Higher bat and prey abundance at organic than conventional soybean fields
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Published source details
Put J.E., Mitchell G.W. & Fahrig L. (2018) Higher bat and prey abundance at organic than conventional soybean fields. Biological Conservation, 226, 177-185.
Published source details Put J.E., Mitchell G.W. & Fahrig L. (2018) Higher bat and prey abundance at organic than conventional soybean fields. Biological Conservation, 226, 177-185.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Use organic farming instead of conventional farming Action Link |
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Use organic farming instead of conventional farming
A replicated, paired sites study in 2017 of 16 pairs of soybean Glycine max fields in Canada (Put et al 2018) found that organic fields had higher overall bat activity and activity of four of seven bat species than conventional fields, but the number of bat species did not differ. Overall bat activity (bat passes) and the activity of four bat species (big brown bat Eptesicus fuscus, hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus, little brown bat Myotis lucifugus, silver-haired bat Lasionycteris noctivagans) was higher over organic fields than conventional fields (data reported as statistical model results). The activity of three other bat species (eastern red bat Lasiurus borealis, northern long-eared bat Myotis septentrionalis, tri-coloured bat Perimyotis subflavus) and the number of bat species recorded did not differ over organic and conventional fields (data reported as statistical model results). Sixteen soybean fields on certified organic farms were paired with 16 soybean fields on conventional farms (fields treated with neonicotinoid pesticides) according to field size, local habitat, and surrounding landscape. Two locations at the edge of each of 32 fields were surveyed with bat detectors for two nights in June–July 2017.
(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)
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