O risco transmissão de hantavírus para humanos na Mata Atlântica está diretamente relacionado à abundância de duas espécies de roedores, Oligoryzomys nigripes e Necromys lasiurus, reconhecidas como os principais reservatórios destes vírus naquele bioma. Ambas as espécies são beneficiadas por alterações antrópicas, porém, pouco se sabe sobre quais parâmetros da estrutura da paisagem e a escala espacial (em termos de extensão e resolução) em que a paisagem influencia a abundância destas espécies. Este trabalho procura preencher essa lacuna de conhecimento e investigar como uma definição adequada de parâmetros e escalas pode afetar modelos de extrapolação espacial das abundâncias destas espécies, o que pode ter amplas implicações para um melhor controle da propagação de hantavírus. O trabalho foi desenvolvido em seis paisagens da Mata Atlântica no Planalto Paulista, próximas ao local do primeiro registro de hantavirose no Brasil, sendo três de mata contínua e três paisagens fragmentadas, as quais diferiam com relação à porcentagem de cobertura florestal (11, 31 e 49%). Os pequenos mamíferos foram coletados em contextos de fragmentos florestais, mata contínua e matriz, totalizando 104 pontos de coleta. A análise, baseada em uma abordagem de seleção de modelos, considerou a estrutura da paisagem em diferentes extensões espaciais ao redor dos pontos de coleta (raios de 200, 500 e 800 m), em três mapeamentos que diferiam quanto a suas resoluções espaciais (10, 30 e 260 m). A partir do melhor modelo selecionado para cada espécie e para cada resolução, foi feita uma extrapolação das abundâncias, através da qual comparou-se os resultados obtidos em cada mapeamento. Foram capturados 1074 indivíduos de O. nigripes, a maioria nos fragmentos florestais. A maior abundância observada ocorreu nos fragmentos da paisagem de 11% de mata, diminuindo gradativamente nas paisagens com maiores porcentagens de cobertura florestal. N. lasiurus foi quase que exclusivamente coletado na matriz e, a maioria, na paisagem de 11% de mata. A abundância de O. nigripes foi diferentemente influenciada pela cobertura florestal da paisagem dependendo do contexto (fragmentos, mata contínua e matriz) em que a espécie se encontrava e também foi influenciada pela cobertura florestal e densidade de borda em escala local (200 m). A abundância de N. lasiurus foi negativamente influenciada pela cobertura florestal em escalas mais locais e variou de acordo com o tipo de cultura agrícola. A escala que mais influenciou ambas as espécies foi a de 200 m. Os mapeamentos com resolução de 10 e 30 m foram mais semelhantes entre si do que quando comparados com o mapeamento de 260 m, o que se refletiu nos melhores modelos de abundância selecionados, assim como nas extrapolações das abundâncias. Nossos resultados mostram que estas duas espécies respondem à degradação das paisagens e que paisagens mais biodiversas impedem um grande aumento da abundância de espécies que atuam como reservatórios dos hantavírus. Os resultados reforçam a necessidade de serem tomadas medidas que impeçam ou diminuam o desmatamento e a degradação da Mata Atlântica, ou que incentivem a regeneração e restauração florestal, para que possam ser evitados outros surtos de hantavirose. Além disso, evidenciam a importância de se escolher adequadamente a resolução do mapeamento em estudos ecológicos, baseando-se em atributos biológicos da espécie estudada, e ressaltam que extrapolações de abundância das espécies reservatório feitas em escalas muito grosseiras (e.g. acima da escala de resposta das espécies) podem levar a erros expressivos, potencialmente reduzindo a efetividade de ações voltadas para o controle da propagação de hantavírus. / Hantavirus transmission risk to humans in the Atlantic Forest is directly related to the abundance of two rodents species, Oligoryzomys nigripes and Necromys lasiurus, recognized as the main reservoir species of Hantavirus in this biome. Both species benefit by landscape anthropogenic changes, however, the structural parameters and the spatial scale (in terms of extension and resolution) in which the landscape influences the abundance of these two species remains to be examined. This study aims to fill this research gap and specifically test how a proper definition of parameters and scales may affect spatial extrapolation models of the abundance of these species, what may have broad implications for a better control of Hantavirus. This study was conducted in Plateau Paulista, Atlantic Forest, near to the first Hantavirus case in Brazil. Six landscapes were selected, being three control areas (continuous forest) and three fragmented landscapes, which differ in relation to the forest cover percentage (11, 31 e 49%). Small mammals were colected in forest patches, continuous forest and matrix contexts, totaling 