Use of native woodlands and traditional olive groves by foraging bats on a Mediterranean island: consequences for conservation

Published source details Davy C.M., Russo D. & Fenton M.B. (2007) Use of native woodlands and traditional olive groves by foraging bats on a Mediterranean island: consequences for conservation. Journal of Zoology, 273, 397-405.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use organic farming instead of conventional farming Action Link

Use organic farming instead of conventional farming

A replicated, paired sites and site comparison study in 2005 in six pairs of olive Olea europea groves and six native woodlands on Zakynthos island, Greece (Davy et al 2007) found that organic olive groves had similar bat activity and foraging activity to non-organic olive groves. Overall bat activity and foraging activity did not differ between organic (average 0.8 bat passes/min, 0.04 feeding buzzes/min) and non-organic olive groves (1.1. bat passes/min, 0.06 feeding buzzes/min). Bat activity in organic and non-organic olive groves also did not differ significantly to that in three native oak Quercus spp. woodland patches (1.5 bat passes/min) and three native pine Pinus halipensis woodland patches (2.5 bat passes/min). Eleven bat species were recorded in total (see original paper for data for individual species). Six organic olive groves were paired with six non-organic olive groves similar in size, age, density of trees and altitude. Organic olive groves used organic pest control (scent and sticky traps) and no chemicals. Non-organic groves were treated with a yearly insecticide spray. Six native, untreated woodland patches were also surveyed (three oak, three pine). Each of 18 sites was surveyed with bat detectors rotated between four random points for 1.5 h from dusk. Surveys were repeated on three nights/site in June–August 2006.

(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)