Study

Influence of agricultural management on bat activity and species richness in vineyards of central Chile

  • Published source details Rodríguez-San Pedro A., Chaperon P.N., Beltrán C.A., Allendes J.L., Ávila F.I. & Grez A.A. (2018) Influence of agricultural management on bat activity and species richness in vineyards of central Chile. Journal of Mammalogy, 99, 1495-1502.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Use organic farming instead of conventional farming

Action Link
Bat Conservation
  1. Use organic farming instead of conventional farming

    A replicated, paired sites study in 2016–2017 at 11 paired plots on organic and conventional vineyards in Buin and Paine, Chile (Rodríguez-San Pedro et al 2018) found that organic vineyards had more bat species and greater activity of Brazilian free-tailed bats Tadarida brasiliensis than conventional vineyards. A higher number of bat species were recorded on organic (average 2 bat species/sampling point) than conventional vineyards (average 1 bat species/sampling point). Organic vineyards had greater activity of Brazilian free-tailed bats (average 24 bat passes/sampling point) than conventional vineyards (average 10 bat passes/sampling point). Eleven pairs of plots on organic and conventional vineyards were matched by adjacent habitats and surrounding land cover types. Organic vineyards had been certified for 15–20 years, did not use agrochemical treatments (except fungicides) and had cover crops, flowers, and weeds between rows. Two sampling points/plot (edge and interior) were surveyed simultaneously using bat detectors for 30 minutes on each of three nights in January–March 2016 and 2017.

    (Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)

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