonies are of considerable conservation value. Inside churches, bat droppings and urine can cause damage to the historic fabric of the building and to items of cultural significance. In extreme cases, large quantities of droppings can restrict the use of a church for worship and/or other community functions. In the United Kingdom, bats and their roosts are protected by law, and striking a balance between conserving the natural and cultural heritage can be a significant challenge. We investigated mitigation strategies that could be employed in churches and other historic buildings to alleviate problems caused by bats without adversely affecting their welfare or conservation status. We used a combination of artificial roost provision and deterrence at churches in Norfolk, England, where significant maternity colonies of Natterer's bats Myotis nattereri damage church features. Radio-tracking data and population modelling showed that excluding M. nattereri from churches is likely to have a negative impact on their welfare and conservation status, but that judicious use of deterrents, especially high intensity ultrasound, can mitigate problems caused by bats. We show that deterrence can be used to move bats humanely from specific roosting sites within a church and limit the spread of droppings and urine so that problems to congregations and damage to cultural heritage can be much reduced. In addition, construction of bespoke roost spaces within churches can allow bats to continue to roost within the fabric of the building without flying in the church interior. We highlight that deterrence has the potential to cause serious harm toM. nattereri populations if not used judiciously, and so the effects of deterrents will need careful monitoring, and their use needs strict regulation

Fossil zooplankton and the historical status of westslope cutthroat trout in a headwater lake of Glacier National Park, Montana

Surviving pure-strain populations of westslope cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi in headwater lakes of Glacier National Park could play an important role in the managed recovery of regional cutthroat trout fisheries. However, uncertainty exists about whether native trout could have naturally invaded several park lakes where they now occur. This study used paleolimnological techniques to address the question of whether the population of native trout in Avalanche Lake is indigenous or became established through an undocumented introduction. The validity of using fossil diapause eggs (ephippia) of the fish-sensitive cladocerans Daphnia spp. as indicators for the historical presence of zooplanktivorous fish was tested with a survey of live zooplankton and corresponding surface-sediment fossil assemblages in eight Glacier Park lakes with and without trout. Analysis of a sediment core from Avalanche Lake dated by lead radioisotopes, historical wildfires, and a flood allowed reconstruction of zooplankton dynamics from about 1700 A.D. to the present. Fossil Daphnia ephippia were rare or absent in Avalanche Lake sediments deposited before 1910, suggesting intense zooplanktivory due to sustained presence of an indigenous population of native cutthroat trout. Fossil evidence for larger Daphnia populations in the 1930s and early 1940s revealed a temporary disturbance of the lake's normal food web interactions during which zooplanktivory was significantly reduced. This disturbance may have resulted from a collapse of the native trout population caused indirectly by failed attempts between 1915 and 1943 to stock Avalanche Lake with Yellowstone cutthroat trout O. clarki bouvieri

MANAGING AN ABUNDANT CRAYFISH RESOURCE FOR CONSERVATION -A. PALLIPES IN IRELAND

Irish white-clawed crayfish stocks show high genetic uniformity between systems, although individual populations usually show good heterozygosity. The inference is that they were derived from a single immigrating stock, related to those in Western France. Irish crayfish stocks occur widely and often in good numbers in lakes and streams; they are protected and rarely fished, and there are no alien species. Their use for reintroduction into depleted areas within Ireland, including Special Areas of Conservation, is examined. Irish crayfish also have potential value for restocking depleted continental locations, under stringent conditions of environmental suitability and genetic conformity

Leatherback turtles satellite-tagged in European waters

The North Atlantic is considered a stronghold for the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle. However, limited information exists regarding the movements of individuals to and from the seas off Europe’s northwesterly fringe, an area where leatherbacks have been historically sighted for the past 200 yr. Here, we used satellite telemetry to record the movements and behaviour of 2 individuals bycaught in fisheries off the southwest coast of Ireland. The turtle T1 (tagged 1 September 2005; female; tracked 375 d) immediately travelled south via Madeira and the Canaries, before residing in West African waters for 3 mo. In spring, T1 migrated north towards Newfoundland where transmissions ceased. T2 (29 June 2006; male; 233 d) travelled south for a short period before spending 66 d west of the Bay of Biscay, an area previously asserted as a high-use area for leatherbacks. This prolonged high latitude summer residence corresponded with a mesoscale feature evident from satellite imagery, with the implication that this turtle had found a rich feeding site. A marked change in dive behaviour was apparent as the turtle exited this feature and provided useful insights on leatherback diving behaviour. T2 headed south in October 2006, and performed the deepest-ever dive recorded by a reptile (1280 m) southwest of Cape Verde. Unlike T1, T2 swam southwest towards Brazil before approaching the major nesting beaches of French Guiana and Surinam. Importantly, these tracks document the movement of leatherbacks from one of the remotest foraging grounds in the North Atlantic