104 collect stations. We performed a model selecting approach considering the landscape structure in different spatial extensions around each colect station (200, 500 and 800 m radius) in three different mapping that differ in their spatial resolution (10, 30 and 260 m). The best selected model to each specie in each map resolution was used to extrapolate the species abundance for the entire fragmented landscapes studied, whereby the obtained results for each mapping resolution were compared. A total of 1074 individuals of O. nigripes were captured, most of them in forest patches. The highest abundance ocurred in forest patches of the 11% forest cover landscape, decreasing gradually in landscapes with higher forest cover percentage. N. lasiurus was almost exclusively colected in the matrix with most of the individuals being colected in the 11% forest cover landscape. The abundance of O. nigripes was differently influenced by the landscape forest cover depending on the context (forest patches, continous forest and matrix) in which the species was colected and it was influenced by forest cover and edge density at the local scale (200 m). The abundance of N. lasiurus was negatively influenced by forest cover at more local scales and varied according with type of crop. The scale that most influenced both species was 200 m. The 10 and 30 m resolution mappings were more similar to each other than with the 260 m resolution mapping, what reflected on the best selected models of abundance, as well as on the abundance extrapolations. Our results show that these two species respond to the landscape degradation and that more biodiverse landscapes prevent the increase of the species abundance that act as Hantavirus reservoirs. Ours results reinforce the need of measures that prevent or reduce the Atlantic Forest deforestation and degradation, or encourage the regeneration and forest restoration, in order to avoid other Hantavirus outbreaks. Besides, our results evidence the importance of chosing accordingly the mapping resolution in ecological studies, which should consider the biological traits of the studied species. Additionally we highlight that abundance extrapolations of reservoir species done in a very coarse grain resolution (e.g. above the species response scale) may lead to significant errors, potentially reducing the effectiveness of actions aimed at controlling Hantavirus spread.

O risco transmissão de hantavírus para humanos na Mata Atlântica está diretamente relacionado à abundância de duas espécies de roedores, Oligoryzomys nigripes e Necromys lasiurus, reconhecidas como os principais reservatórios destes vírus naquele bioma. Ambas as espécies são beneficiadas por alterações antrópicas, porém, pouco se sabe sobre quais parâmetros da estrutura da paisagem e a escala espacial (em termos de extensão e resolução) em que a paisagem influencia a abundância destas espécies. Este trabalho procura preencher essa lacuna de conhecimento e investigar como uma definição adequada de parâmetros e escalas pode afetar modelos de extrapolação espacial das abundâncias destas espécies, o que pode ter amplas implicações para um melhor controle da propagação de hantavírus. O trabalho foi desenvolvido em seis paisagens da Mata Atlântica no Planalto Paulista, próximas ao local do primeiro registro de hantavirose no Brasil, sendo três de mata contínua e três paisagens fragmentadas, as quais diferiam com relação à porcentagem de cobertura florestal (11, 31 e 49%). Os pequenos mamíferos foram coletados em contextos de fragmentos florestais, mata contínua e matriz, totalizando 104 pontos de coleta. A análise, baseada em uma abordagem de seleção de modelos, considerou a estrutura da paisagem em diferentes extensões espaciais ao redor dos pontos de coleta (raios de 200, 500 e 800 m), em três mapeamentos que diferiam quanto a suas resoluções espaciais (10, 30 e 260 m). A partir do melhor modelo selecionado para cada espécie e para cada resolução, foi feita uma extrapolação das abundâncias, através da qual comparou-se os resultados obtidos em cada mapeamento. Foram capturados 1074 indivíduos de O. nigripes, a maioria nos fragmentos florestais. A maior abundância observada ocorreu nos fragmentos da paisagem de 11% de mata, diminuindo gradativamente nas paisagens com maiores porcentagens de cobertura florestal. N. lasiurus foi quase que exclusivamente coletado na matriz e, a maioria, na paisagem de 11% de mata. A abundância de O. nigripes foi diferentemente influenciada pela cobertura florestal da paisagem dependendo do contexto (fragmentos, mata contínua e matriz) em que a espécie se encontrava e também foi influenciada pela cobertura florestal e densidade de borda em escala local (200 m). A abundância de N. lasiurus foi negativamente influenciada pela cobertura florestal em escalas