Ecological-based insights into bat populations in the Yucatán Peninsula under a One Health approach: coexistence or biophobia
The Yucatán Peninsula (YP) is home to approximately 60 bat species with differing feeding strategists that, collectively, are fundamental for the health of tropical forests. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, biophobic (aversive) responses towards bats were recorded in urban and rural areas of the YP,...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Conservation Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2024.1488378/full |
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| author | Ma. Fernanda Sánchez-Soto Osiris Gaona Ricardo Mercado-Juárez Ricardo Mercado-Juárez Alfredo Yanez-Montalvo Arit de León-Lorenzana Gabriela Borja-Martínez Gabriela Borja-Martínez Daniela Zaldívar Stephany Rodríguez-González Erika N. Hernández-Villegas Andres Moreira-Soto Jan Felix Drexler Gerardo Suzán Ella Vázquez-Domínguez Luisa I. Falcón |
| author_facet | Ma. Fernanda Sánchez-Soto Osiris Gaona Ricardo Mercado-Juárez Ricardo Mercado-Juárez Alfredo Yanez-Montalvo Arit de León-Lorenzana Gabriela Borja-Martínez Gabriela Borja-Martínez Daniela Zaldívar Stephany Rodríguez-González Erika N. Hernández-Villegas Andres Moreira-Soto Jan Felix Drexler Gerardo Suzán Ella Vázquez-Domínguez Luisa I. Falcón |
| author_sort | Ma. Fernanda Sánchez-Soto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Yucatán Peninsula (YP) is home to approximately 60 bat species with differing feeding strategists that, collectively, are fundamental for the health of tropical forests. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, biophobic (aversive) responses towards bats were recorded in urban and rural areas of the YP, making evident the need to monitor bat diversity, investigate species’ biology (e.g., microbiome) and, perhaps most importantly, conduct educational activities that foster an affinity for bats. We designed a multi-scale effort to characterize bat populations and their gut microbiome in urban (Mérida), agricultural (Tizimín), and conserved (Calakmul) landscapes of the YP, while conducting outreach activities to promote biophilic responses. In general, children showed positive responses toward bats, recognizing that they are important parts of their environment. A total of 308 bats from 18 species were sampled; frugivorous species were the most abundant guild (93%), represented mainly by Artibeus jamaicensis and Artibeus lituratus, followed by insectivorous species. Conserved and agricultural landscapes harbored 11 and 16 bat species respectively, both with higher diversity than the suburban areas (eight species). Findings suggest that land use differences in the YP are a factor affecting bat diversity, as well as bat microbiome diversity. Gut microbiome was mainly composed of Pseudomonadota, Bacillota and Actinobacterota (>90%), and abundant bacterial families included Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcaceae and Streptococcaceae. Our results have set the baseline for zoonotic disease screening and prevention in the YP, highlighting the importance of coexistence with bats given their key role in maintaining the health of ecosystems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-250a4220035d410291ff8c11c12b66f9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2673-611X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Conservation Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-250a4220035d410291ff8c11c12b66f92025-01-31T10:07:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Conservation Science2673-611X2025-01-01510.3389/fcosc.2024.14883781488378Ecological-based insights into bat populations in the Yucatán Peninsula under a One Health approach: coexistence or biophobiaMa. Fernanda Sánchez-Soto0Osiris Gaona1Ricardo Mercado-Juárez2Ricardo Mercado-Juárez3Alfredo Yanez-Montalvo4Arit de León-Lorenzana5Gabriela Borja-Martínez6Gabriela Borja-Martínez7Daniela Zaldívar8Stephany Rodríguez-González9Erika N. Hernández-Villegas10Andres Moreira-Soto11Jan Felix Drexler12Gerardo Suzán13Ella Vázquez-Domínguez14Luisa I. Falcón15Laboratorio de Ecología Bacteriana, Instituto de Ecología, Unidad Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ucú, MexicoLaboratorio de Ecología Bacteriana, Instituto de Ecología, Unidad Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ucú, MexicoLaboratorio de Ecología Bacteriana, Instituto de Ecología, Unidad Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ucú, MexicoPosgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, MexicoLaboratorio de Ecología Bacteriana, Instituto de Ecología, Unidad Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ucú, MexicoLaboratorio de Ecología Bacteriana, Instituto de