A5086988415- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Marine animal studies overview
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Insect Pheromone Research and Control
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Marine and environmental studies
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Effects of Environmental Stressors on Livestock
- Entomological Studies and Ecology
- Hemiptera Insect Studies
- Fossil Insects in Amber
- Advanced Vision and Imaging
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Animal Virus Infections Studies
- Blood groups and transfusion
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
2020-2025
Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research
2022-2025
Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers
2022-2025
National Museum of Natural History
2020-2025
German Meteorological Service
2025
Sorbonne Université
2025
Université Paris Cité
2025
Military Medical Academy
2022
National Museum of Denmark
2022
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
2020
Abstract Knowledge of species’ functional traits is essential for understanding biodiversity patterns, predicting the impacts global environmental changes, and assessing efficiency conservation measures. Bats are major components mammalian diversity occupy a variety ecological niches geographic distributions. However, an extensive compilation their attributes still missing. Here we present EuroBaTrait 1.0, most comprehensive up-to-date trait dataset covering 47 European bat species. The...
Abstract The bat immune system features multiple unique properties such as dampened inflammatory responses and increased tissue protection, explaining their long lifespan tolerance to viral infections. Here, we demonstrated that body temperature fluctuations corresponding different physiological states in bats exert a large impact on antibody repertoires. At elevated temperatures typical for flight, IgG from the species Myotis myotis Nyctalus noctula show antigen binding strength diversity,...
Little is known about the winter bat activity in Bulgaria, which poses challenges monitoring potential deviations their behaviour as a consequence of warming climate. Using passive acoustic monitoring, we investigated some Europe's largest hibernacula. Our findings reveal cave and species-specific patterns. Activity was observed throughout each month survey, with distinct peaks on specific days. At one high-elevation site, restricted to single night, while highest overall occurred at...
Global biodiversity and ecosystem function are the result of complex networks interactions feedbacks between animals their environments, which in turn affected by organisms they host. Understanding these networks, including main drivers responses to ecological environmental changes global implications, requires adopting a systems-based perspective. We advocate for this approach characterizing framework centered around bats, globally-distributed mammalian order, dual roles as both inhabitants...
The Veryovkina Cave, located in the Abkhazia region, is world’s deepest known cave (approximately 2204 m) and hosts unique microbial ecosystems. Following a major flood 2018, this study explored impact on diversity using 16S rRNA gene sequencing across ten sampling sites (A1–A10), for which negative control was used. samples were classified into "Upper," "Medium," "Deeper" regions, with sediment types, moisture levels, post-flood human access recorded to provide ecological context. 43,195...
ABSTRACT Aim More species‐rich communities are often assumed to contain more specialist species with narrower niches and smaller ranges. Stronger interspecific competition in is thought be a key mechanism explaining these patterns. Yet, the relationship between richness specialisation has so far only been studied for few taxa, characterising effects of on distributions challenging. Here, we assess broad‐scale relationships niche breadth, range sizes geographic exclusion along gradients bats....
Abstract Climate change is predicted to drive geographical range shifts that will result in changes species diversity and functional composition have potential repercussions for ecosystem functioning. However, the effect of these on (FD) remains unclear, especially mammals, specifically bats. We used distribution models a comprehensive ecological morphometrical trait database estimate how projected future climate land‐use could influence distribution, composition, FD European bat community....
According to Bergmann's and Allen's rules, climate change may drive morphological shifts in species, affecting body size appendage length. These rules predict that species colder climates tend be larger have shorter appendages improve thermoregulation. Bats are thought sensitive therefore expected respond climatic changes across space time. We conducted a phylogenetic meta‐analysis on > 27 000 forearm length (FAL) mass (BM) measurements from 20 sedentary European bat examine patterns....
The natural history of island-restricted bats remains poorly understood, particularly with regard to their social behaviours. Here, we present the first description calls aggression, distress and isolation in IUCN endangered Madeira pipistrelle (Pipistrellus maderensis, Dobson, 1878). We recorded P. maderensis during two nights mist netting at different sites on Island, Portugal. classified species-specific into four main categories calls, variations (A; B; C.i; C.c; D) indicating specific...
White-Nose Disease (WND) has killed millions of hibernating bats in the US and Canada. Its causative agent, fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans was introduced to North America, but is native Europe Asia, where it not associated with mass mortality. Although nearly impossible eradicate an emerging wildlife disease, research on P. spread mechanisms can aid prevention new introductions development better environmental management strategies. It particular importance quantify potential role...
