Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Invasive species disproportionately invade freshwater ecosystems, threatening biodiversity. Defining when, where, and why aquatic invasive species move can help inform management strategies, yet the movement ecology of some of the most pervasive invasive species remains unknown. Red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii; RSC) are the most widespread invasive crayfish and negatively affect ecosystems worldwide. We employed high-dimensional acoustic telemetry to investigate the movement patterns of 24 individual RSC across three months in an invaded water body. We assessed the effects of various extrinsic factors, such as time of day, temperature, precipitation, and proximity to the water’s edge, along with intrinsic factors, such as sex, reproductive form, and size, at different scales, including movement steps, range distribution, and behavioral states. We found that movement patterns across all scales were overwhelmingly driven by sex and reproductive form. Furthermore, RSC showed increased overall activity at night and near the water’s edge. By establishing baseline movement patterns and identifying key contributing factors, these findings provide a foundation for the development of adaptive management strategies for controlling invasive RSC populations. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-96379-8.

Small mustelids are difficult to survey due to their low density and cryptic nature. Population status of North American weasels (Mustela erminea, Mustela nivalis, and Neogale frenata) are believed to be in decline, but there are no standardized monitoring protocols to evaluate their status. To support weasel monitoring, we compared the attractiveness of various combinations of baits and lures to weasels in sites located throughout the eastern and central USA. We baited a total of 122 clusters of 4 camera traps, across 14 states, with random combinations of 4 baits and 3 scent lures in the winters of 2022 and 2023. Cameras baited with meat were 3.5 times more likely to detect both short‐ and long‐tailed weasels on average (mean percentage of cameras detecting weasels: 20–30%) than those with scent lures (3–11%). Red meat was twice as effective at attracting short‐tailed weasels (50%) as chicken or cat food (20%; Z = 2.49, p < 0.01). While red meat marginally increased detections of long‐tailed weasels (21%) compared to chicken and cat food (19%), its effectiveness was influenced by whether the bait was stolen (Z = 2.08, p = 0.04). Additionally, long‐tailed weasels were detected in half the time when raw chicken was used (median days to detection: red meat = 39.5 days, raw chicken = 14.5 days). When salmon oil was added to meat bait, it increased the likelihood of detecting short‐tailed weasels and reduced the time to detection for both species. A variety of non‐target species stole meat bait during the survey, making the camera traps less effective. The addition of salmon oil may have allowed for continual attraction of weasels until stolen meat bait could be replenished. In summary, red meat was the best all‐purpose bait for weasels, although raw chicken is similarly effective for long‐tailed weasels, and the addition of salmon oil is helpful. We also recommend a specific bait enclosure design that was the most effective at minimizing theft of bait. We propose our baiting strategy can be used as a survey standard to evaluate the distribution and population status of weasels.

Fagus grandifolia is an important forest tree species in North America that has been afflicted with beech leaf disease (BLD) since 2012. BLD can lead to substantial canopy thinning and eventual tree mortality. Current evidence suggest that Litylenchus crenatae ssp. mccannii (hereafter LCM) is the causative agent of BLD. However, the etiology of this disease is poorly understood. In this study, we conducted multi-year monitoring to examine the presence of LCM and BLD symptoms across Ohio, including both symptomatic and asymptomatic forest stands. We collected buds each spring before leaf-out and used molecular methods to detect the presence of LCM. Symptomatic sites had a high proportion of buds colonized by LCM across all sampling years. Detection of LCM DNA in asymptomatic forest stands was largely inconsistent across years; however, its presence overall was a significant predictor of BLD symptoms developing in the county surrounding our sampling site in the following years. LCM DNA was also detected on both Acer sp. and Quercus sp. buds, but detection frequency was low. We found significant correlations between the proportion of buds infested with LCM and the forest basal area consisting of F. grandifolia, suggesting it is the host for this nematode. Our results indicate that LCM is more widespread than BLD symptoms might suggest and can be present in forests containing a greater occurrence of F. grandifolia even when the trees are asymptomatic.

