David Blehert and his research team captured 117 healthy bats to study in the laboratory and divided them into 4 groups.Group 1 was housed in an area free from Geomyces destructans.Group 2 was housed in an area that shared the same air as bats infected with WNS,but they did not have direct contact with the infected bats.Group 3 was housed in direct contact with other bats infected with WNS.Group 4 was directly exposed to Geomyces destructans when it was applied to their wings.During the study period the bats were monitored for signs of WNS.What is the specific hypothesis being tested by the inclusion of group 4 in this experiment?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Group 4 was directly exposed to Geomyces destructans, which suggests that the specific hypothesis being tested is whether Geomyces destructans causes WNS and it can be transmitted by direct contact with the fungus; no contact with infected bats is needed for transmission of the fungus.

David Blehert and His Research Team Captured 117 Healthy Bats