The importance of natural habitats to Brazilian free-tailed bats in intensive agricultural landscapes in the Winter Garden region of Texas, United States

摘要: Abstract The conversion of natural lands to agriculture is a leading cause the worldwide loss biodiversity. In particular, cropland monocultures alter insect abundance and diversity compared adjacent habitats. While agricultural can provide large numbers pests as prey items predators such bats, pest population size vary greatly throughout growing seasons. This study assesses importance land use corn earworm moth availability spatial temporal drivers bat activity. We quantified variation in patterns at fifteen sites located within Winter Garden region south central Texas used detectors pheromone traps monitor nightly activity across landscape most year. Our analyses show that was positively correlated with abundance, but only early season when its peak. key result from this positive relationship between habitat cover during late summer months, corresponding periods low peak During period, bats were more active containing larger percentage habitats than those land. results strongly suggest intensive practices create systems providing inconsistent resource supply, persistence provides consistency food supply though time. Taken together, these findings illustrate protecting restoring for conservation pest-suppression services they ecosystems.