Ecologies

In northwestern Ecuador, where more than 90% of the original forest cover has been lost, it is unknown how soil chemistry influences bat diversity. This study evaluated bat diversity, non-herbaceous plant community structure, and soil nutrients in 30 plots distributed across crops on two farms separated by 32 km. Soil analyses revealed variations in organic matter and nutrients, identifying calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron as the most influential. A total of 1662 individuals of 24 non-herbaceous plant species and 193 individuals of 16 bat species were recorded, dominated by frugivorous and nectarivorous guilds. Generalized linear mixed models showed significant relationships between bat diversity indices and soil nutrients. These elements improve tree growth, fruiting, and flowering, which increases the quality and availability of food resources for bats. In return, these mammals provide key ecosystem services such as pollination, seed dispersal, and insect control. Our findings highlight that soil chemistry indirectly regulates bat communities by influencing vegetation structure and resource availability. This integrated approach underscores the importance of soil–plant–animal interactions in tropical agricultural landscapes, offering practical guidance.

Chestnut is an important economic plant for ecology and farmers in mountainous areas in China. We conducted surveys and experiments to assess the economic value of the pollination service provided by insect pollinators for chestnuts via the Toolkit for Ecosystem Service Site-based Assessment (TESSA) in Bapeng Village, Wangmo County, Guizhou Province of China. We applied three methods presented by TESSA, the desk-based method, the field survey method, and the exclusion experiment, for the assessment. The resulting pollination values for the three methods are (1) CNY 3712.5∙ha⁻¹∙yr⁻¹ in the assessment site and an average of CNY 1386∙ha⁻¹∙yr⁻¹ with buffer zones included for the desk-based method; (2) CNY 3712.5∙ha⁻¹∙yr⁻¹ in the assessment site and an average of CNY 1124∙ha⁻¹∙yr⁻¹ with buffer zones included for the field survey method; and (3) CNY 4158∙ha⁻¹∙yr⁻¹ in the assessment site and an average of CNY 1485∙ha⁻¹∙yr⁻¹ with buffer zones included for the exclusion experiment method. The total value of chestnut pollination of the Bapeng Village ranges from CNY 311,943 yr⁻¹ to CNY 404,663 yr⁻¹. The chestnut pollination of the village is substantially insufficient. This could be the result of the decrease in diversity and uneven distribution of insect pollinators which, per se, are caused by the lack of larval hosts for those pollinators.

We surveyed bee communities across an organic conifer tree farm landscape in northern Idaho to assess how managed forest–agriculture mosaics support pollinator diversity. Bees were collected from farm fields, adjacent conservation forests, and a pollinator garden between May and August 2024 using aerial nets and identified to species or morphospecies. In total, 94 bee species were recorded, representing a mix of ground-nesting (46%), cavity-nesting (37%), and social (17%) taxa. Bee richness was highest in farm fields (66 species), intermediate in forests (48 species), and lowest in the pollinator garden (35 species). Community turnover among habitats was substantial (Jaccard dissimilarity = 0.67–0.76; Bray-Curtis dissimilarity = 0.53–0.55), indicating distinct assemblages associated with each habitat type. Comparisons with regional datasets from Montana and Washington revealed moderate overlap (Jaccard = 0.22–0.24), suggesting that the Highland Flats farm supports a partly unique bee fauna within the Northern Rockies. Seven non-native bee species and nine species of conservation concern (five Osmia, four Bombus) were detected, with those of conservation concern taxa often visiting native Lupinus flowers. Most bee visits occurred on non-native plants, though native blooms contributed key seasonal resources. These findings demonstrate that organic tree farms with structurally diverse forests and managed floral resources can function as refugia for both common and at-risk bees in temperate forested landscapes.