The diet of bats in forest ecosystems and their potential as natural enemies of forest pests: A case study in the Khingan Mountains, Northeast China
The health and integrity of the forest ecosystem are critical to maintaining its stability, biodiversity, and ecological services. Bats, as natural predators of pests in agroforestry ecosystems, provide pest control services. However, most studies have focused on agroecosystems, but studies on fores...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25006958 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849425995674681344 |
|---|---|
| author | Lixin Gong Zhiqiang Wang Can Ke Maojun Zhong Wenhao Zhang Yaping Lu Kangkang Zhang Jiang Feng Tinglei Jiang |
| author_facet | Lixin Gong Zhiqiang Wang Can Ke Maojun Zhong Wenhao Zhang Yaping Lu Kangkang Zhang Jiang Feng Tinglei Jiang |
| author_sort | Lixin Gong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The health and integrity of the forest ecosystem are critical to maintaining its stability, biodiversity, and ecological services. Bats, as natural predators of pests in agroforestry ecosystems, provide pest control services. However, most studies have focused on agroecosystems, but studies on forest ecosystems are scarce. Here, we determined the dietary composition and diversity of forest bats in the Lesser and Greater Khingan Mountains (LKM and GKM) of Northeast China via DNA metabarcoding. We also identified the species and diversity of forest pests consumed by bats and determined the relationships of bat body size, population size, and dietary diversity with the number and diversity of consumed forest pests. The results showed that the diets of 92 individuals of eight bat species comprised 12 orders of arthropods, dominated by Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Hemiptera. In total, 238 forest pest items belonging to 97 species were detected in bat diets, representing about 31 % of identified prey species. Bats in the LKM preyed mainly on forest pests belonging to the Noctuidae family, whereas those in the GKM belonging to the Tortricidae family. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was found between the richness and Shannon diversity of the bat diet and those associated with the consumption of forest pests. The population size of the captured bat species was significantly positively correlated with the number of forest pests consumed. These findings suggest that forest bats are potential natural enemies of forest pests and that the population size and degree of dietary diversity of bats may play crucial roles in pest control services in forest ecosystems. This study provides novel insights into the role of bats as natural solutions in forest ecosystems and highlights the importance of conserving forest bats and their integration into integrated pest management practices in forestry. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1108cc86e08e480ca5a37a220d80cb20 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj-art-1108cc86e08e480ca5a37a220d80cb202025-08-20T03:29:35ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2025-08-0117711376510.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113765The diet of bats in forest ecosystems and their potential as natural enemies of forest pests: A case study in the Khingan Mountains, Northeast ChinaLixin Gong0Zhiqiang Wang1Can Ke2Maojun Zhong3Wenhao Zhang4Yaping Lu5Kangkang Zhang6Jiang Feng7Tinglei Jiang8Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, ChinaJilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, ChinaJilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, ChinaJilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, ChinaJilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, ChinaJilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, ChinaJilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, ChinaJilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; Jilin Provincial International Cooperation Key Laboratory for Biological Control of Agricultural Pests, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, ChinaJilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China; Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; Corresponding author at: Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China.The health and integrity of the forest ecosystem are critical to maintaining its stability, biodiversity, and ecological services. Bats, as natural predators of pests in agroforestry ecosystems, provide pest control services. However, most studies have focused on agroecosystems, but studies on forest ecosystems are scarce. Here, we determined the dietary composition and diversity of forest bats in the Lesser and Greater Khingan Mountains (LKM and GKM) of Northeast China via DNA metabarcoding. We also identified the species and diversity of forest pests consumed by bats and determined the relationships of bat body size, population size, and dietary diversity with the number and diversity of consumed forest pests. The results showed that the diets of 92 individuals of eight bat species comprised 12 orders of arthropods, dominated by Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Hemiptera. In total, 238 forest pest items belonging to 97 species were detected in bat diets, representing about 31 % of identified prey species. Bats in the LKM preyed mainly on forest pests belonging to the Noctuidae family, whereas those in the GKM belonging to the Tortricidae family. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was found between the richness and Shannon diversity of the bat diet and those associated with the consumption of forest pests. The population size of the captured bat species was significantly positively correlated with the number of forest pests consumed. These findings suggest that forest bats are potential natural enemies of forest pests and that the population size and degree of dietary diversity of bats may play crucial roles in pest control services in forest ecosystems. This study provides novel insights into the role of bats as natural solutions in forest ecosystems and highlights the importance of conserving forest bats and their integration into integrated pest management practices in forestry.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25006958Bat population sizeDietary diversityDNA metabarcodingForest pestsPest controlForest health |
| spellingShingle | Lixin Gong Zhiqiang Wang Can Ke Maojun Zhong Wenhao Zhang Yaping Lu Kangkang Zhang Jiang Feng Tinglei Jiang The diet of bats in forest ecosystems and their potential as natural enemies of forest pests: A case study in the Khingan Mountains, Northeast China Ecological Indicators Bat population size Dietary diversity DNA metabarcoding Forest pests Pest control Forest health |
| title | The diet of bats in forest ecosystems and their potential as natural enemies of forest pests: A case study in the Khingan Mountains, Northeast China |
| title_full | The diet of bats in forest ecosystems and their potential as natural enemies of forest pests: A case study in the Khingan Mountains, Northeast China |
| title_fullStr | The diet of bats in forest ecosystems and their potential as natural enemies of forest pests: A case study in the Khingan Mountains, Northeast China |
| title_full_unstemmed | The diet of bats in forest ecosystems and their potential as natural enemies of forest pests: A case study in the Khingan Mountains, Northeast China |
| title_short | The diet of bats in forest ecosystems and their potential as natural enemies of forest pests: A case study in the Khingan Mountains, Northeast China |
| title_sort | diet of bats in forest ecosystems and their potential as natural enemies of forest pests a case study in the khingan mountains northeast china |
| topic | Bat population size Dietary diversity DNA metabarcoding Forest pests Pest control Forest health |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25006958 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lixingong thedietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT zhiqiangwang thedietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT canke thedietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT maojunzhong thedietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT wenhaozhang thedietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT yapinglu thedietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT kangkangzhang thedietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT jiangfeng thedietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT tingleijiang thedietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT lixingong dietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT zhiqiangwang dietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT canke dietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT maojunzhong dietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT wenhaozhang dietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT yapinglu dietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT kangkangzhang dietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT jiangfeng dietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina AT tingleijiang dietofbatsinforestecosystemsandtheirpotentialasnaturalenemiesofforestpestsacasestudyinthekhinganmountainsnortheastchina |