mais locais e variou de acordo com o tipo de cultura agrícola. A escala que mais influenciou ambas as espécies foi a de 200 m. Os mapeamentos com resolução de 10 e 30 m foram mais semelhantes entre si do que quando comparados com o mapeamento de 260 m, o que se refletiu nos melhores modelos de abundância selecionados, assim como nas extrapolações das abundâncias. Nossos resultados mostram que estas duas espécies respondem à degradação das paisagens e que paisagens mais biodiversas impedem um grande aumento da abundância de espécies que atuam como reservatórios dos hantavírus. Os resultados reforçam a necessidade de serem tomadas medidas que impeçam ou diminuam o desmatamento e a degradação da Mata Atlântica, ou que incentivem a regeneração e restauração florestal, para que possam ser evitados outros surtos de hantavirose. Além disso, evidenciam a importância de se escolher adequadamente a resolução do mapeamento em estudos ecológicos, baseando-se em atributos biológicos da espécie estudada, e ressaltam que extrapolações de abundância das espécies reservatório feitas em escalas muito grosseiras (e.g. acima da escala de resposta das espécies) podem levar a erros expressivos, potencialmente reduzindo a efetividade de ações voltadas para o controle da propagação de hantavírus. / Hantavirus transmission risk to humans in the Atlantic Forest is directly related to the abundance of two rodents species, Oligoryzomys nigripes and Necromys lasiurus, recognized as the main reservoir species of Hantavirus in this biome. Both species benefit by landscape anthropogenic changes, however, the structural parameters and the spatial scale (in terms of extension and resolution) in which the landscape influences the abundance of these two species remains to be examined. This study aims to fill this research gap and specifically test how a proper definition of parameters and scales may affect spatial extrapolation models of the abundance of these species, what may have broad implications for a better control of Hantavirus. This study was conducted in Plateau Paulista, Atlantic Forest, near to the first Hantavirus case in Brazil. Six landscapes were selected, being three control areas (continuous forest) and three fragmented landscapes, which differ in relation to the forest cover percentage (11, 31 e 49%). Small mammals were colected in forest patches, continuous forest and matrix contexts, totaling 104 collect stations. We performed a model selecting approach considering the landscape structure in different spatial extensions around each colect station (200, 500 and 800 m radius) in three different mapping that differ in their spatial resolution (10, 30 and 260 m). The best selected model to each specie in each map resolution was used to extrapolate the species abundance for the entire fragmented landscapes studied, whereby the obtained results for each mapping resolution were compared. A total of 1074 individuals of O. nigripes were captured, most of them in forest patches. The highest abundance ocurred in forest patches of the 11% forest cover landscape, decreasing gradually in landscapes with higher forest cover percentage. N. lasiurus was almost exclusively colected in the matrix with most of the individuals being colected in the 11% forest cover landscape. The abundance of O. nigripes was differently influenced by the landscape forest cover depending on the context (forest patches, continous forest and matrix) in which the species was colected and it was influenced by forest cover and edge density at the local scale (200 m). The abundance of N. lasiurus was negatively influenced by forest cover at more local scales and varied according with type of crop. The scale that most influenced both species was 200 m. The 10 and 30 m resolution mappings were more similar to each other than with the 260 m resolution mapping, what reflected on the best selected models of abundance, as well as on the abundance extrapolations. Our results show that these two species respond to the landscape degradation and that more biodiverse landscapes prevent the increase of the species abundance that act as Hantavirus reservoirs. Ours results reinforce the need of measures that prevent or reduce the Atlantic Forest deforestation and degradation, or encourage the regeneration and forest restoration, in order to avoid other Hantavirus outbreaks. Besides, our results evidence the importance of chosing accordingly the mapping resolution in ecological studies, which should consider the biological traits of the studied species. Additionally we highlight that abundance extrapolations of reservoir species done in a very coarse grain resolution (e.g. above the species response scale) may lead to significant errors, potentially reducing the effectiveness of actions aimed at controlling Hantavirus spread.

