title: Conservation implications of physiological carry-over effects in bats recovering from white-nose syndrome.
abstract: Although it is well documented that infectious diseases can pose threats to biodiversity, the potential long-term consequences of pathogen exposure on individual fitness and its effects on population viability have rarely been studied. We tested the hypothesis that pathogen exposure causes physiological carry-over effects with a pathogen that is uniquely suited to this question because the infection period is specific and time limited. The fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans causes white-nose syndrome (WNS) in hibernating bats, which either die due to the infection while hibernating or recover following emergence from hibernation. The fungus infects all exposed individuals in an overwintering site simultaneously, and bats that survive infection during hibernation clear the pathogen within a few weeks following emergence. We quantified chronic stress during the active season, when bats are not infected, by measuring cortisol in bat claws. Free-ranging Myotis lucifugus who survived previous exposure to P. destructans had significantly higher levels of claw cortisol than naïve individuals. Thus, cryptic physiological carry-over effects of pathogen exposure may persist in asymptomatic, recovered individuals. If these effects result in reduced survival or reproductive success, they could also affect population viability and even act as a third stream in the extinction vortex. For example, significant increases in chronic stress, such as those indicated here, are correlated with reduced reproductive success in a number of species. Future research should directly explore the link between pathogen exposure and the viability of apparently recovered populations to improve understanding of the true impacts of infectious diseases on threatened populations.
authors.affiliation: Natural Resources DNA Profiling and Forensics Centre, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, K9J 7B8, Canada.|Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg Canada, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9, Canada.
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Davy
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Physiology, Toronto Zoo, 361A Old Finch Avenue, Toronto, ON, M1B 5K7, Canada.
authors.forename: Gabriela F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Mastromonaco
authors.affiliation: Division of Brain, Behaviour and Evolution, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, 2122, Australia.
authors.forename: Julia L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.affiliation: Division of Brain, Behaviour and Evolution, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, 2122, Australia.
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Baxter-Gilbert
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg Canada, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9, Canada.|Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B2, Canada.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mayberry
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg Canada, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9, Canada.
authors.forename: Craig K R
authors.initials: CKR
authors.lastname: Willis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001203:Ascomycota; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D006605:Hibernation; D006801:Humans; D009181:Mycoses / Q000662:veterinary*; D009666:Nose; D011157:Population Dynamics
keywords: COEs; WNS; chronic stress; cortisol; emerging infectious diseases; enfermedades infecciosas emergentes; estrés crónico; estrés fisiológico; extinction vortex; physiological stress; vórtice de extinción