Department of the Interior Grant: Monitoring White-nose Syndrome in Midwest Region Parks

Other than the information above, essentially nothing is known about the status of the fungus in MWR parks. The only surveillance for Pd has occurred at the Buffalo River; and that was limited to just a few of the parks hundreds of caves and mines. Furthermore, at several of the parks listed in this proposal robust baseline inventories for bats have not even been conducted (e.g., Homestead NM, Wilson’s Creek Battlefield), let alone has anyone looked for evidence of the disease. This multi-park proposal efficiently meets these needs. Many of these parks do not have the capacity to prepare bat and WNS proposals or conduct time-consuming natural resource projects; this proposal assists them in assessing the status of bats and WNS in the parks. This proposal will also be of value to partners including state agencies who also have limited capability to conduct systematic surveillance of WNS and Pd.

The goals and objectives, in general order of importance, are:
1. Assess and document the distribution and status of the WNS fungus in the parks.
2. Develop a list of bat species in the parks.
3. Collect demographic information on bats in the parks.
4. Better understand habitat use by bats in the parks.
5. Develop a catalog of acoustic calls from the MWR for testing and calibration of acoustic monitoring.
6. Provide parks critical and current information that they can use in education and outreach efforts.

STATEMENT OF WORK
Project funds would be obligated to the U. of Missouri-Columbia via a CESU. The university would recruit a MS candidate to conduct the project. The student would matriculate in the fall of 2017, start field work in the winter of 2017-18, and complete the project in December 2019. The following parks are involved in the project:

Arkansas: Arkansas Post NMEM, Buffalo NR, Hot Springs NP, Pea Ridge NMP
Iowa: Effigy Mounds NM, Herbert Hoover NHS
Kansas: Fort Larned Scott NHS, Tallgrass NPres
Missouri: George Washington Carver NM, Ozark NSR, Wilson’s Creek NB
Nebraska: Homestead NM

Project personnel would visit parks with cave and mine hibernacula in the winters of 2017-18 and 2018-19 to swab hibernating bats. Approximately 10 bats would be sampled from each cave, although more may be sampled in larger caves with discrete colonies of hibernating bats. It is anticipated that most of the work would occur at the Buffalo NR and Ozark NSR as they have large networks of caves and mines. Soil and other abiotic material would also be collected for testing.

In the spring of 2018 and 2019 project personnel would visit parks to mist-net bats. Due to the numerous parks involved, the substantial distance between parks, and the short sampling season, it is anticipated that several teams will conduct the mist-netting (the key players plus temporary technicians). Project personnel will follow accepted safety procedures for handling bats and to insure the equipment is properly sanitized. A minimum of 20 bats will be collected and swabbed at each park. Released bats will be recorded using acoustic devices to develop a catalog of bat calls in the region.

Samples would be sent to a lab for analysis of Pd. This proposal budgets for lab costs based on quotes from the Oregon State University lab. However, the USGS Madison Health lab currently has a program whereby a limited number of samples can be tested at no charge. The project will attempt to use that program. If successful, the unused lab dollars will be used for additional field work.