We examined aspects of hearing in the red bat (Lasiurus borealis) related to its use of biosonar. Evoked potential audiograms, obtained from volume-conducted auditory brainstem responses, were obtained in two bats, and the sound pressure transformation of the pinna was measured in three specimens. Field-recorded echolocation signals were analysed for comparison. The fundamental sonar search calls sweep from 45 to 30 kHz (peak energy at 35 kHz), approach-phase calls sweep from 65 to 35 kHz (peak 40 kHz) and terminal calls sweep from 70 to 30 kHz (peak 45 kHz). The most sensitive region of the audiogram extended from 10 kHz to 45-55 kHz, with maximum sensitivity as low as 20 dB SPL occurring between 25 and 30 kHz. A relative threshold minimum occurred between 40 and 50 kHz. With increasing frequency, the acoustic axis of the pinna moves upwards and medially. The sound pressure transformation was noteworthy near 40-45 kHz; the acoustic axis was closest to the midline, the -3 dB acceptance angles showed local minima, and the pinna gain and interaural intensity difference were maximal. These results are related to the known echolocation and foraging behavior of this species and match the spectral components of approach- and final-phase calls. We conclude that coevolution with hearing prey has put a higher selective pressure on optimizing localization and tracking of prey than on improving detection performance.

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Ecologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, 2007. / Submitted by Fernanda Weschenfelder (nandaweschenfelder@gmail.com) on 2009-11-26T15:04:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2007_ClarisseRezendeRocha.PDF: 1573350 bytes, checksum: de4b9ef998b233632ebe78772c8a5aa9 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Carolina Campos(carolinacamposmaia@gmail.com) on 2010-01-22T18:14:21Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2007_ClarisseRezendeRocha.PDF: 1573350 bytes, checksum: de4b9ef998b233632ebe78772c8a5aa9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2010-01-22T18:14:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2007_ClarisseRezendeRocha.PDF: 1573350 bytes, checksum: de4b9ef998b233632ebe78772c8a5aa9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-08 / O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a utilização de microhabitat por Calomys tener, Necromys lasiurus e Thalpomys lasiotis e os fatores que mais influenciam a abundância destas três espécies de cricetídeos em áreas abertas de campo com murundus. O estudo foi realizado na Estação Ecológica de Águas Emendadas, Planaltina, DF, entre julho e setembro de 2004. Foram estabelecidas duas grades com 100 pontos de amostragem cada, em que foram colocadas armadilhas e para os quais foram registrados os dados de oito variáveis de microhabitat e das capturas dos roedores. A abundância de Calomys tener foi associada negativamente com o número de árvores e positivamente com a quantidade de gramíneas e de número de cupinzeiros. Foi encontrada diferença significativa entre as variáveis de microhabitat utilizadas por esta espécie quando comparados os machos com as fêmeas. Necromys lasiurus apresentou abundância diretamente proporcional à densidade de árvores no microhabitat. Thalpomys lasiotis apresentou associação negativa com o diâmetro de árvore e associação positiva com a variável distância da árvore mais próxima, o que indica ter associação inversamente proporcional à densidade de árvores. Calomys tener e T. lasiotis parecem ter maior especificidade aos gradientes de microhabitat quando comparado com N.lasiurus, considerada uma espécie generalista de habitats. A Análise de Correspondência Canônica sugeriu que as variáveis de microhabitat não são bons indicadores para predizer a composição da comunidade em áreas de campo cerrado com murundus durante a estação seca, entretanto foi encontrado que estas variáveis são de fato selecionadas pelos indivíduos e espécies. _______________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT / The aim of the present study was to investigate the utilization of microhabitat by Calomys tener, Necromys lasiurus and Thalpomys lasiotis, and the factors that affect the abundance of these cricetid species in open areas of fields with “murundus”, a kind of vegetation of the Central Brazil Cerrado. The study was conducted in a conservation area (Estação Ecológica de Águas Emendadas), Planaltina town, Federal District, from July to September, 2004. Population densities of the three animal species and eight microhabitats variables were recorded in two grids with 100 trapping station each. Calomys tener was negatively associated to the number of trees and positively to grass percentage and numbers of termite nest. It was found a significant difference among used microhabitat variables for this species by comparing males and females. For Necromys lasiurus the most important variables were proximity between trees and number of trees. Thalpomys lasiotis was negatively associated to tree diameters and had a positive association to proximity between trees. Calomys tener and T. lasiotis seemed to have more specificity to microhabitat gradients than N. lasiurus. Canonical Correspondence Analyses suggest that microhabitat variables are not good to predictors of community’s composition in “murundus” fields of the Cerrado areas, during the dry season. However, it was found that these microhabitats variables are in fact selected by individuals and species.

