English

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a newly emergent disease that potentially threatens all temperate bat species. A recently identified fungus, Geomyces destructans, is the most likely causative agent of this disease. Until 2009, WNS and G. destructans were exclusively known from North America, but recent studies have confirmed this fungus is also present in Europe. We assembled an international WNS consortium of 67 scientists from 29 countries and identified the most important research and conservation priorities to assess the risk of WNS to European bats. Here, we review what is known about WNS and G. destructans and detail the conservation and research recommendations aimed at understanding and containing this emerging infectious disease.

As the Tree Biotechnology 2013 conference kicked off, two Asheville residents were arrested after disrupting a major presentation by Belgian tree engineer Wout Boerjan entitled, “Engineering trees for the biorefinery.” The protestors said that if legalized, GE trees would lead to the destruction of native forests and biodiversity in the US South, and be economically devastating to rural communities. The talk was disrupted for 20 minutes. Farmer and professor Steve Norris said, “We took dignified action today to directly confront the growing corporate control over our seeds, forests, and communities. We are sending a crystal clear message to the GE tree industry and its investors – expect resistance.”

The dramatic mass mortalities amongst hibernating bats in Northeastern America caused by ‘‘white nosesyndrome’’ (WNS) continue to threaten populations of different bat species. The cold-loving fungus, Geomyces destructans, is the most likely causative agent leading to extensive destruction of the skin, particularly the wing membranes. Recent investigations in Europe confirmed the presence of the fungus G. destructans without associated mass mortality in hibernating bats in six countries but its distribution remains poorly known. We collected data on the presence of bats with white fungal growth in 12 countries in Europe between 2003 and 2010 and conducted morphological and genetic analysis to confirm the identity of the fungus as Geomyces destructans. Our results demonstrate the presence of the fungus in eight countries spanning over 2000 km from West to East and provide compelling photographic evidence for its presence in another four countries including Romania, and Turkey. Furthermore, matching prevalence data of a hibernaculum monitored over two consecutive years with data from across Europe show that the temporal occurrence of the fungus, which first becomes visible around February, peaks in March but can still be seen in some torpid bats in May or June, is strikingly similar throughout Europe. Finally, we isolated and cultured G. destructans from a cave wall adjacent to a bat with fungal growth. G. destructans is widely found over large areas of the European continent without associated mass mortalities in bats, suggesting that the fungus is native to Europe. The characterisation of the temporal variation in G. destructans growth on bats provides reference data for studying the spatio-temporal dynamic of the fungus. Finally, the presence of G. destructans spores on cave walls suggests that hibernacula could act as passive vectors and/or reservoirs for G. destructans and therefore, might play an important role in the transmission process.

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is caused by the fungus Geomyces destructans. Biologists are struggling to understand this recent emerging infectious disease, which potentially threatens >20% of all mammalian diversity. WNS is a deadly epidemic that has swept through the northeastern United States over the past 3 years and caused the death of >1,000,000 bats, with decreases of ≈100% in some populations. 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.

The Prince of Wales launched a wide-ranging attack on current food production methods he said have led to the horsemeat scandals and declining public health, particularly in the US. In a speech at a conference in Germany on regional food security, he called for the creation of a more local model of food production and distribution. Addressing the Langenburg Forum at Langenburg Castle in the state of Baden-Württemberg, he said there was not sufficient resilience in the system. "It may appear that things are well," he said. "Big global corporations may appear to be prospering out of operating on a global monocultural scale, but, as I hope you have seen, if you drill down into what is actually happening, things are not so healthy. Our present approach is rapidly mining resilience out of our food system and threatening to leave it ever more vulnerable to the various external shocks that are becoming more varied, extreme and frequent."

