Identifying research needs to inform white‐nose syndrome management decisions

摘要: Ecological understanding of host–pathogen dynamics is the basis for managing wildlife diseases. Since 2008, federal, state, and provincial agencies tribal private organizations have collaborated on bat white-nose syndrome (WNS) surveillance monitoring, research, management programs. Accordingly, scientists managers learned a lot about hosts, pathogen, WNS. However, effective mitigation measures to combat WNS remain elusive. Host–pathogen systems are complex, identifying ecological research priorities improve management, choosing among various actions, deciding when implement those actions can be challenging. Through cross-disciplinary approach, group diverse subject matter experts created an influence diagram used identify uncertainties prioritize needs management. Critical knowledge gaps were identified, particularly with respect how impacts may differ species. We highlight critical targets research. This tool maximize likelihood achieving conservation goals within context limitations specific real-world scenarios.