BUSCADOR RECOLECTA

Farmland ecosystem services frequently result from different ecological functions simultaneous provided by specific biodiversity groups such as birds. These bundles of ecosystem services may be approached from inter-specific interaction networks, which inform about the structure of interactions while identifying the species more relevant for combining ecosystem services. Here, we studied how birds provide pest control in apple orchards, and seed dispersal in orchard-adjacent hedgerows and forests. For this, we used field data and DNA-metabarcoding of bird fecal samples, obtained across a whole year from three orchards in northern Spain, to build interaction networks between birds and arthropod apple pests, and between birds and non-crop fleshy-fruited plants. We addressed the structure of the different networks underpinning pest control and seed dispersal. We also combined both ecosystem services through a hybrid network to assess, by means of centrality measures, the topological roles of individual bird species and their ecological determinants. Interaction networks differed in structure, with pest-control network showing higher modularity and specialization than seed-dispersal network, otherwise characterized by high nestedness. These differences emerged from the different typologies, i.e. antagonistic vs. mutualistic, of the bird-pest and bird-plant interactions. The hybrid network integrating pest control and seed dispersal evidenced strong variability across birds in their role to connect ecosystem services, depending on their central or peripheral positions. Bird centrality was positively related with species abundance and independent of body size or diet diversity. This finding suggests the relevance of neutral processes (i.e. the random encounters of organisms) for driving inter-specific interactions, and it highlights the relevance of common birds for sustaining ecosystem service bundles in agroecosystems. The preservation of fruit-rich hedgerows and forest patches around apple orchards is an action recommended to maintain the populations of common bird species, responsible of both agricultural pest control and the natural regeneration of these habitats.

When using this data please cite the original publication: Miñarro, M. & García, D. (2024). Landscape composition and orchard management effects on bat assemblages and bat foraging activity in apple crops. Ecosphere.

When using this data please acknowledge the original research grants (and funding agencies): PID2020-120239RR-100 (MiCIn/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ and FEDER), MRR/PA-24-BIODIVERSIDAD-BIO02 (MiCIn and Asturian Government, Next Generation EU)., Dataset that accompany the article Miñarro, M. & García, D. (2025). Landscape composition and orchard management effects on bat assemblages and bat foraging activity in apple crops. Ecosphere., PID2020-120239RR-100 (MiCIn/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ and FEDER
MRR/PA-24-BIODIVERSIDAD-BIO02 (MiCIn and Asturian Government, Next Generation EU).

© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)., Farmland ecosystem services frequently result from different ecological functions simultaneous provided by specific biodiversity groups such as birds. These bundles of ecosystem services may be approached from inter-specific interaction networks, which inform about the structure of interactions while identifying the species more relevant for combining ecosystem services. Here, we studied how birds provide pest control in apple orchards, and seed dispersal in orchard-adjacent hedgerows and forests. For this, we used field data and DNA-metabarcoding of bird fecal samples, obtained across a whole year from three orchards in northern Spain, to build interaction networks between birds and arthropod apple pests, and between birds and non-crop fleshy-fruited plants. We addressed the structure of the different networks underpinning pest control and seed dispersal. We also combined both ecosystem services through a hybrid network to assess, by means of centrality measures, the topological roles of individual bird species and their ecological determinants. Interaction networks differed in structure, with pest-control network showing higher modularity and specialization than seed-dispersal network, otherwise characterized by high nestedness. These differences emerged from the different typologies, i.e. antagonistic vs. mutualistic, of the bird-pest and bird-plant interactions. The hybrid network integrating pest control and seed dispersal evidenced strong variability across birds in their role to connect ecosystem services, depending on their central or peripheral positions. Bird centrality was positively related with species abundance and independent of body size or diet diversity. This finding suggests the relevance of neutral processes (i.e. the random encounters of organisms) for driving inter-specific interactions, and it highlights the relevance of common birds for sustaining ecosystem service bundles in agroecosystems. The preservation of fruit-rich hedgerows and forest patches around apple orchards is an action recommended to maintain the populations of common bird species, responsible of both agricultural pest control and the natural regeneration of these habitats., This research was funded by Fundación BBVA [ClaveSER 044-2019], Government of Principality of Asturias [GRUPIN grant IDI/2018/000151] and MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033 – FEDER [PID2020-120239RR-100]. BR was supported by a Spanish Juan de la Cierva Incorporación fellowship [IJCI-2017-33475] and a postdoctoral grant from the University of Cádiz [UCA/REC17VPCT/2021]. JPG-V was supported by a Spanish Ramón y Cajal fellowship [RYC-2017-22095]., Peer reviewed