Larval fish and aquatic macroinvertebrates are believed to be at greater predation risk by visual riverine predators during periods of higher lunar illumination. Predation rates may also be affected by the taxonomic composition and relative abundance of alternative co-distributed prey. We experimentally tested whether differences in larval lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) predation levels were attributed to changes in prey selectivity, or to an overall decrease in consumption of co-distributed and dispersing prey consumed by predatory riverine species under different light conditions. Larvae from three common riverine prey taxa observed nocturnally dispersing together (lake sturgeon, white suckers (Catostomus commersonii), and Hetptageniid mayflies) were released concurrently into raceway mesocosms. Raceways contained one of two abundant predacious riverine fishes [either rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris) or hornyhead chub (Nocomis biguttatus)]. Trials were conducted in light conditions simulating a full or new moon. Both predators consumed fewer prey under new moon relative to full moon light conditions. In full moon conditions, rock bass selected for mayflies and against white suckers, but in new moon conditions rock bass selectivity was similar for all prey. Hornyhead chub selected for mayflies under both light conditions. Results indicate rock bass and hornyhead chub rely on visual cues to detect prey. Rock bass also appeared to visually differentiate between prey taxa, whereas hornyhead chub may use alternative senses to select prey. Variation in larval lake sturgeon mortality during the downstream drifting period was a function of the taxonomic composition and size distribution of predators, and composition and relative abundance of alternative co-distributed prey. Nocturnal light levels likely also influence predation rates in natural populations of nocturnally dispersing aquatic larvae. Light levels during larval dispersal should be considered when interpreting intra- and inter-annual variation in recruitment in species of regional conservation concern.

Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are a taxonomically varied group of viruses that affect the health of many avian species, including the ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus), a popular upland game bird whose numbers are in decline in portions of its range. Hunter-harvested ruffed grouse tissue samples were tested for arboviruses during the 2018-2022 hunting seasons in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, USA. A low percentage of harvested ruffed grouse were infected with West Nile virus (8/1892; 0.4%), eastern equine encephalitis virus (18/1892; 1.0%), and Highlands J virus (4/1892; 0.2%), and approximately half (16/30) of those infected had histologic cardiac lesions consistent with arboviral infection. Some ruffed grouse may be adversely affected following infection with these viruses, highlighting the need for increased awareness and continued surveillance, particularly in the face of additional stressors such as climate change, which may alter virus-vector-host dynamics, host susceptibility to arbovirus infections, and geographical distributions.

Globally, mass mortality events are becoming more common across ecosystems and taxa. For fishes in northern temperate lakes, climate change is predicted to increase the frequency of summerkills and decrease the frequency of winterkills. We compiled reports of fish kills in Michigan inland lakes from 1936 to 2022 derived from historical records, management reports, and an online app for the public. Using this dataset of 525 reported fish kills in eight decades, we tested for changes in timing of fish kills. We found that fish kills in the early 20th century were most likely to be reported in early spring months, as lake ice thawed, while in the later 20th and early 21st centuries, more fish kills were reported through summer. Across our dataset, the median day of year fish kills were reported shifted later by more than 50 days. Shifts in the timing of these perturbations can alter population demography, and community resilience, and may have lasting and unprecedented impacts on lake ecosystems.

Dam construction contributes to declines in the distribution and abundance of many fishes. Increasing connectivity through adult transfer can be demographically and genetically beneficial, but assessing the effects resulting from transfer can be difficult if resident fish exist upstream. Genotypes of adult and larval lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) were used to quantify contributions to larval recruitment from adults transferred upstream of dams on the Menominee River, USA. We evaluated whether transfer timing, sex, and adult size were associated with the odds of reproduction. Elevator transfer operations in Fall 2019, Fall 2020, and Spring 2021 resulted in 152 male and 81 female lake sturgeon transferred upstream. In 2020 and 2021, 580 and 518 larvae were genotyped. We found that 86% (201/233) of adults reproduced and 62.3% (684/1098) of offspring had transferred parents. In total, we estimated that 392 resident adults contributed to offspring production. Mixed matings accounted for 53% of offspring genotyped, increasing levels of offspring genetic diversity relative to offspring produced from resident-only matings. Transferring adults may be a viable restoration alternative for other iteroparous fish in river systems where connectivity to spawning areas has been impeded.

