Johns, Damian (2022) Investigating invasion dynamics of Pseudogymnoascus destructans in Texas bats reveals differential patterns of pathogen progression. Masters thesis, Northern Arizona University.
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Abstract
As the modern world becomes more connected, the rapid spread of infectious fungal pathogens proves to be one of the leading threats to wildlife health. The fungal disease, white-nose syndrome (WNS), in North American bats is a prominent example of the devastating impact novel pathogens can have on naïve wildlife populations. The virulent disease has caused unprecedented declines in North American bat populations and threatens multiple species with extinction. The causative agent, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, is highly adapted to infecting cave-hibernating bats to complete its life cycle, however the extent and severity of WNS threat is highly variable across different bat species and geographic regions. The WNS epizootic presents a unique opportunity to study the disease dynamics and host species impacts of a novel pathogen as it spreads into new regions and populations. The emergence of WNS in the diverse and abundant bat communities of Texas is a significant phase of the pathogen’s invasion across the continent and merits examination. Frick et al. (2017) was the first study to examine the spatiotemporal progression of P. destructans prevalence and infection intensity during the continental-scale invasion of the pathogen in North America. We aim to build on their foundational study by investigating the prevalence and infection dynamics of P. destructans during its invasion and establishment in Texas and how they compare to the progression of the pathogen in the eastern and midwestern regions of the U.S. Here, we compare the temporal patterns of P. destructans progression in Myotis velifer and Perimyotis subflavus in Texas with the invasion dynamics of the pathogen in the East to better understand the divergent outcomes of host-pathogen interactions.
Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
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Publisher’s Statement: | © Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. |
Keywords: | fungal pathogen; Pseudogymnoascus destructans; white-nose syndrome; wildlife disease; Bats; Texas |
Subjects: | Q Science > QL Zoology |
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status: | Student |
Department/Unit: | Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences > Biological Sciences |
Date Deposited: | 12 Jun 2023 17:43 |
Last Modified: | 04 Jan 2024 08:30 |
URI: | https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/6000 |
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