The hantaviruses are among the most important zoonotic pathogens of humans, especially due to high fatality, those associated with Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). In Brazil, more than 1600 cases of HPS have been confirmed since 1993, with a fatality rate of 40%. The viral genotypes associated with HPS in humans, as well as those present in wild rodents were investigated in an endemic area of the state of Minas Gerais in this study. Furthermore, the seroprevalence for hantaviruses, the karyotyping of rodent species captured and the population dynamics of these animals on the Cerrado vegetation types were also evaluated in an ecoepidemiological approach. The ELISA and / or RT-PCR were used to test sera from human cases of SPH and wild rodents and rodent lung fragments. In our study, six patients were evaluated, of these six (100%) were seroreactive in ELISA in six (100%) was possible to amplify viral genetic material and in five (83.3%) was possible sequencing. Were observed in all the viral genotype Araraquara (ARAV), but with the formation of two well-defined clusters. The case fatality rate was 50%. Regarding rodents, 258 specimens were captured. Nine taxa were identified to species level and seven in genus level, all belonging to the subfamily Sigmodontinae. Necromys lasiurus was the most abundant (70.2). We observed a greater diversity of rodents in a fitofisionomy called semi-deciduous dry forest (07 taxa in species level and four in genus level). The winter dry season was associated with the highest capture success (p <0.0001). There was a higher prevalence of pregnancy during the rainy season (p <0.0001). There was a prevalence of IgG antibodies against hantavirus of 1.6%, all specimens of N. lasiurus. Among the four seroreactive rodents, three (75%) was possible to amplify viral genetic material and two (50%) was possible sequencing. Only ARAV viral genotype was observed. Samples of rodents had higher phylogenetic identity with the genotype sequenced of the human sample of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, where the rodents were also captured. Samples identified with ARAV analyzed in this study were distributed at a distance of approximately 400 kilometers. Despite the geographical distance, we observed a high phylogenetic identity between two samples 384 km distant from each other. The environmental and demographic changes that have occurred in recent decades in the study area affected the ecology of wild rodents and facilitated the occurrence of hantavirus infections in humans and the emergence of HPS in this region, mainly ARAV transmitted by N. lasiurus. The observation in this study only the genotype ARAV in specimens of N. lasiurus and humans, does not exclude the possibility of co-circulation of other viral genotypes in this area, beyond the possibility of the existence of other reservoirs of hantaviruses, including non-rodents. / Os hantavírus estão entre os patógenos zoonóticos mais importantes para o homem, especialmente devido a alta letalidade, daqueles associados à Síndrome Pulmonar por hantavírus (SPH). No Brasil, mais de 1600 casos de SPH foram confirmados desde 1993, com uma taxa de letalidade de 40%. Os genótipos virais associados à SPH em humanos, bem como os presentes nos roedores silvestres foram investigados em uma área endêmica do estado de Minas Gerais neste estudo. Além disso, a soroprevalência para hantavírus, a cariotipagem das espécies de roedores capturadas e a dinâmica populacional destes animais nas fitofisionomias do Cerrado também foram avaliadas em uma abordagem ecoepidemiológica. O ELISA e/ou o RT-PCR foram utilizados para testar amostras de soro de casos humanos suspeitos de SPH e de roedores silvestres e fragmentos de pulmão de roedores. Em nossa casuística, seis pacientes foram avaliados, destes (100%) foram sororreativos no ELISA, e em seis (100%) foi possível amplificar material genético viral e em cinco (83,3%) foi possível o sequenciamento. Em todos foram observados o genótipo viral Araraquara (ARAV), porém com a formação de dois clusters bem definidos. A taxa de letalidade dos casos foi de 50%. Em relação aos roedores, 258 espécimes foram capturados. Nove táxons foram identificados a nível específico e sete a nível genérico, todos pertencentes à subfamília Sigmodontinae. Necromys lasiurus foi a espécie mais capturada (70,2). Foi observada maior diversidade de roedores na fitofisionomia Mata seca semidecídua (07 táxons a nível específico e quatro a nível genérico), A estação inverno seco esteve relacionada com o maior sucesso de captura (p < 0,0001). Houve maior prevalência de prenhez durante a estação chuvosa (p<0,0001). Observou-se