I submitted a letter to the editor of Science magazine (AAAS) regarding
a recent article:
"Biologists Struggle To Solve Bat Deaths", Robert Zimmerman, Vol 324,
2009 May 29, p. 1135
The text I submitted in the form's appropriate box said:
In his recent article on white nose syndrome in bats, the author
states, "Hibernating bats will arouse and triple their body temperature
for a few hours every 12 to 15 days."
This cannot be correct; I doubt that the body temperatures of bats
cycle between 100 K (slightly warmer than liquid nitrogen) and 300 K
(approximate "room temperature"), or the like. Since we have many
bat-inhabited caves on our farm here in Middle Tennessee and thousands
of others surround us, I would be interested in clarification on this
matter. Would the author kindly provide typical low and high
temperatures, with the temperature scale used? The average ambient air
temperature of our caves is probably near 14 °C.
Jim Frysinger
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James R. Frysinger
632 Stony Point Mountain Road
Doyle, TN 38559-3030
(C) 931.212.0267
(H) 931.657.3107
(F) 931.657.3108
