Bats and their vital ecosystem services: a global review

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Zoology

Background:

• Bats provide essential ecosystem services, including seed dispersal, pollination, insect control, and nutrient cycling.
• Despite their importance, a comprehensive global review of these services across all biogeographical regions is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a thorough global review of ecosystem services provided by bats over the last two decades.
• To identify research gaps and trends in the study of bat ecosystem services across different regions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of 283 studies published in the last 20 years.
• Analysis of research trends and geographical distribution of studies on bat ecosystem services.
• Generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) used to analyze differences among sampling methods.

Main Results:

• The review identified 409 bat species providing ecosystem services, consuming 752 insect species, and interacting with 549 plant species.
• Research on bat ecosystem services is concentrated in the Neotropical and Palearctic regions.
• Studies covered insect pest control, arthropod suppression, seed dispersal (native and introduced plants), pollination (native and introduced plants), and guano use.

Conclusions:

• Bat populations are crucial for maintaining ecosystem services.
• Conservation efforts for bats are vital to preserve ecological functions, especially in light of current global challenges.
• Further research is needed to ensure a comprehensive understanding of bat ecosystem services worldwide.