Bats are acknowledged as suppliers of essential ecosystem services such as insect pest control in agroecosystems. Little is known, however, on how bat assemblages respond to the gradients imposed by anthropogenic landscapes and farming practices and how these environmental effects translate into changes in bat foraging. In this study, we use cider apple crop in northern Spain as a model to address the filtering effects of landscape composition and orchard management on, simultaneously, quantitative and qualitative characteristics of bat local assemblages and their foraging activity. For that, we carried out acoustic monitoring of bats and sampled pest moth abundance across a wider range of apple orchards covering different landscape contexts and local management conditions. We found that bat assemblages markedly varied across orchards, according mostly to landscape composition gradients but with contrasting landscape effects on different assemblage characteristics. Namely, higher levels of rural urbanization and lower cover of seminatural woody habitats around orchards promoted bat total activity and the number of bat species/species complexes. However, this also altered bat assemblage composition, increasing dominance by the most abundant species, and decreased bat functional diversity. Additionally, a greater cover of apple tree canopy within the orchards decreased bat total activity. Landscape gradients led into predictable variations of bat foraging activity, suggesting a potential persistence of pest control services even in landscapes with limited seminatural habitat cover. The present study highlights the differential responses of bat assemblages to apple crop landscape and orchard-scale conditions, hindering the establishment of straightforward management guidelines. Further analysis on the relationship between bat assemblage characteristics and pest control is necessary to understand how ecosystem services can be promoted through management in the apple agroecosystem., This work was supported by grants PID2020-120239RR-100 (MiCIn/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ and FEDER), and MRR/PA-24-BIODIVERSIDAD-BIO02 (MiCIn and Asturian Government, Next Generation EU)., Peer reviewed

Dataset that accompany the article Miñarro, M. & García, D. (2025). Landscape composition and orchard management effects on bat assemblages and bat foraging activity in apple crops. Ecosphere, PID2020-120239RR-100 (MiCIn/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ and FEDER MRR/PA-24-BIODIVERSIDAD-BIO02 (MiCIn and Asturian Government, Next Generation EU)., Peer reviewed

Damage and consumption of crops by vertebrates represent a significant source of conflict between humans and wildlife. This is particularly relevant in the context of small-fruit crops, such as blueberries, which are highly conspicuous, small-sized, and situated close to the ground, allowing a wide range of vertebrate species to swallow them whole and in large quantities. In the present study, we assessed the patterns of blueberry consumption by birds and mammals, and the effect of consumption on crop yield, in blueberry orchards in northern Spain. To this end, we characterised the fruit-eating vertebrate community through direct observation and camera traps in blueberry orchards, and conducted exclusion experiments in blueberry cultivars that ripen at different dates. The study was conducted in eight orchards over two consecutive years. We recorded 14 bird species and four mammal species consuming blueberries, with common blackbird (Turdus merula L.) and wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) accounting for more than 80 % of consumption events. Whereas frugivory by blackbirds was observed across orchards and cultivars, blueberry foraging by wild boar was highly localised. The exclusion experiments evidenced a negative impact of vertebrate frugivory on blueberry production. However, this impact was not homogeneous across sites, ranging from no impact to 74 % of yield loss. Similarly, vertebrate impact depended on the cultivar, with the early ripening cultivar being more susceptible to yield losses than late ripening cultivars. Further research is needed to ascertain what extrinsic (orchard and landscape structure) and intrinsic (abundance and physiological requirements of vertebrates) factors are responsible for the observed variability in yield loss across sites and cultivars. In terms of management, we recommend to prioritise bird deterrent methods to minimise the negative impact of vertebrates., This research was funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 – FEDER [PID2020-120239RR-100]. JJJ-A was supported by a Spanish FPI fellowship [PRE2021-096887]., Peer reviewed