Bats important to survival of rare frog, other species

I sometimes hear of criticism of efforts to protect habitat for the sake of an endangered species. Some people argue that we shouldn't care about the existence of a single species if it gets in the way of people making money. But even if that were an acceptable way to think, every species interacts with others. We don't know beforehand the ultimate effects of killing off a species. And unless there are people studying the situation, we might never realize how it hurts us.

And we haven't just killed off a single species. We have destroyed many, and continue to do so. They all add up.

If you believe in God, surely it is wrong to destroy a species He created.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-10/uota-usb102115.php

Public Release: 21-Oct-2015
University of Tennessee study: Bats important to survival of rare frog, other species
University of Tennessee at Knoxville

KNOXVILLE--Bat poop matters.

So says a University of Tennessee, Knoxville, study examining a little-known species, the Caucasian parsley frog, and its reliance on insects that breed in bat guano.

Vladimir Dinets, UT research assistant professor of psychology, conducted a study of the frogs in remote caves hidden in densely forested mountains near the border between Russia and the Republic of Georgia. Until now, virtually everything that was known about the little frogs' natural history came from studies in breeding pools, where they congregate in spring.

Dinets found that in the summer, most of the frogs find shelter in limestone caves, although some probably wander outside at night. The frogs showed significant preference for caves with bat colonies, most likely because insects breeding in bat waste provided a rich source of food.

"This is yet another study showing how critically important are bats for the environment," Dinets said. "Their role is not limited to controlling agricultural pests; entire cave ecosystems with dozens of species depend on bats for survival, and many of these species are yet to be discovered."

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Dinets noted that as bat populations in eastern North America are being devastated by human-introduced white-nose syndrome, the disaster is likely to cause a cascade of extinctions and widespread ecosystem destabilization.

White-nose syndrome is of Eurasian origin, but it is a problem only in North America because bats here are not adapted to it.

"The study shows the importance of protecting even small bat colonies," Dinets said.

He added that the Caucasian parsley frog is of conservation concern and there have been attempts to breed it in captivity.

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