Bat diversity boosts ecosystem services: Evidence from pine processionary moth predation.

Coniferous forests contribute to the European economy; however, they have experienced a decline since the late 1990s due to an invasive pest known as the pine processionary moth, Thaumetopoea pityocampa. The impacts of this pest are increasingly exacerbated by climate change. Traditional control strategies involving pesticides have had negative effects on public health and the environment. Instead, forest managers seek a more ecological and sustainable approach to management that promotes the natural actions of pest control agents. This study aims to evaluate the role of bats in suppressing pine processionary moths in pine forests and examine how the bat community composition and abundance influence pest consumption. Bats were sampled in the mountainous environment of the Serra da Estrela in central Portugal to collect faecal samples for DNA meta-barcoding analysis. We assessed the relationship between a) bat richness, b) bat relative abundance, c) bat diet richness, and the frequency of pine processionary moth consumption. Our findings indicate that sites with the highest bat species richness and abundance exhibit the highest levels of pine processionary moth consumption. The intensity of pine processionary moth consumption is independent of insect diversity within the site. The highest occurrence of pine processionary moth presence in bat diets is primarily observed in species that forage in cluttered habitats. A typical predator of pine processionary moths among bats is likely to be a forest-dwelling species that specialises in consuming Lepidoptera. These species primarily use short-range echolocation calls, which are relatively inaudible to tympanate moths, suitable for locating prey in cluttered environments, employing a gleaning hunting strategy. Examples include species from the genera Plecotus, Myotis, and Rhinolophus. This study enhances our understanding of the potential pest consumption services provided by bats in pine forests. The insights gained from this research can inform integrated pest management practices in forestry.

Effect of sevoflurane on the inflammatory response during cardiopulmonary bypass in cardiac surgery: the study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Recent experimental evidence shows that sevoflurane can reduce the inflammatory response during cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. However, this observation so far has not been assessed in an adequately powered randomized controlled trial. Methods: We plan to include one hundred patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft with cardiopulmonary bypass who will be randomized to receive either volatile anesthetics during cardiopulmonary bypass or total intravenous anesthesia. The primary endpoint of the study is to assess the inflammatory response during cardiopulmonary bypass by measuring PMN-elastase serum levels. Secondary endpoints include serum levels of other pro-inflammatory markers (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, TNFα), anti-inflammatory cytokines (TGFß and IL-10), and microRNA expression in peripheral blood to achieve possible epigenetic mechanisms in this process. In addition, clinical endpoints such as presence of major complications in the postoperative period and length of hospital and intensive care unit stay will be assessed. Discussion: The trial may determine whether adding volatile anesthetic during cardiopulmonary bypass will attenuate the inflammatory response.