Human‐caused conversion of natural habitat areas to developed land cover represents a major driver of habitat loss and fragmentation, leading to reorganization of biological communities. Although protected areas and urban greenspaces can preserve natural systems in fragmented landscapes, their efficacy has been stymied by the complexity and scale‐dependency underlying biological communities. While migratory bird communities are easy to‐study and particularly responsive to anthropogenic habitat alterations, prior studies have documented substantial variation in habitat sensitivity across species and migratory groups. This may make approaches that explicitly consider the hierarchical nature of ecological organization useful for planning and decision‐making, particularly in developed landscapes. Herein, we leverage regional vegetation and breeding bird monitoring efforts to investigate the influences of spatial scale, urbanization, and migratory habit on breeding bird occupancy across Cleveland Metroparks, a large urban park system in Ohio. Using multispecies occupancy models, we found that fine‐scale vegetation covariates were more predictive of bird community dynamics than landscape‐level covariates, suggesting positive benefits of vegetation management activities for breeding bird communities. We also found that short‐distance migrants were positively associated with plants that have broad ecological tolerances and that tropical migrants were more negatively associated with human development than other migratory groups. While local vegetation management may be effective for protecting sensitive breeding bird communities, many tropical migrants required intact forests with low human development and may require targeted habitat management for continued breeding‐season occupancy. More broadly, this study emphasizes how avian management strategies in developed landscapes should consider features at multiple spatial scales—as well as species‐specific migratory behaviors.

Objective: Muskellunge Esox masquinongy fisheries in Ohio are almost exclusively catch and release. Catch and release is expected to benefit anglers via recaptures of previously caught fish (i.e., recycling). We used mark–recapture techniques to evaluate catch-and-release dynamics over multiple years in two stocked Muskellunge fisheries in Ohio. Methods: Muskellunge were collected and tagged each spring by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife (ODNR-DOW) at Clearfork Reservoir (1991–2006) and Leesville Lake (2016–2022). A total of 4139 Muskellunge were tagged, of which 38% (n = 1575) were recaptured at least once by either the ODNR-DOW or anglers. A total of 252 anglers reported 1339 catches of tagged fish. Multistate modeling was used to estimate survival and transition probabilities across years for the following marked fish states: at large (L, ODNR-DOW marked fish not reported caught by anglers); catch and release (C, those fish reported caught and released by anglers); and recycled (R, catch-and-release fish caught and reported by anglers again). Transition probabilities between states L to C and C to R estimated Muskellunge catch and release and recycling, respectively. Result: Raw angler catch reports indicated that intra-annual recycling was rare, with the median time between recapture events exceeding a year. Modeled annual survival probability of L fish at Clearfork Reservoir and Leesville Lake was 0.67 and 0.87, respectively. About a quarter of these fish were caught and released by anglers at both reservoirs. Survival of C fish was lower than L fish at both reservoirs (Clearfork Reservoir = 0.58; Leesville Lake = 0.67), suggesting a “catch-and-release effect” on survival. Joint probability of catch-and-release fish surviving and being recycled annually was 0.24 and 0.23 for Clearfork Reservoir and Leesville Lake, respectively. Conclusion: Integration of survival and catch probabilities over the long-term provides a comprehensive evaluation of catch-and-release dynamics. Estimates suggest that post-catch-and-release survival and probability of recycling may be lower than anticipated, which may have implications for managing Muskellunge fisheries and angler expectations.

Invasive species are often assumed to have measurable impacts throughout their potential range, but this is not always true. This study evaluated whether zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) were causing an increase in water clarity near the southern edge of their North American expansion using a 40+ year dataset. We looked for abrupt shifts and long-term trends in water clarity and compared these to the estimated zebra mussel invasion date for 7 reservoirs in Missouri, USA. We also looked at water clarity in 26 non-invaded reservoirs to evaluate whether zebra mussel impacts were being masked by variation in environmental factors. Collectively, our analyses provide a weight of evidence based on a lack of consistent shifts in water clarity corresponding with zebra mussel invasions. Mussel establishment did not increase water clarity, likely because densities were too low to result in a measurable impact. The highest zebra mussel density we observed was 65 mussels m⁻², an order of magnitude less than in systems where they have had a sustained impact. Low densities could be due to a combination of sublethal environmental conditions such as warm water temperatures, suspended inorganic particulates, fluctuating water levels, and reduced oxygen concentrations, as well as limited hard substrata or predation by fish. While additional study is required to understand which, if any, of these factors may be limiting zebra mussel establishment in Missouri, our study shows that dreissenids are not having an impact as elsewhere throughout their range, suggesting that how an invader alters ecosystem functions is critical to determining its impact.

