Oct 21, 2020 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (Add to calendar)
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In 2015, Texas Parks and Wildlife contracted with the Natural Resources Institute at Texas A&M to conduct a large-scale statewide survey of bat winter roosts in Texas. At the time, white-nose syndrome (WNS) was quickly spreading towards Texas and we viewed this as a last opportunity to document bat populations at winter roosts before impacts from WNS. In total, the research team conducted over 600 surveys at caves, bridges, culverts, and other roosts around the state.

Dr. Meierhofer will provide some background on WNS and bats in Texas, discuss the surveys the team conducted, and will share some of their key findings.

Dr. Melissa Meierhofer is a postdoctoral researcher in BatLabFinland under the direction of Dr. Thomas Lilley. She is focused on understanding diseases in European bats, with a particular interest in the Nathusius’s pipistrelle. Melissa completed her Ph.D. at Texas A&M University in the Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences department under the direction of Dr. Morrison, while working as a Research Associate for the Natural Resources Institute. She completed a master’s in Animal Behavior at Bucknell University, Pennsylvania, where she studied the physiological consequences of WNS under the supervision of Dr. Reeder. She obtained a bachelor’s of arts in Psychobiology and Studio Art from Ripon College, Wisconsin.

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