Catastrophe for bats: New fungal species threatens their future!

Catastrophe for bats: New fungal species threatens their future!

An international research team led by a doctoral student from the University of Greifswald has published worrying results about a fungus that has posed a major threat to bats for years. The study in the journalNaturepublished, analyzed over 5,000 samples of the pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which is responsible for the largest recorded mammal extinction. The vulnerable include not only bats in North America, but potentially other species that have not yet been affected.

White-nose syndrome (WNS) was first identified in the northeastern United States in 2006. This fungus has since led to mass extinctions in affected areas, with over 5.7 million bats dying by the end of 2011. Mortality rates have risen above 90% in some caves, raising alarm bells for conservationists. The fungus, which originally comes from Eurasia, has not shown such devastating effects there, raising the question of what factors contribute to its aggressiveness in North America.

Dangers caused by human intervention

The new study highlights the risks of human intervention in ecosystems. Researchers from several countries, including France, Bulgaria, Finland and Ukraine, have come together to comprehensively analyze the problem. The investigation shows that, in addition to the already known pathogen, a second species was also discovered that could also potentially be responsible for white-nose disease. Genetic analyzes identified the Podillia region in Ukraine as the area of ​​origin for the introduction to North America, which could be due to exchanges with researchers from New York.

The study urgently calls for the urgency of improving biosafety in speleology. The need for strict biosecurity standards as well as thorough cleaning of research equipment is highlighted to prevent further spread of the pathogen.

The role of biodiversity and zoonoses

Another aspect of the discussion about bats is the loss of biodiversity, which has not only ecological but also health consequences. A study from Ulm University shows that less diverse bat communities have a higher risk of the spread of zoonotic pathogens such as coronaviruses. Lower species diversity in communities means that disturbance-tolerant, more virus-susceptible species often dominate.

A field study in Ghana examined how human activities influence the species composition of bats and thus increase the risk of infection. These results support the “One Health” concept, which views humans, animals and the environment as a single entity and emphasizes the importance of protecting the bat population in preventing pandemics. Bats provide important ecosystem services, such as pollination and regulation of insect populations, that are critical to human health and agriculture.

In summary, research clearly shows how closely our health is linked to the health of animal populations and the biodiversity in our environment. The protective measures for bats are of great importance not only from an ecological but also from a health perspective.

University of Greifswald reports that over 360 volunteers, including chiropterologists, were involved in the sampling, underscoring the power of participatory science.

Provides further information Wikipedia, where the effects of white-nose syndrome are detailed.

For a more comprehensive perspective on the connection between biodiversity and human health, we recommend reading the study at University of Ulm, which analyzes the dynamics of coronaviruses in bat communities.