Animals within social groups respond to costs and benefits of sociality by adjusting the proportion of time they spend in close proximity to other individuals in the group (cohesion). Variation in cohesion between individuals, in turn, shapes important group‐level processes such as subgroup formation and fission–fusion dynamics. Although critical to animal sociality, a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing cohesion remains a gap in our knowledge of cooperative behavior in animals. We tracked 574 individuals from six species within the genus Canis in 15 countries on four continents with GPS telemetry to estimate the time that pairs of individuals within social groups spent in close proximity and test hypotheses regarding drivers of cohesion. Pairs of social canids (Canis spp.) varied widely in the proportion of time they spent together (5%–100%) during seasonal monitoring periods relative to both intrinsic characteristics and environmental conditions. The majority of our data came from three species of wolves (gray wolves, eastern wolves, and red wolves) and coyotes. For these species, cohesion within social groups was greatest between breeding pairs and varied seasonally as the nature of cooperative activities changed relative to annual life history patterns. Across species, wolves were more cohesive than coyotes. For wolves, pairs were less cohesive in larger groups, and when suitable, small prey was present reflecting the constraints of food resources and intragroup competition on social associations. Pair cohesion in wolves declined with increased anthropogenic modification of the landscape and greater climatic variability, underscoring challenges for conserving social top predators in a changing world. We show that pairwise cohesion in social groups varies strongly both within and across Canis species, as individuals respond to changing ecological context defined by resources, competition, and anthropogenic disturbance. Our work highlights that cohesion is a highly plastic component of animal sociality that holds significant promise for elucidating ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying cooperative behavior.

Objective Littoral zone aquatic habitat is an important component of sport fish population dynamics in freshwater lakes and reservoirs and is a primary target of fisheries management actions. However, habitat data for these systems are often minimal or nonexistent due to the cost and time‐consuming nature of traditional aquatic habitat sampling methods. Side‐scan sonar has been identified as a potential tool that can address these limitations, allowing quantification of habitat features over large areas. Side‐scan sonar is available in two forms: recreational (consumer grade) and professional (survey grade). Our goal was to compare these two grades of side‐scan sonar by analyzing their ability to map littoral habitat features in three Ohio reservoirs. Methods We used a Lowrance Active Imaging 3‐in‐1 system (≈US$2000) recreational sonar and an EdgeTech 6205 system (≈$150,000) survey‐grade sonar to collect imagery in the littoral zones of reservoirs. We manually quantified submerged woody debris, standing timber, aquatic vegetation, and benthic substrate in a geographical information system (GIS) using imagery from each sonar system and compared habitat estimates and GIS processing times. We analyzed how differences in image resolution between the two sonar systems affected the level of variation in habitat classification values generated by individual analysts. Result We found small differences in habitat classification values and accuracy between the two sonar systems, and trade‐offs existed in spatial accuracy and ability to image dense vegetation. However, side‐scan data acquisition, postprocessing, and habitat classification were generally less time‐intensive with the recreational Lowrance system than with the survey‐grade EdgeTech system. Unexpectedly, the lower quality Lowrance imagery had less user‐based variation in GIS habitat classification. Conclusion Recreational side‐scan sonar systems such as the Lowrance system provide sufficient imagery resolution, habitat classification values, and accuracy at a lower cost and with less processing time than survey‐grade side‐scan sonar systems and are useful tools for quantifying littoral habitat features in reservoirs.

