Pseudogymnoascus destructans is a term that one may not be familiar with, but it could have an impact on individuals’ lives.

The term refers to a type of fungus that is killing off bats, impacting the ecosystem.

Beginning in 2004, Professor Jeff Huebschman and his students conducted annual mist-net surveys at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, as well as throughout the Platteville area.

Mist-nets resemble badminton nets and they are used to harmlessly capture small animals, such as birds and bats, for research.

“Before going into it, I had no idea how passionate I would be towards the cause in the end,” Brittany Rogness, student researcher, said.

The UW-Platteville researchers have sampled seven different species and over 1,000 bats from the area.

In 2011 and 2012, a group of bats were PIT-tagged by the research team.

“What started as basic population monitoring and seeing what bats have been around has turned into baseline data of what our bat populations are like in this area because of this new disease that showed up,” Huebschman said.

A devastating bat disease, known as White-Nose Syndrome, was first documented in eastern New York.

It is named after the fungus that appears on the muzzle, ears and wings of hibernating bats.

This disease has been working its way across the country, spreading rapidly from the northeast into central United States.

Since the fungus infects the bats during their hibernation period, they gradually leave hibernation at an early rate and burn through their fat reserves faster than normal, causing them to eventually die.

It has been found killing insect-eating bats in 23 states and five Canadian provinces.

Also, it has been estimated that WNS has killed as many as 5.7-6.7 million bats in eastern North America.

The fungus is found in caves that have cool temperatures and high humidity.

In general, many species are susceptible to the disease, including 88 percent of the bats surveyed in the area.

“Now, we will be able to see what a normal bat population will look like, and what we inevitability will start seeing is impacts of this disease through the years,” Huesbschman said. “It’s difficult to predict all the various ramifications, but I think everyone is confident that there will be changes and an economic downside for the loss of bats.”

Bats are insect consumers, which allows them to become a free labor source for pest control.

With an increase in the loss of bats, insect populations, including crop and forest pests, will rise, potentially causing an increase in the cost of pesticides.

Analyses from “Economic Importance of Bats in Agriculture,” written by Justin G. Boyles, suggest that bat loss in North America could lead to an agricultural loss that is estimated at more than $3.7 billion a year.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is currently surveying caves and mines, but they have yet to detect any sign of the disease.

In Wisconsin, there are many areas where bats hibernate, including the Platteville area, which welcomes 80 percent of the bats for hibernation.

The Madison DNR has also worked with the UW-Platteville research team on a regular basis regarding the issue.

People who participate in recreational caving should take precaution due to the high potential for humans to unintentionally enter caves and spread the fungus from one area to another.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is collaborating with other departments in order to gain better control of the problem by limiting access to sites and creating protocols for researchers and cavers.