Transition to organic farming negatively affects bat activity.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Organic farming is known to benefit biodiversity, but the impacts during the transition period are unclear.
• Insectivorous bats provide valuable pest control services in agricultural landscapes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effects of organic farming transition on insectivorous bat activity in Cyprus citrus orchards.
• To investigate if the transition period or surrounding landscape complexity influences bat activity.

Main Methods:

• Matched and unmatched study designs comparing conventional, transitional (3-year organic), and certified organic farms.
• Monitoring bat activity across different farming systems and landscape complexities.

Main Results:

• Bat activity for three species was significantly lower in transitional organic farms than conventional ones.
• Two species showed lower activity in transitional organic farms compared to certified organic farms.
• The dominant species, Pipistrellus kuhlii, was most active in certified organic orchards, suggesting a time-lag effect.

Conclusions:

• The transition to organic farming has detrimental effects on bats, potentially impacting pest suppression services.
• Agri-environmental policies should address the transition period, mitigating negative impacts and promoting asynchronous farm transitions.
• Assessing organic farming benefits requires considering the time elapsed since the transition.