Objective Muskellunge Esox masquinongy anglers and biologists have expressed concern about catch‐and‐release (C&R) mortality during summer months, especially in the southern portion of the species' range. Our objective was to quantify C&R mortality for Muskellunge in a southern reservoir. Methods We conducted a radiotelemetry study in Stonewall Jackson Lake, West Virginia, a reservoir in the southern portion of the Muskellunge's distribution that supports a popular trophy fishery. We estimated C&R and total mortality using radio‐tagged fish and evaluated changes to size structure under simulated warmwater season closures. Result All mortalities of tagged fish occurred during the warmwater period, when surface water temperatures tended to exceed 25°C (i.e., June–August), regardless of whether fish were angled (3 of 27; 11.1%) or not (3 of 65; 4.6%). Simulated season closures yielded only small increases in the numbers of fish reaching preferred (≥1020‐mm), memorable (≥1140‐mm), and trophy (≥1270‐mm) sizes across all simulations. Low mortality was likely due to the presence of ample thermal refuge availability within a well‐defined thermocline in Stonewall Jackson Lake. Conclusion Although we observed greater survival of Muskellunge angled during the warmwater period than has been reported in previous work, their catchability was also greater, which may contribute to greater total mortality in high‐use systems. Therefore, managers should consider the trade‐offs between survival and catchability as functions of thermal refuge availability when developing Muskellunge management plans.

Objective Poor milt yield via strip‐spawning in male Sauger Sander canadensis limits the production of saugeye (female Walleye S. vitreus × male Sauger) by the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Compared to strip‐spawning, collecting sperm via testicular harvest offers several advantages that increase production efficiency through enhanced sperm yield (e.g., requires fewer broodfish, allows higher sperm application rates, and increases fertilization rates). The benefits of testicular harvest have been demonstrated experimentally in Sauger but not at a production scale. In this study, I validated the large‐scale efficacy of testicular harvest in Sauger for saugeye production. Methods I collected sperm from male Sauger by using either testicular harvest (42 fish) or strip‐spawning (222 fish), diluted samples with extender, and combined samples to create 9‐mL sperm pools ( n = 21 for testicular harvest; n = 39 for strip‐spawning). I compared sperm quantity, sperm motility, and production attributes (broodstock requirements, sperm application rates, and expected fertilization) between testicular harvest and strip‐spawning collection methods. Result Both collection methods resulted in high‐quality sperm. Testicular harvest doubled the sperm yield (total number of sperm) per 9‐mL pool despite using only 2 fish/pool, while strip‐spawning required 5–7 fish/pool. Through this enhanced yield, testicular harvest produced enough sperm to fertilize 317 L of eggs (1.06 mL/L) by using 80% fewer males than strip‐spawning. Further, sperm application increased fourfold using testicular harvest (4.23 mL/L) while still requiring 30–40% fewer fish than are currently used to meet production. Adopting testicular harvest for saugeye production in 2023 increased broodstock sperm yield, allowed greater sperm application rates, reduced Sauger broodstock needs, and increased saugeye hatching rates (15–20% increase). Conclusion Testicular harvest provides an efficient approach for sperm collection during large‐scale production in fish species that produce small quantities of sperm.

Walleye (Sander vitreus) are a sexually dimorphic species in which females are larger than males in adulthood. Walleye can also exhibit sex‐ and population‐based differences in migration behavior. In Lake Erie, we used acoustic telemetry to test the prediction that female walleye exhibit larger broad‐scale movements than males during the summer and autumn. This prediction was based on the hypothesis that greater foraging in females would be needed to satisfy their higher energy requirements. We quantified movements of males and females from distinct spawning populations from Lake Erie's west and east basins using a lake‐wide grid of acoustic receivers in 2017 and 2018. We found no differences between male and female home range sizes, core range sizes, or distances travelled in either population. Fish length‐at‐tagging was unrelated to the size of a fish's home range or to its distance travelled, contrary to previous predictions about body size as a driver of migration distance in the Lake Erie population. We found that west basin walleye occupied large and indiscrete portions of the lake, but the core range of females extended into the central basin, whereas males were concentrated in the west basin. Walleye originating from the east basin confined their movements primarily to the east basin and showed stronger home range overlap among members of their population than did walleye from the west basin population. Within either population, walleye had more home range overlap with members of the same sex, which likely reflects differences in the migratory tendencies of males and females.