uma prevalência de anticorpos IgG contra hantavírus de 1,6%, todos espécimes de N. lasiurus. Dentre os quatro roedores sororreativos, em três (75%) foi possível amplificar material genético viral e em dois (50%) foi possível o sequenciamento. Somente o genótipo viral ARAV foi observado. Estes tiveram maior identidade filogenética com o genótipo viral sequenciado de uma amostra humana do município de Uberlândia-MG, local onde também os roedores foram capturados. As amostras identificadas com ARAV analisados no presente estudo foram distribuídas a uma distância de aproximadamente 400 quilômetros. Apesar da distância geográfica, observamos uma alta identidade filogenética entre duas amostras distantes 384 km entre si. As alterações ambientais e demográficas ocorridas nas últimas décadas na área de estudo afetou a ecologia dos roedores silvestres e facilitou a ocorrência de infecções humanas por hantavírus e a emergência da SPH nesta região, principalmente por ARAV transmitido por N. lasiurus. A observação neste estudo apenas do genótipo ARAV em espécimes de N. lasiurus e humanos, não exclui a possibilidade de cocirculação de outros genótipos virais nesta área, além da possibilidade da existência de outros reservatórios de hantavírus, inclusive não roedores. / Doutor em Imunologia e Parasitologia Aplicadas

No description available.

Bat populations across North America are either facing new threats from white-nose syndrome (WNS) and wind energy development or have already experienced precipitous declines. Accordingly, researchers and managers need to know how to best monitor bats to document population and distribution changes, as well as where to look for persisting populations. Landscape-scale WNS impacts to summer bat populations are not well understood, and although acoustic monitoring is commonly used to monitor these populations, there is limited information about differences among acoustic detectors and the implications to managers thereof. My objectives were to model the relationship between WNS impact, influence of available hibernacula, and environmental factors for summer nightly presence of three WNS-affected bats and to compare how multiple models of acoustic detectors perform in terms of detection probability and nightly recorded bat activity. I collected acoustic data from 10 study areas across Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky to describe changes in nightly presence of WNS-affected bat species during summer 2017. During the same period of time, I compared five types of acoustic detectors at Fort Knox, Kentucky. My results show the potential efficacy of using a WNS impact-year metric to predict summer bat presence, and highlight which environmental variables are relevant for large-scale acoustic monitoring. Additionally, my findings suggest that each of the detector types tested would suffice for most research and monitoring activities, but standardization of detector type within the scope of a project or study should be encouraged. / Master of Science / Bat populations across North America are either facing new threats from white-nose syndrome (WNS) and wind energy development or have already experienced devastating declines. Accordingly, wildlife biologists need to know how to best monitor bats to document population and distribution changes, as well as where to look for remaining populations. Landscape-scale WNS impacts to summer bat populations are not well understood, and although acoustic technology is commonly used to monitor these populations, there is limited information about differences among acoustic detectors and the implications to managers thereof. My objectives were to model the relationship between WNS impact, influence of available bat hibernation caves, and environmental factors for summer nightly presence of three WNS-affected bats and to compare how multiple models of acoustic detectors perform in terms of detection probability and nightly recorded bat activity. I collected acoustic data from 10 study areas across Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky to describe changes in nightly presence of WNS-affected bat species during summer 2017. During the same period of time, I compared five types of acoustic detectors at Fort Knox, Kentucky. My results show potential viability of a WNS impact-year metric to predict summer bat presence, and highlight which environmental variables are relevant for large-scale acoustic monitoring. Additionally, my findings suggest that each of the detector types tested would suit most research and monitoring activities, but standardization of detector type within the scope of a project or study should be encouraged.