EFSA has concluded in a report (attached) requested by the European Commission. Fipronil is a broad-use insecticide that belongs to the phenylpyrazole chemical family. It is used to control various soil insects during their larval growth stage and acts through contact and ingestion. EFSA was asked to perform a risk assessment of fipronil, paying particular regard to the acute and chronic effects on colony survival and development and the effects of sublethal doses on bee mortality and behaviour. EFSA’s pesticide risk assessment experts examined the potential risk to bees from the active substance through a number of exposure routes. They concluded the following:1. Risk from dust drift: A high acute risk was identified for maize. For other field crops, including sunflower, full risk assessments could not be completed so the level of risk from exposure to dust originating from seed drilling could not be established. 2. Nectar and pollen: The available studies – field and semi-field – had weaknesses and thus were insufficient to establish the level of risk to honey bees from the use of fipronil as a treatment for sunflower and maize seed. However, there was deemed to be a low risk to honey bees from the authorised use of fipronil on vegetables, as these cannot be foraged for pollen and nectar. 3. Several gaps were identified in the available data related to other potential routes of exposure.

A new study has determined for the first time just how quickly frogs and other amphibians are disappearing around the United States, and the news is not good. The U.S. Geological Survey said Thursday that populations of frogs, salamanders and toads have been vanishing from places where they live at a rate of 3.7 percent a year. That puts them on a path to disappearing from half their inhabited sites nationwide in 20 years. USGS ecologist Michael J. Adams said the alarming news is that even species thought to be doing OK are declining, though at a slower rate, 2.7 percent a year. "These are really ancient species that have been surviving a long time on earth through all kinds of changes," Adams said. "It's just a concern to see." The data showed that species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list of declining species were disappearing from sites at an even higher rate, 11.6 percent a year. That would result in half the sites being unoccupied in six years. A third of amphibian species are on the red list. "They just disappear," Admas said. "Populations are going away." It has been known for a long time that amphibians are in trouble around the world from a killer fungus, habitat loss and a changing climate, but this is the first time that decline has been measured, Adams said. "We are not making predictions," he added. "We are just trying to document the current trend."

Protesters rallied in dozens of cities Saturday as part of a global protest against seed giant Monsanto and the genetically modified food it produces. Organizers said "March Against Monsanto" protests were held in 52 countries and 436 cities, including Los Angeles where demonstrators waved signs that read "Real Food 4 Real People" and "Label GMOs, It's Our Right to Know." Genetically modified plants are grown from seeds that are engineered to resist insecticides and herbicides, add nutritional benefits or otherwise improve crop yields and increase the global food supply. Most corn, soybean and cotton crops grown in the United States today have been genetically modified. But critics say genetically modified organisms can lead to serious health conditions and harm the environment.

A restriction on the use of three pesticides belonging to the neonicotinoid family was today adopted by the Commission. These pesticides (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiametoxam) were identified as being harmful to Europe’s honeybee population. This restriction will enter into force as from 1 December 2013 and will be reviewed, at the latest, within two years. It targets pesticides used in the treatment of plants and cereals that are attractive to bees and pollinators. “Last month, I pledged that, based on the number of risks identified by the European Food Safety Authority’s scientific opinion, I would do my utmost to ensure that our honeybee population is protected. Today’s adoption delivers on that pledge and marks another milestone towards ensuring a healthier future for our honeybees, as bees have two important roles to play: not only that of producing honey but primarily to be a pollinator. About 80 % of all pollination is due to the activity of bees - this is natural and free of costs” said Tonio Borg, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy.

As we all know, there is huge current concern about bee losses all over the world -- and increasing attention is being given to the role that neonicotinoid pesticides may play in the recorded declines in the USA and Europe in particular (1). As the evidence has stacked up, the EU has decided to ban "neonics" (in spite of opposition from the UK Government) (2), but in the United States USDA has refused to bring in a ban, claiming that more research is needed (3). Everybody knows that that decision is driven not by environmental science and public welfare but by the commercial interests of the big biotechnology and chemical companies like Monsanto, Bayer and Syngenta. As the debate over bee deaths and pesticides becomes more and more acrimonious, something strange is going on in the august world of scientific journal publishing.