Context The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) was extirpated from much of its range in the US in the 1800s due to fur trapping and change in land use. However, the species has recolonised much of its former range, including the US state of Ohio. Since 2013, the Ohio Division of Wildlife (ODOW) has monitored trends in beaver colony density via aerial surveys of 40 km × 40 km plots classified as low, medium, or high suitability based on the amount of wetland. Nonetheless, the current classification system may miss important correlates of beaver colony density. Aims Our study aimed to (1) identify predictors of beaver colony density (number of colonies inferred from aerial counts of lodges) across Ohio, and (2) develop a model-based classification system to improve the efficacy of monitoring efforts. Methods To predict beaver colony density in Ohio we used an aerial survey dataset of 54 plots (40 km × 40 km) collected by ODOW annually between 2013 and 2020, along with a suite of environmental, anthropogenic, and climate variables in a mixed effects modelling framework. Key results Beaver colony density was positively associated with wetland and reclaimed surface mine areas and inversely associated with the proportion of agricultural lands. There was a negative interaction between wetland and surface mines; in general, beaver colony density increased with wetland and surface mine area. However, in plots with wetland area >1000 ha, beaver colony density was weakly negatively associated with surface mine area. Using median and interquartile ranges of model-averaged predicted beaver colony density, we developed a new classification of low, moderate and high suitability for both the survey plots and the entire state of Ohio. We found that eastern Ohio had high suitability, while the central and western parts of the state had lower suitability for C. canadensis. Conclusions Our approach to identifying predictors for beaver colony density at broad spatial scales highlights the importance of reclaimed surface mines and wetlands for beaver populations, while the model-based habitat classification provides ODOW additional information for monitoring and beaver management decisions. Implications Improved C. canadensis monitoring at the landscape scale using habitat classifications that consider local conditions can both improve annual survey cost-effectiveness and facilitate the sustainable management of this recovering species.

The establishment and spread of invasive species are directly related to intersexual interactions as dispersal and reproductive success are related to distribution, effective population size, and population growth. Accordingly, populations established by r‐selected species are particularly difficult to suppress or eradicate. One such species, the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) is established globally at considerable ecological and financial costs to natural and human communities. Here, we develop a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci panel for P. clarkii using restriction‐associated DNA‐sequencing data. We use the SNP panel to successfully genotype 1800 individuals at 930 SNPs in southeastern Michigan, USA. Genotypic data were used to reconstruct pedigrees, which enabled the characterization of P. clarkii's mating system and statistical tests for associations among environmental, demographic, and phenotypic predictors and adult reproductive success estimates. We identified juvenile cohorts using genotype‐based pedigrees, body size, and sampling timing, which elucidated the breeding phenology of multiple introduced populations. We report a high prevalence of multiple paternity in each surveyed waterbody, indicating polyandry in this species. We highlight the use of newly developed rapid genomic assessment tools for monitoring population reproductive responses, effective population sizes, and dispersal during ongoing control efforts.

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal wildlife disease of bats that has caused precipitous declines in certain Nearctic bat species. A key driver of mortality is premature exhaustion of fat reserves, primarily white adipose tissue (WAT), that bats rely on to meet their metabolic needs during winter. However, the pathophysiological and metabolic effects of WNS have remained ill-defined. To elucidate metabolic mechanisms associated with WNS mortality, we infected a WNS susceptible species, the Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus), with Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) and collected WAT biopsies for histology and targeted lipidomics. These results were compared to the WNS-resistant Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus). A similar distribution in broad lipid class was observed in both species, with total WAT primarily consisting of triacylglycerides. Baseline differences in WAT chemical composition between species showed that higher glycerophospholipids (GPs) levels in E. fuscus were dominated by unsaturated or monounsaturated moieties and n-6 (18:2, 20:2, 20:3, 20:4) fatty acids. Conversely, higher GP levels in M. lucifugus WAT were primarily compounds containing n-3 (20:5 and 22:5) fatty acids. Following Pd-infection, we found that perturbation to WAT reserves occurs in M. lucifugus, but not in the resistant E. fuscus. A total of 66 GPs (primarily glycerophosphocholines and glycerophosphoethanolamines) were higher in Pd-infected M. lucifugus, indicating perturbation to the WAT structural component. In addition to changes in lipid chemistry, smaller adipocyte sizes and increased extracellular matrix deposition was observed in Pd-infected M. lucifugus. This is the first study to describe WAT GP composition of bats with different susceptibilities to WNS and highlights that recovery from WNS may require repair from adipose remodeling in addition to replenishing depot fat during spring emergence.