Molly Simonis searches for bats in a culvert under Interstate 85 in Lee County, Alabama.

Researchers at the Auburn University College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment (CFWE) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) are working together to study disease ecology in southeastern bat populations. Through the efforts of CFWE faculty and local USFWS personnel along with several partners, the team is dedicated to proactively uncovering the mysteries of Alabama’s bat populations and the diseases that affect them.

The culprit 

The researchers are honing their efforts on a deadly disease: white nose syndrome (WNS). This illness is caused by a certain fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, that is believed to have originated in Europe or Asia and arrived in North America in the early 2000s according to the National Park Service. This fungus thrives in communal bat habitats, making several species susceptible to disease transmission. 

Since its introduction, it has been recorded in a majority of the contiguous U.S. and Canadian provinces as well. Cave-dwelling bat species have witnessed dramatic population declines in the previous two decades because of WNS, spurring the need for proactive research to acquire more information about where bats are dwelling and which species are present. 

Brittany Barker-Jones, USFWS fish and wildlife biologist, says that since caves are not common in south Alabama, bats will find more unnatural dwellings to call home. 

“In the southern part of Alabama where caves aren’t common, bats have been found occupying culverts in the winter,” she said. “Culverts are manmade structures found under roads that can mimic cave environments.” 

Because of their intended function, culverts provide the dark, moist habitat that a cave typically exhibits. Complimenting their nocturnality, bats take safe harbor in these spaces during winter while feeding on insects for nourishment. 

True to its name, bats displaying WNS will exhibit a ‘white nose’ where the fungus can be seen, as well as on their wings where the fungus can deteriorate thin membranes. Bats are flying mammals, and severe infections that create holes in their wings can impact their ability to fly and eat. Because of the disease, infected bats will also use more of their internally stored energy while hibernating , and will often fatally starve before seasonal temperatures warm. 

A southeastern bat (top) and a tricolor bat (bottom) share a dwelling in a culvert in Lee County, Alabama.

Species under investigation 

WNS is known to affect little brown bats, northern long-eared bats and tricolored bats in North America. Tri-colored bats are currently proposed to be listed as endangered in accordance with the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This is the primary species the team is investigating.  

Bats are an important animal for ecosystems across the Southeast and beyond. According to Barker-Jones, bats provide free pest control and can consume more than 1,000 mosquitos in one night. Agriculture, a staple in the Southeast, also benefits from bats’ predation on harmful insect pests, saving the U.S. agriculture industry more than $3.7 billion per year on average.  Bats are also known pollinators, contributing to the pollination of more than 500 plant species globally. 

Molly Simonis, CFWE assistant professor and wildlife disease ecologist, says that being in front of the species’ potential ESA listing with accurate, current population data is the goal of the voluntary research. 

“We surveyed culverts in eastern Alabama to find bat species seeking refuge in these culverts in winter months to gain better population estimates of species threatened by WNS in the U.S.,” she said. “Other states like Mississippi, Georgia and Texas also monitor culverts for bats sensitive to WNS, and Alabama uses similar methods . Thus, culvert surveys in Alabama are a part of a broader effort to understand the abundance, ecology and behaviors of North American bats imperiled by this disease.” 

Conducting the bat surveys, as some could imagine, is a dirty job. Wading through water flows, thick mud, steep drop-offs and seemingly endless mosquitos is not for the faint of heart. For researchers like Barker-Jones and Simonis, it is the best part of their workday. 

“We search for bats methodically; scanning the ceilings, weep holes and walls of the culverts looking for bats or signs of bats,” Barker-Jones said. “Typically, the bats are found packed snuggly into holes or cracks of the culverts. They’re also seen hanging on the ceilings and walls. We try not to disturb them, visually documenting the species and number of each . We also gather information about the culvert size and type to better understand if bats have a preference of culvert they’re occupying.” 

Brittany Barker-Jones and Justin Hall, CFWE researcher, inspect a culvert for bats.

All hands on deck 

The team is not alone in their quest for bat disease ecology knowledge. An interdisciplinary partnership with the Alabama Bat Working Group, a collaborative effort between private, state and federal organizations, provides plentiful resources to accomplish the task at hand. This group is comprised of Auburn University, Alabama Power, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, USFWS, U.S. Forest Service, Alabama Forestry Foundation, Alabama Department of Transportation and several environmental consultants. 

For example, Simonis and Barker-Jones are utilizing maps and other information from ALDOT to expedite the location of bridges and culverts along interstates in the area to survey bats. As a unified entity, the collective resources of the Alabama Bat Working Group ensure all hands on deck to protect the designated bat species. 

This collaborative effort among conservation partners highlights the critical importance of pooling resources to advance land-grant research efforts. 

“These surveys have given me the opportunity to do some important work as a new principal investigator (PI) at Auburn,” said Simonis. “It is very valuable to work with other bat researchers here in Alabama and to gain insights to how Alabama bats use the landscape compared to other places I’ve performed research.” 

 The team plans to continue gathering and processing their findings in hopes of protecting the beloved bat species that call Alabama home. 

For more information on WNS and where it can be found, refer to the spread map located on the WNS Response Team website.