白鼻綜合征是一種廣泛分布在美國和加拿大的真菌性疾病,，總沒有什么好消息。這些真菌會感染蝙蝠的鼻子和翅膀,，讓它們從冬眠中過早地醒來,，然后因為饑餓死去。自從2006年這種疾病在蝙蝠中首次被發(fā)現(xiàn),，北美洲東北部地區(qū)的數(shù)個蝙蝠種群已遭受致命性打擊,。
不過，日前研究人員發(fā)表在《生態(tài)學(xué)快報》（Ecology Letters）上的一篇報告指出,，有一種蝙蝠受白鼻綜合征的威脅程度相對較低,。通常這種蝙蝠喜歡獨(dú)自冬眠，而非一般蝙蝠那樣聚在一起冬眠,。另外,，那些在更寒冷、更干燥洞穴冬眠的蝙蝠感染白鼻綜合征的比例也比睡在其他地方的蝙蝠更低,。
美國加州大學(xué)圣克魯茲分校研究生Kate Langwig領(lǐng)銜的新研究分析了6個蝙蝠種群在遭受真菌襲擊之前和之后的相關(guān)測量數(shù)據(jù),，分析結(jié)果證實(shí)了之前的觀點(diǎn)：大棕蝠和東部小足蝙蝠兩個蝙蝠種群所受真菌的影響相對較小。但是,，印第安納州蝙蝠——在美國已被列入瀕臨滅絕動物名單——和其他三種蝙蝠數(shù)量急劇下降,。
另外，研究顯示,，由于真菌的感染,，還有數(shù)個蝙蝠種群消失。雖然原因尚不明確,，不過Langwig指出,，有可能是因為整個蝙蝠種群達(dá)到了一個臨界點(diǎn),，少量幸存下來的蝙蝠無法找到伴侶。
研究者們還收集了印第安納州蝙蝠和小棕蝠的洞穴中溫度和濕度的數(shù)據(jù),。結(jié)果發(fā)現(xiàn),，那些生活在更冷、更干燥的洞穴中的蝙蝠數(shù)量下降較少,，這是由于大部分真菌更喜歡生長在濕熱的環(huán)境中,。
盡管如此，相關(guān)科學(xué)家依然警告說,，對于蝙蝠來說,，情況仍十分嚴(yán)峻：蝙蝠數(shù)量在大量減少，并且野生動物管理者們沒有合適的工具幫助這些蝙蝠,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01829.x
PMC:
PMID:
Sociality, density‐dependence and microclimates determine the persistence of populations suffering from a novel fungal disease, white‐\nose syndrome
Kate E. Langwig1,2,*, Winifred F. Frick2, Jason T. Bried3, Alan C. Hicks4, Thomas H. Kunz1, A. Marm Kilpatrick2
Disease has caused striking declines in wildlife and threatens numerous species with extinction. Theory suggests that the ecology and density-dependence of transmission dynamics can determine the probability of disease-caused extinction, but few empirical studies have simultaneously examined multiple factors influencing disease impact. We show, in hibernating bats infected with Geomyces destructans, that impacts of disease on solitary species were lower in smaller populations, whereas in socially gregarious species declines were equally severe in populations spanning four orders of magnitude. However, as these gregarious species declined, we observed decreases in social group size that reduced the likelihood of extinction. In addition, disease impacts in these species increased with humidity and temperature such that the coldest and driest roosts provided initial refuge from disease. These results expand our theoretical framework and provide an empirical basis for determining which host species are likely to be driven extinct while management action is still possible.