In eastern North America, "tree bats" (Genera: Lasiurus and Lasionycteris) are highly susceptible to collisions with wind energy turbines and are known to fly offshore during migration. This raises concern about ongoing expansion of offshore wind-energy development off the Atlantic Coast. Season, atmospheric conditions, and site-level characteristics such as local habitat features (e.g., forest coverage) have been shown to influence wind turbine collision rates by bats onshore, and similar features may be related to risk offshore. In response to rapidly developing offshore wind energy development, I assessed the factors affecting coastal and offshore presence of tree bats. I continuously gathered tree bat nightly occurrence data using stationary acoustic recorders on five structures (four lighthouses on barrier islands and one light tower offshore) off the coast of Virginia, USA, across all seasons, 2012–2019. I used generalized additive models to describe nightly tree bat occurrence in relation to multiple factors. I found that sites either indicated maternity or migratory patterns in their seasonal occurrence pattern that were associated with local roosting resources (i.e., presence of forest). Across all sites, nightly occurrence was negatively related to wind speed and positively related to temperature and visibility. Using predictive performance metrics, I concluded that the model was highly predictive for the Virginia coast. My findings were consistent with other studies—tree bat occurrence probability and presumed mortality risk to offshore wind-energy collisions is highest on nights with low wind speed, high temperature and visibility during spring and fall. The high predictive model performance I observed provides a basis for which managers, using a similar monitoring and modeling regime, could develop an effective curtailment-based mitigation strategy. Although information at fixed points is helpful for managing specific sites, large questions remain on certain aspects of tree bat migration, in part because direct evidence (i.e., tracking of individuals) has been difficult to obtain so far. For instance, patterns in fall behavior such as the timing of migration events, the existence of migratory pathways, consistencies in the direction of travel, the drivers of over-water flight, and the activity states of residents (or bats in stopover) remain unstudied in the mid-Atlantic. The recently established Motus Wildlife Tracking System, an array of ground-based receiver stations, provides a new technique to track individual bats via the ability to detect course-scale movement paths of attached very high frequency radio-tags. To reveal patterns in migration, and to understand drivers of over-water flight, I captured and radio-tagged 115 eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) and subsequently tracked their movements. For the bats with evidence of large movements, most traveled in a southwesterly direction whereby paths were often oriented interior toward the continental landmass rather than being oriented along the coastline. This observation challenges earlier held beliefs that bats closely follow linear landscape features, such as the coast, when migrating. I documented bats traveling across wide sections of the Chesapeake and Delaware bays confirming the species' ability to travel across large water bodies. This behavior typically occurred in the early hours of the night and during favorable flying conditions such as low wind speeds, warm temperatures, and/or during sudden increases in temperature associated with the passage of cold fronts. For bats engaging in site residency through the fall, the proportion of night-hours in which bats were in a resting state (and possibly torpor), increased with colder temperatures and the progression of the fall season. My study demonstrated that bats may be at risk to offshore wind turbine collisions off the mid-Atlantic, but that this risk might be minimal if most bats are migrating toward the interior landscape rather than following the coast. Nonetheless, if flight over large water bodies such as Chesapeake and Delaware bays is a viable proxy for over-ocean flight, then collision risk at offshore wind turbines may be somewhat linked to atmospheric, seasonal timing, or other effects, and therefore some level of predictable and manageable with mitigations options such as smart curtailment. / Master of Science / In eastern North America on the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts, a group of bat species named "tree bats" engage in seasonal migrations—generally shifting north in spring and south in fall. On the East coast, it is known that eastern red bats and silver-haired bats will occasionally fly over the ocean during these periods. Although this behavior is somewhat hard to explain due to their reliance on trees for day-time