Diversity and foraging activity of bats in cultivated and uncultivated areas in agroecosystems of a Mediterranean-climate hotspot

ABSTRACT Bats are one of the least-studied vertebrate groups in Chile. We sampled six fruit farms in the Mediterranean-climate zone and three in a semiarid zone during 2015 and 2016, respectively. We assessed if activity (passes) and foraging (feeding buzzes) of bat species differed between cultivated and uncultivated intra-farm habitats. We found six bat species, all threatened and insectivorous. Tadarida brasiliensis was the most frequently recorded species. We found more activity and foraging in uncultivated than cultivated habitats in total, although the opposite trend was observed during springtime in semiarid region. More than a third of the bat passes were feeding buzzes in both habitats, suggesting the potential service to agriculture. Further investigation is needed to promote conservation of bats and their integration as biocontrols in agroecosystems in Chile