Ecología, Unidad Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ucú, MexicoPosgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, MexicoLaboratorio de Genética y Ecología, Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Mexico City, MexicoEscuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores (ENES), Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ucú, MexicoPosgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, MexicoPosgrado en Ciencias de la Salud y Producción Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Mexico City, MexicoInstitut fur Virologie, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, GermanyInstitut fur Virologie, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, GermanyLaboratorio Mixto Internacional (ELDORADO), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México-Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UNAM-IRD), Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Mérida, MexicoLaboratorio de Genética y Ecología, Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Mexico City, MexicoLaboratorio de Ecología Bacteriana, Instituto de Ecología, Unidad Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Ucú, MexicoThe Yucatán Peninsula (YP) is home to approximately 60 bat species with differing feeding strategists that, collectively, are fundamental for the health of tropical forests. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, biophobic (aversive) responses towards bats were recorded in urban and rural areas of the YP, making evident the need to monitor bat diversity, investigate species’ biology (e.g., microbiome) and, perhaps most importantly, conduct educational activities that foster an affinity for bats. We designed a multi-scale effort to characterize bat populations and their gut microbiome in urban (Mérida), agricultural (Tizimín), and conserved (Calakmul) landscapes of the YP, while conducting outreach activities to promote biophilic responses. In general, children showed positive responses toward bats, recognizing that they are important parts of their environment. A total of 308 bats from 18 species were sampled; frugivorous species were the most abundant guild (93%), represented mainly by Artibeus jamaicensis and Artibeus lituratus, followed by insectivorous species. Conserved and agricultural landscapes harbored 11 and 16 bat species respectively, both with higher diversity than the suburban areas (eight species). Findings suggest that land use differences in the YP are a factor affecting bat diversity, as well as bat microbiome diversity. Gut microbiome was mainly composed of Pseudomonadota, Bacillota and Actinobacterota (>90%), and abundant bacterial families included Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcaceae and Streptococcaceae. Our results have set the baseline for zoonotic disease screening and prevention in the YP, highlighting the importance of coexistence with bats given their key role in maintaining the health of ecosystems.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2024.1488378/fullArtibeus jamaicensisArtibeus lituratusbatsbiophiliahabitat fragmentationmicrobiome |
| spellingShingle | Ma. Fernanda Sánchez-Soto Osiris Gaona Ricardo Mercado-Juárez Ricardo Mercado-Juárez Alfredo Yanez-Montalvo Arit de León-Lorenzana Gabriela Borja-Martínez Gabriela Borja-Martínez Daniela Zaldívar Stephany Rodríguez-González Erika N. Hernández-Villegas Andres Moreira-Soto Jan Felix Drexler Gerardo Suzán Ella Vázquez-Domínguez Luisa I. Falcón Ecological-based insights into bat populations in the Yucatán Peninsula under a One Health approach: coexistence or biophobia Frontiers in Conservation Science Artibeus jamaicensis Artibeus lituratus bats biophilia habitat fragmentation microbiome |
| title | Ecological-based insights into bat populations in the Yucatán Peninsula under a One Health approach: coexistence or biophobia |
| title_full | Ecological-based insights into bat populations in the Yucatán Peninsula under a One Health approach: coexistence or biophobia |
| title_fullStr | Ecological-based insights into bat populations in the Yucatán Peninsula under a One Health approach: coexistence or biophobia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ecological-based insights into bat populations in the Yucatán Peninsula under a One Health approach: coexistence or biophobia |
| title_short | Ecological-based insights into bat populations in the Yucatán Peninsula under a One Health approach: coexistence or biophobia |
| title_sort | ecological based insights into bat populations in the yucatan peninsula under a one health approach coexistence or biophobia |
| topic | Artibeus jamaicensis Artibeus lituratus bats biophilia habitat fragmentation microbiome |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2024.1488378/full |
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