Banca de DEFESA: PALOMA JOANA ALBUQUERQUE DE OLIVEIRA

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : PALOMA JOANA ALBUQUERQUE DE OLIVEIRA
DATE: 29/08/2025
TIME: 08:00
LOCAL: remoto
TITLE:

Body condition, parasitism and ecotoxicology of bats in response to urbanization in the Caatinga morphoclimatic domain, from the perspective of One Health approach

KEY WORDS:

Chiroptera, parasitic infestation, heavy metals, environmental quality, conservation, health.

PAGES: 183
BIG AREA: Ciências Agrárias
AREA: Medicina Veterinária
SUBÁREA: Medicina Veterinária Preventiva
SPECIALTY: Doenças Parasitárias de Animais
SUMMARY:

Urbanization poses challenges to bats and their ectoparasites (Streblidae and Nycteribiidae flies), reducing the bioavailability of essential and toxic minerals and affecting community functioning. In the Caatinga morphoclimatic domain (CMD), this situation is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate body condition, parasite infestation, and bioaccumulation in bats in response to urbanization in the Caatinga. The animals were captured to obtain biometric parameters and collected hair and flies over 30 nights, from March 2022 to January 2023, in five sampling units (SU) in the municipality of Caruaru, Pernambuco state, northeastern Brazil: industrial (SU1), preserved (SU2), periurban (SU3), populated urban (SU4), and commercial (SU5). In 8,100 h.m2 of sampling effort, 196 bats of 12 species were captured, with emphasis on Artibeus planirostris and Myotis lavali. The most representative trophic guild was frugivorous foragers of cluttered spaces (53%). The AUs did not differ in abundance (P=0.1354) or species composition. The dry and rainy seasons did not differ in bat richness (R: -0.044; P=0.5931), with AU2 being the most diverse. The body condition score (BCS) in A. planirostris differed between AUs 1 and 5 (P=0.0552323). A total of 187 flies were collected, including 11 species of Streblidae and one of Nycteribiidae. Basilia travassosi (Diptera, Nycteribiidae) was the most abundant species; Paratrichobius longicrus (Diptera, Streblidae) had the highest host richness (3), while Trichobius diphyllae (Diptera, Streblidae) had the highest prevalence (80%) and average infestation (7.5%). Artibeus planirostris, the most frequently parasitized host, had the highest fly richness (3) and the parasite load (54) did not influence the ICC (P=0.695). The highest fly abundance occurred in UA2 and the lowest in UA3. Males and females parasitized A. planirostris in a 1:1 ratio (P=1). The UA did not differ in fly prevalence (χ²=0.77422; P=0.9419) or host abundance (Kruskal-Wallis=4; P=0.406). The prevalence (χ²=0; P=1) and mean abundance of infestation (t=0.4160; P=0.742) of flies did not differ between the dry and rainy seasons. The minerals Al, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb and Zn were evaluated in bat hairs: Ca, Cr, Cu, K and Mn were the most abundant, while Al, Co, Mo, Ni and Pb were the least. The mean concentrations did not differ between the AU. Male bats bioaccumulated higher concentrations of Ca (P=0.009595), Cd (P=0.01759), Co (P=0.000004) and Pb (P=0.01244). Urban ecosystems in the Caatinga support a diverse, generalist, and ecologically limited bat fauna, impacting environmental quality and parasitic indices among flies. This, combined with metal bioaccumulation, can lead to population declines, compromising the health of these ecosystems and their associated biota, from a One Health perspective. Therefore, rethinking urbanization and promoting education and awareness strategies about the ecological importance of bats is vital for species conservation and maintaining environmental balance.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Externa à Instituição - ADRIANA BOCCHIGLIERI - UFS
Externo à Instituição - ARTHUR DOMINGOS DE MELO - UFS
Externo à Instituição - CHAIM JOSÉ LASMAR
Presidente - JAQUELINE BIANQUE DE OLIVEIRA
Interna - TATIANA SOUZA PORTO