A systematic map of agricultural practices affecting insectivorous bats in temperate regions: cross‐scale evidence patterns and implications for bat-friendly farming
Abstract
Agricultural landscapes cover large areas of temperate regions and harbour key components of biodiversity that contribute to ecosystem functioning. Insectivorous bats act as natural enemies of crop pests, yet the ways agricultural practices influence their populations and associated functions remain insufficiently synthesised. We conducted a systematic map of peer-reviewed literature to provide the first structured cross-scale classification and quantitative mapping of existing evidence on agricultural practices affecting insectivorous bats in temperate agroecosystems. We searched Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, screened 8416 records, and identified 164 eligible studies. Agricultural interventions were classified across three scales: local-scale practices, integrated farming systems, and landscape-scale management. Most studies focused on descriptive landscape-scale variables, highlighting the influence of landscape complexity, and agroecological infrastructures on bat activity and community composition. Conversely, evidence on local-scale practices, such as pesticide use, irrigation, tillage, and grazing intensity, was understudied. Bat responses were most frequently assessed through acoustic surveys, and relatively few studies directly quantify pest suppression, dietary composition, or physiological endpoints, meaning that ecosystem service benefits are often inferred rather than experimentally demonstrated. Proposed conservation measures focus on habitat and landscape management. By clarifying where evidence is robust and where inference remains indirect, this systematic map identifies priority areas for experimental research and multi-scale integration. Strengthening causal inference will be essential to support biodiversitybased agricultural transitions that credibly align bat conservation with ecosystem service provision in temperate regions.
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BibTeX
@article{rouabah2026systematic,
title = {{A systematic map of agricultural practices affecting insectivorous bats in temperate regions: cross‐scale evidence patterns and implications for bat-friendly farming}},
author = {Abdelhak Rouabah and Julie Marmet and Kevin Barré and François Chiron and Fabien Claireau and Jérémy S.P. Froidevaux and Christian Kerbiriou and Joseph Langridge and Isabelle Le Viol and Karine Princé and Florence Matutini},
journal = {Agriculture, Ecosystems \& Environment},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.1016/j.agee.2026.110554},
url = {https://ofb.hal.science/hal-05732753v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A systematic map of agricultural practices affecting insectivorous bats in temperate regions: cross‐scale evidence patterns and implications for bat-friendly farming
AU - Abdelhak Rouabah
AU - Julie Marmet
AU - Kevin Barré
AU - François Chiron
AU - Fabien Claireau
AU - Jérémy S.P. Froidevaux
AU - Christian Kerbiriou
AU - Joseph Langridge
AU - Isabelle Le Viol
AU - Karine Princé
AU - Florence Matutini
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/06
JO - Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
DO - 10.1016/j.agee.2026.110554
UR - https://ofb.hal.science/hal-05732753v1
AB - Agricultural landscapes cover large areas of temperate regions and harbour key components of biodiversity that contribute to ecosystem functioning. Insectivorous bats act as natural enemies of crop pests, yet the ways agricultural practices influence their populations and associated functions remain insufficiently synthesised. We conducted a systematic map of peer-reviewed literature to provide the first structured cross-scale classification and quantitative mapping of existing evidence on agricultural practices affecting insectivorous bats in temperate agroecosystems. We searched Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, screened 8416 records, and identified 164 eligible studies. Agricultural interventions were classified across three scales: local-scale practices, integrated farming systems, and landscape-scale management. Most studies focused on descriptive landscape-scale variables, highlighting the influence of landscape complexity, and agroecological infrastructures on bat activity and community composition. Conversely, evidence on local-scale practices, such as pesticide use, irrigation, tillage, and grazing intensity, was understudied. Bat responses were most frequently assessed through acoustic surveys, and relatively few studies directly quantify pest suppression, dietary composition, or physiological endpoints, meaning that ecosystem service benefits are often inferred rather than experimentally demonstrated. Proposed conservation measures focus on habitat and landscape management. By clarifying where evidence is robust and where inference remains indirect, this systematic map identifies priority areas for experimental research and multi-scale integration. Strengthening causal inference will be essential to support biodiversitybased agricultural transitions that credibly align bat conservation with ecosystem service provision in temperate regions.
SN - 0167-8809
ER -