By Janelle Bowcock
Six biology graduate students traveled to Portland, Ore., Nov. 4-7, 2009, for the 39th Annual North American Symposium on Bat Research. They spent three days learning about the ecology, behavior, genetics, physiology and conservation of bats worldwide. Two hot topics discussed were the devastating effects of white-nose syndrome (WNS) and wind farms on bats in the U.S.
WNS was first discovered in 1996 near Albany, NY, and has since spread to caves in eight other states. Somehow caused by a cold loving fungus, Geomyces destructans, hibernating bats affected by the syndrome have depleted fat stores, act uncharacteristically and typically have the fungus growing around their nose. A conservative estimate of 1 million bat deaths have occurred from wns. Amanda Janicki (adviser: Tom Tomasi) presented one clue of the WNS puzzle with her talk on torpid metabolic rates of the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus).
Across the world, avenues for alternative energy are being explored and implemented, with wind energy development leading the movement. In the U.S., 36 states contain wind turbines (awea.org) and virtually all of these wind farms have reported finding dead bats on the ground. In 2020, annual fatalities at wind farms are predicted to be between 33,000 and 62,000. (Kunz et al. 2007). Researchers are trying to determine how to decrease this bat mortality. Shelly Dey (adviser: Lynn Robbins) presented on roost tree selection and fidelity of the endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) in Northern Missouri. Her work in identifying the ecology of this bat will be used by wind energy companies to determine turbine placement and actions they can take to minimize bat death.
Also at the meeting, Janelle Bowcock presented on bat activity at caves and ponds in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways and her adviser, Lynn Robbins, challenged the protocol for determining the presence or absence of Indiana bats. Benjamin Hale (adviser: Lynn Robbins) described his summer research at a proposed wind energy site in Northern Missouri, depicting how bat activity relates to environmental variables. Shannon Romeling (adviser: Lynn Robbins) explained the differences in using bats versus mice as surrogates to practice increasing searcher efficiency. Her findings will be used when searching for dead bats during post construction monitoring surveys at wind energy facilities.