Our good neighbors: Understanding ecosystem services provided by insectivorous bats in Rwanda

Abstract

Bats are prodigious consumers of agricultural and forest pests, and are, therefore, a natural asset for agricultural productivity, suppressing populations of such pests. This study provides baseline information of diet of 143 bats belonging to eight insectivorous bat species from agricultural areas of Rwanda while evaluating the effectiveness of bats as pest suppressors. Using DNA metabarcoding to analyze bat fecal pellets, 85 different insect species were detected, with 60% (n = 65), 64% (n = 11) and 78% (n = 9) found to be agricultural pests from eastern, northern and western regions, respectively. Given the high percentages of agricultural pests detected, we submit that Rwandan insectivorous bats have the capacity for biocontrol of agricultural pests. Rwandan bat populations should be protected and promoted since they may foster higher crop yields and sustainable livelihoods.

Gut Microbiota Composition of Insectivorous Synanthropic and Fructivorous Zoo Bats: A Direct Metagenomic Comparison

“…Synanthropic insectivorous bats play a crucial role in the ecosystems of urban areas as they are natural controllers of agricultural pests [22,23]. In a recent study, Nsengimana et al determined that 60% to 78% of the diet of insectivorous bats consists of agricultural pests [24]. Aguiar et al calculated the value of pest suppression by synanthropic insectivorous bats and concluded that bats are saving USD 94 per hectare of cornfields and overall USD 390.6 million per harvest in Brazil [25].…”