Benefits of organic olive farming for the conservation of gleaning bats

摘要: Abstract Current intensification and expansion of agricultural lands are some the main anthropogenic processes driving global decline biodiversity. Organic farming is generally regarded as a better compromise between production ecosystems biodiversity preservation. However, while this practice gaining popularity worldwide, conventional agriculture still approach, hindering conservation many taxa. Bats poorly studied negatively affected by farming. Their high mobility long lifespan make them excellent ecological indicators in agroecosystems. We assessed effect different crop treatments (conventional organic olive groves, sparse coniferous forest control) on bat activity, at both guild species level. In addition, we evaluated whether activity was influenced abundance fruit fly Bactrocera oleae, major insect pest groves worldwide. were surveyed acoustically during autumn 2014 all using passive ultrasound detectors. parallel, pheromone traps for B. oleae used to monitor abundance. Our results show that aerial hunting bats significantly more active forests compared other treatment areas. On contrary, gleaning (those threatened vulnerable habitat degradation) showed higher rates groves. Due their manoeuvrability slow flight, well-adapted forage structurally complex cluttered habitats such A significant negative relation found density which expected prey hence positive with its density. The reasons unclear further research molecular techniques would be needed understand interaction, if any, pest. usually stratified than ones, characterized presence spontaneous herbaceous cover diversity arthropods (either beneficial or deleterious), favours activity. practices should prioritised agri-environment schemes European Union those individual members. If not widely implemented, monocultures may put populations stake, well ecosystem quality