roosting, it raises concern conservation concerns due to the current and future rapid development of offshore wind energy turbines. This is compounded by the fact that collision rates with turbines are high for this species group in general and highest in the fall migratory season. The fall period is also when bats may be attracted to tall structures such as turbines and when most offshore flight happens. Nevertheless, bats are sensitive to atmospheric conditions such as temperature and wind speed, and other factors influence their propensity to fly (and be at risk to turbine strikes). So, understanding these drivers may aid in understanding the conditions that present the highest risk to strike at offshore wind turbines. In response to rapid offshore wind development in the Atlantic, I recorded bats in coastal Virginia, USA from 2012–2019, using acoustic monitors—devices that collect the echolocation vocalizations of bats. I found that tree bat visitation offshore or on barrier islands was associated with wind speed, temperature, visibility, and seasonality. Using statistical modeling, I developed a predictive tool to assess occurrence probabilities at varying levels of wind speed, temperature, and seasonality. Probability of occurrence and therefore assumed risk to collision was highest on high temperature and visibility nights, low wind speed nights, and during the spring and fall seasons. Therefore, I suggest a similar modeling regime could be used to predict the occurrence of bats at offshore wind sites to inform potential mitigation efforts. Next, I attempted to answer broader questions about tree bat migratory behavior such as attempting to identify migratory pathways throughout the mid-Atlantic. The Motus Wildlife Tracking System gives researchers the ability to directly track individuals over long-distances with radio-transmitters and ground-based receiver stations. Using Motus, I captured and radio-tagged >100 tree bats, which were of majority eastern red bats and tracked their movements throughout the mid-Atlantic region. I found that movements were not oriented along the coastline, which challenged previously held beliefs that bats use the coast during migration. Tree bats also traversed large bodies of water, the Chesapeake and Delaware bays, confirming the ability for this group to fly over-water. Through statistical modeling, I found that these over-water bouts were early in the night and related to advantageous flying conditions such as low wind speeds, high temperatures, and during periods of sudden temperature increase (which could be linked to the passage of cold weather fronts). Offshore collision risk to tree bats may be somewhat minimal if most bats orient inland, rather than coastal for their migration movement. Nevertheless, for those bats that do fly over the ocean, if crossing large waterbodies is a viable proxy for over-ocean movement, then this behavior is linked to multiple factors, of which can be used to predict occurrences and even potentially predict and manage risk to collision.

Bats occupy diverse and unique niches and are regarded as important components in maintaining ecosystem health. They are major consumers of nocturnal insects, serve as pollinators, seed disperser, and provide important economic benefits as consumers of agricultural and forest pest insects. Bats have been proposed as good indicators of the integrity of natural communities because they integrate a number of resource attributes and may show population declines quickly if a resource attribute is missing. Establishing community- and population-level data, and understanding species interactions is especially important in changing landscapes and for species whose populations levels are threatened by outside factors of anthropomorphic disturbance from hibernacular visitation to energy production and fungal pathogens. For these reasons I have set out to establish habitat use patterns, detection probabilities, spatial and temporal occupancy, and investigate species interactions. This thesis is broken down into three distinct chapters each intended to be a stand-alone document. The first establishes the basic ecology from natural history accounts, provides an overview of the various sampling strategies, and gives a comprehensive description of the study area. The seconds sets out to identify the factors influencing detection probabilities and occupancy of six sympatric bats species and provide insight into habitat use patterns. The third examines spatial and temporal activity patterns and investigates species interactions. This study can provide understanding into the secretive and poorly understood patterns of free flying bats across the landscape. It can also deliver useful information to land managers regarding potential changes in landscape practices for the conservation of bat species. / Master of Science