AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -White-nose syndrome is a disease caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans. The disease is estimated to have killed millions of bats in eastern North America since 2006 and can kill up to 100% of bats in a colony during hibernation.

Detailed explanation-2: -Scientists hypothesized that WNS, caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, makes bats die by increasing the amount of energy they use during winter hibernation. Bats must carefully ration their energy supply during this time to survive without eating until spring.

Detailed explanation-3: -Researchers call the disease “white-nose syndrome” (WNS) because of the visible white fungal growth on infected bats’ muzzles and wings. This cold-loving fungus infects bats during hibernation, when the bats reduce their metabolic rate and lower their body temperature to save energy over winter.

Detailed explanation-4: -White-nose syndrome is caused by the fungus Geomyces destructans and is responsible for the deaths of >1, 000, 000 bats since 2006. This disease and fungus had been restricted to the northeastern United States. We detected this fungus in a bat in France and assessed the implications of this finding.