Agricultural practices, biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by bats in Mediterranean crops

Puig, Xavier
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We study the effect of organic farming practices on several taxa in olive groves and vineyards. Sessile organisms show a stronger response to treatment, their diversity being higher in organic vineyards. Vagile organism show a less intense response, with the most mobile taxa (birds) showing no farming treatment related differences. Organic olive groves are preferred over conventional groves by some endangered bat species (Rhinolophus spp.), thus stressing their importance for bat conservation. We analize the regulatory ecosystems services bats exert in rice paddies. Bats predate on both agricultural pests (moths and midges) and disease-bearing pests (mosquitoes). The intensity with which they track pests is linked to the cost-benefit trade-off, more evidently shifting their hunting grounds when bigger pests are available. Their economic impact has been assessed in terms of the avoided pesticide cost per hectare of rice crop and year at around 50€ ​
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