tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38049554.post7158310205062915750..comments2023-10-21T07:53:38.322-05:00Comments on (It's a ...) Micro World (... after all): Northeastern USA Ecosystems Under AttackUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38049554.post-16501441889341593042009-08-12T14:11:27.551-05:002009-08-12T14:11:27.551-05:00They talked about immunizations but I have no idea...They talked about immunizations but I have no idea how they'd accomplish that. Spike insects known to be eaten by bats with the vaccine and then have the bats orally administer themselves?<br /><br />If the fungus is relegated to the caves, (given it's abnormal growth requirements in terms of temperature) it seems that fungicide treatment of those caves might be a plausible route, no?Thomas Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06146918395558249696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38049554.post-42552855224858903072009-08-12T14:08:38.715-05:002009-08-12T14:08:38.715-05:00when I was at the mycology meeting a few weeks bac...when I was at the mycology meeting a few weeks back, I saw a presentation on this fungus and the bats. It was very depressing.<br /> <br />One thing I didn't realize was that when they hibernate, they shut down their immune system which leaves them susceptible to the fungus. The bats that don't hibernate (and migrate instead) don't get it. It will be interesting to see if over time, the populations of migrating bats will increase to make up for the loss. <br /><br />I would like to think that they can find a solution, but I am not too hopeful. All I can think of that could act of something on this scale that acts so quickly are supplemental heating and feeding during the winter to prevent hibernation, or massive fungicide spraying , neither of which is too practical.soil mamanoreply@blogger.com