Absent Little Brown Bat: Terrestrial Caves Ecology

Little Brown Bats (absent), Mosquitos, and Pseudogymnoascus destructans

More than just a nuisance, mosquitoes present a health risk to humans due to the types of diseases they carry. In New York state, the types of mosquito-borne diseases found include West Nile Virus, Zika Virus, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Although mosquitos are a valuable food source for many other fish, bird, and mammal species, their huge increase in numbers in recent years have led to concerns among the populations of those living in higher latitudes. Global climate change has been leading to warmer temperatures in the US, along with shorter winter periods. These changes have in effect extended the range of many mosquito species from tropical regions that carry these diseases. The increased use of pesticides and repellent in attempting to control mosquito populations also may have unforeseen consequences on native habitats and species. The most important factor in managing mosquito populations is bat populations. Little brown bats are a species of bat native to New York State and much of the Northeast region of the US. In recent years, a disease called “White-nose Syndrome” has greatly decimated little brown bat populations, along with other species of bats. Although the progression of the disease is still widely unknown, it is believed that the white fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, for which the disease gets its name, causes bats to wake up during hibernation. Once bats wake up, they begin using up their energy stores in the cold winter and eventually starve to death. White-nose has been spreading to different hibernation sites due to human interference in natural habitats. If bat populations are not allowed to recover, mosquito populations are likely to continue to increase.

Composition installed and designed by: Guinevere Sherrill

My name is Claudia Buszta, and I am an Environmental Geography major. I am working this year with Professor Haughwout on the 6th E Street project to illustrate how different organisms relate to each other within their ecological communities. Our focus is on regional ecosystems in New York State, identifying how native species interact with human activity. These summaries are meant to accompany the visualizations of the ecologies within the tunnels.