Biology subjects

Kingston, T.

Publications and source records attributed to Kingston, T..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Case report of unusual mortality of Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) in northern Cyprus

We report an unusual mortality event affecting the isolated Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) population in northern Cyprus, combining clinical admissions, microbiological findings, and roost surveys to assess magnitude and potential drivers. From January to June 2025, the Cyprus Wildlife Research Institute (CWRI) Wildlife Hospital received an unprecedented surge in admissions with 12 individuals (versus sporadic admissions in prior years), with high acute mortality: most bats arrived moribund and died within 12-24 hours. Clinical records noted localized purulent lesions and abscesses in a substantial fraction of cases. Bacteriological culture and PCR assays recovered Staphylococcus aureus from abscesses and skin swab samples in multiple individuals; isolates exhibited susceptibility to tested antibiotics. Necropsy sampling confirmed viable S. aureus in several specimens despite prolonged storage. Concurrent targeted surveys of ten known roosts in Feb-Mar 2026 documented marked declines at multiple historical sites, including reductions from hundreds to single-digit counts at formerly large colonies and the complete absence of bats at multiple roosts. No clear evidence of recent human disturbance, extreme weather anomalies, or reduced food availability was found; shotgun cartridges from historical hunting were present, but no direct anthropogenic cause was apparent. While S. aureus infections--seasonally concentrated in winter--are consistent with observed lesions and may have contributed to morbidity and mortality, causality for the population-level declines remains unknown, and other factors (toxins, unassessed pathogens, multi-factor stressors) cannot be excluded. Given the genetic isolation and conservation significance of the Cyprus Egyptian fruit bat population, these findings are concerning. We recommend urgent, coordinated longitudinal population monitoring, expanded pathogen surveillance including whole-genome sequencing of S. aureus isolates, toxicological screening, and development of a species recovery plan incorporating emergency response, habitat protection, and public outreach.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

Connections in the Dark: Social-Ecological Networks as a Promising Tool for Bat Conservation and One Health

Bats provide vital ecosystem services, including pest suppression and crop pollination. However, the increasing proximity of bats and humans is a growing conservation and public health concern with negative consequences for both sides. Mitigating these consequences requires integrative approaches like network science and the emerging field of social-ecological networks (SENs), which offer powerful tools to map and analyse complex social and ecological dynamics. Here, we synthesize how network approaches have been applied to bat research and conservation. Specifically, we: (i) assess the use of both ecological and social network analyses to study bats; (ii) identify network tools well-suited for SEN-based bat research; (iii) present a case study illustrating how SEN applications in bat research can inform conservation and One Health efforts; and, lastly, (iv) discuss key challenges and opportunities in using SENs to investigate the human-bat interface. Our review unveils a rise in network-based bat research from 2006 to 2020, followed by a post-pandemic decline. Nevertheless, across the 127 studies mapped by our review, only one applied an SEN lens. Finally, we suggest how applying some underexplored SEN tools to bat research could lead to novel perspectives, aiming to promote integrated strategies for the coexistence of bats and humans.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2022

Transboundary hotspots associated with SARS-like coronavirus spillover risk: implications for mitigation

The emergence of SARS-like coronaviruses is a multi-stage process from wildlife reservoirs to people. Here we characterize multiple drivers--landscape change, host distribution, and human exposure--associated with the risk of spillover of SARS-like coronaviruses to help inform surveillance and mitigation activities. We consider direct and indirect transmission pathways by modeling four scenarios with livestock and mammalian wildlife as potential and known reservoirs before examining how access to healthcare varies within clusters and scenarios. We found 19 clusters with differing risk factor contributions within a single country (N=9) or transboundary (N=10). High-risk areas were mainly closer (11-20%) rather than far (<1%) from healthcare. Areas far from healthcare reveal healthcare access inequalities, especially Scenario 3, which includes wild mammals as secondary hosts. China (N=2) and Indonesia (N=1) had clusters with the highest risk. Our findings can help stakeholders in land use planning integrating healthcare implementation and One Health actions.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2021

Present and future distribution of bat hosts of sarbecoviruses: implications for conservation and public health

Global changes in response to human encroachment into natural habitats and carbon emissions are driving the biodiversity extinction crisis and increasing disease emergence risk. Host distributions are one critical component to identify areas at risk of spillover, and bats act as reservoirs of diverse viruses. We developed a reproducible ecological niche modelling pipeline for bat hosts of SARS-like viruses (subgenus Sarbecovirus), given that since SARS-CoV-2 emergence several closely-related viruses have been discovered and sarbecovirus-host interactions have gained attention. We assess sampling biases and model bats current distributions based on climate and landscape relationships and project future scenarios. The most important predictors of species distribution were temperature seasonality and cave availability. We identified concentrated host hotspots in Myanmar and projected range contractions for most species by 2100. Our projections indicate hotspots will shift east in Southeast Asia in >2 {degrees}C hotter locations in a fossil-fueled development future. Hotspot shifts have implications for conservation and public health, as loss of population connectivity can lead to local extinctions, and remaining hotspots may concentrate near human populations.

ecology↗