Enhanced crop diversity but not smaller field size benefit bats in agricultural landscapes

Landscape Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 40(1)

Published: Jan. 8, 2025

Abstract Context Farmland biodiversity continues to decline due the expansion and intensification of agriculture. Historically, efforts conserve farmland have focused on conserving habitats outside agricultural production areas. More recently, attention has turned conservation potential cropland matrix, where reducing field size increasing crop diversity promote heterogeneity can significantly benefit biodiversity. Bats are one group species that experienced dramatic declines over recent decades. Objectives Here we investigated effects (crop diversity, size) landscape structural elements (e.g. length linear structures, distance forest, proportion semi-natural habitat) activity bat functional groups. Results Increasing led greater activity, especially for open space foraging bats. However, contrary expectations, was not affected by in configuration, i.e. edge density. Furthermore, elements, including hedgerows were important predictors hunt highly cluttered spaces. While clearly benefited lack effect configurational may suggest heterogeneityarea trade-offs intensive pesticide use small-scale vegetable production. Conclusions Therefore, addition maintaining high levels promoting tree lines between woodland facilitate across matrix. The combination provides favorable hunting grounds bats their landscapes.

Language: Английский

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Bats over rice: Assessing the contribution of insectivorous bats to pest suppression in Mexican rice fields

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 383, P. 109503 - 109503

Published: Jan. 30, 2025

Language: Английский

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Nature-based solutions to increase rice yield: An experimental assessment of the role of birds and bats as agricultural pest suppressors in West Africa

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 370, P. 109067 - 109067

Published: May 9, 2024

Rice is widely consumed as a staple food, being cultivated worldwide. However, in West Africa, production not enough to satisfy demand. often suffers intensive damage by herbivorous arthropods that affect quality and quantity of the grain. Birds bats have been shown suppress arthropod pests, potentially enhancing rice productivity food security. degree which these taxa provide nature-based solutions for mitigating pest-induced losses poorly known, especially Africa. Here, we used experimental exclosures investigate whether birds reduce plant boost yield suppressing abundance. In rural area northern Guinea-Bissau, established 14 sets paired control parcels, precluding access plants. We then quantified how absence influenced communities, damage, over full cycle (six months). Arthropod numbers (10.1 ± 9.1 ind./plot) were nearly double those plots (5.8 3.0 ind./plot), result mostly due lower spider abundance controls. The percentage leaf grain showed no difference between exclosure control. Using Structural Equation Models, uncovered exclusion boosted but had only marginal effects on detectable effect yield. flying vertebrates led marked increase abundance, suggesting an mesopredator release, turn likely helped maintaining pest low contributing small overall Enhancing interesting option agricultural our results highlight need better understanding ecological interactions landscapes stress more research inform evidence-based policies using foster natural consumption pests vertebrates, means improve

Language: Английский

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Propanil impairs organ development in zebrafish by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting mitochondrial respiration

Journal of Hazardous Materials, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 480, P. 136364 - 136364

Published: Oct. 31, 2024

Language: Английский

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Beyond borders: The role of protected areas in promoting bat-mediated pest suppression in rural areas of Madagascar

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 387, P. 109590 - 109590

Published: March 18, 2025

Language: Английский

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Balancing bats and agriculture: Investigating the effects of agricultural management practices on bat species diversity in mountain ecosystems

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 387, P. 109620 - 109620

Published: March 23, 2025

Language: Английский

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