Abstract Species distribution models (SDMs) are powerful tools for assessing suitable habitat across large areas and at fine spatial resolution. Yet, the usefulness of SDMs mapping species’ realized distributions is often limited, since data biases or missing information on dispersal barriers biotic interactions hinder them from accurately delineating range limits. One way to overcome this limitation integrate with expert maps, which provide coarse-scale extent ranges that complementary...
ABSTRACT Aim Species distribution models (SDMs) are powerful tools for assessing suitable habitats across large areas and at fine spatial resolution. Yet, the usefulness of SDMs mapping species' realised distributions is often limited since data biases or missing information on dispersal barriers biotic interactions hinder them from accurately delineating range limits. One way to overcome this limitation integrate with expert maps, which provide coarse‐scale extent ranges thereby limits that...
Urbanisation presents both challenges and opportunities for bat populations. Understanding the composition distribution of urban species is first step toward their effective conservation. However, comprehensive studies on diversity remain scarce in Bulgaria. To address this gap, we conducted a year-long acoustic survey five different habitats urbanised territory Veliko Tarnovo. Our study identified presence eight other distinct groups within environment. Bats were found to utilise various...
Understanding how organisms adapt to complex environments is a central goal of evolutionary biology and ecology. This issue special interest in the current era rapidly changing climatic conditions. Here, we investigate clinal variation plastic responses life history, morphology physiology butterfly Pieris napi along pan-European gradient by exposing butterflies raised captivity different temperatures. We found body size, growth rates concomitant development time, wing aspect ratio,...
Better empirical knowledge of how bat and insect phenology are influenced by seasonal environmental conditions this may affect fitness is essential in the face changing climatic conditions. We examined winter diet Schreibers’ bent-winged Miniopterus schreibersii (Kuhl, 1817) from Razhishkata Cave, Balkan Mountains, Bulgaria during four sampling periods 2021 (end January - end March). used a combination DNA metabarcoding microscope-based morphological analyses bats droppings. Additionally, we...
Abstract. Around 60 % of all bat species occur in islands, and nearly one four is an insular endemic. Bats are often the only native terrestrial mammals oceanic despite increasing anthropogenic pressures, little known about distribution, natural history, population status most populations. The sub-tropical archipelago Madeira composed volcanic islands Madeira, Porto Santo, Desertas home to Macaronesian endemic Pipistrellus maderensis, subspecies Nyctalus leisleri verrucosus, Plecotus...
Bulgaria has a very rich bat fauna and large colonies of bats can be found in caves, mines other underground roosts. Respectively, there are more than 107 roosts that listed as important sites, most which protected by statutory laws national or international importance. Despite the existence formal protection, many face anthropogenic disturbances due to popularity outdoor activities, such caving lack actual regulation. Currently, evaluation was only based on size colony presence species....
Introduced pathogens causing emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are serious contemporary threats to animal, plant, and ecosystem health. The invasive fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has established populations of European origin in North America, resulting mass mortality several hibernating bat species. Extensive monitoring for this pathogen exists Europe but limited screening is taking place elsewhere. We report results from cave surveys on Hawai‘i Island. Substrates 10 lava-tube...
Abstract Extreme weather events such as heat waves are predicted to increase in the course of anthropogenic climate change. Widespread species exposed a variety environmental conditions throughout their distribution range, often resulting local adaptation. Consequently, populations from different regions may vary capacity deal with challenging thermal stress. In this study, we investigated clinal variation body size, fecundity, and oxidative markers along pan-European latitudinal gradient...
Many animals use social cues to find refuges. Bats can roosts using the echolocation and calls of conspecifics, but they might also scent cues, a possibility which is less studied. The entrances bat are often marked by guano urine, providing possible cues. We conducted eight experiments test whether bats urine potential roosts. In field experiments, we tested if Molossus molossus (velvety free-tailed bats) in Panama Eptesicus fuscus (big brown Ohio would investigate artificial roost boxes...
In animals that regularly experience tissue loss, physiological responses may have evolved to overcome the related costs. Changes in oxidative status reflect such self-maintenance mechanisms. Here, we investigated how markers of varied female orb-weaving spiders (Larinia jeskovi) by mimicking two distinct types loss they naturally encounter: damage their locomotory system and external genital structure (scapus), as inflicted males during copulation (external mutilation). Damage resulted a...
More species-rich communities are often assumed to contain more specialist species, typically characterized by narrower niche breadths or smaller ranges.Stronger interspecific competition in is thought be a key mechanism explaining these patterns.Yet, the relationship between richness and specialization has so far only been studied for few taxa, characterizing effects of on species niches distributions challenging.Thus, it remains unclear how general richness-specialization relationships...