Abstract Faced with current health and environmental challenges, viticulture is directly concerned with the need to reduce pesticide use. Natural pest control services provided by bats have been demonstrated in other crops and is regularly mentioned as a way to reduce pesticide use. However, the trophic link between bats and grape pests as well as the effect of pest presence on bat activities remain largely unknown. To investigate the functional role of bats in vineyard landscapes, we used two independent approaches. We monitored the activities of bats and of the European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana) in 23 vineyards located in the Bordeaux region (France). In parallel, we developed DNA primers to examine bat faeces from two regions, Bordeaux and Burgundy, for the presence of the three main species of grapevine moths. Our results demonstrate that bats significantly increase their hunting activity when European grapevine moths are present in vineyards. In addition, our molecular analysis of the faeces provides robust evidence that at least 10 species of bats predate the three grapevine moth species. Our results therefore suggest that bats can be natural enemies of grape pests in vineyard landscapes. Further research is now needed to investigate the consequences of predation of pests by bats on crop production as well as the effect of some management options at both the local and landscape scale to increase the level of pest control services provided by bats.

中文翻译：

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蝙蝠在葡萄园景观中提供的害虫控制服务

摘要 面对当前的健康和环境挑战，葡萄栽培直接关系到减少农药使用的需要。蝙蝠提供的天然害虫防治服务已在其他作物中得到证明，并经常被提及作为减少农药使用的一种方式。然而，蝙蝠和葡萄害虫之间的营养联系以及害虫的存在对蝙蝠活动的影响在很大程度上仍然未知。为了研究蝙蝠在葡萄园景观中的功能作用，我们使用了两种独立的方法。我们在位于波尔多地区（法国）的 23 个葡萄园中监测了蝙蝠和欧洲葡萄蛾（Lobesia botrana）的活动。同时，我们开发了 DNA 引物来检查来自波尔多和勃艮第两个地区的蝙蝠粪便，以确定是否存在三种主要的葡萄蛾。我们的研究结果表明，当葡萄园中出现欧洲葡萄蛾时，蝙蝠会显着增加它们的狩猎活动。此外，我们对粪便的分子分析提供了强有力的证据，表明至少有 10 种蝙蝠早于三种葡萄蛾。因此，我们的结果表明，蝙蝠可能是葡萄园景观中葡萄害虫的天敌。现在需要进一步研究蝙蝠捕食害虫对作物生产的影响，以及在地方和景观范围内采取一些管理方案以提高蝙蝠提供的害虫防治服务水平的影响。我们对粪便的分子分析提供了强有力的证据，表明至少有 10 种蝙蝠早于三种葡萄蛾。因此，我们的结果表明，蝙蝠可能是葡萄园景观中葡萄害虫的天敌。现在需要进一步研究蝙蝠捕食害虫对作物生产的影响，以及在地方和景观范围内采取一些管理方案以提高蝙蝠提供的害虫防治服务水平的影响。我们对粪便的分子分析提供了强有力的证据，表明至少有 10 种蝙蝠早于三种葡萄蛾。因此，我们的结果表明，蝙蝠可能是葡萄园景观中葡萄害虫的天敌。现在需要进一步研究蝙蝠捕食害虫对作物生产的影响，以及在地方和景观范围内采取一些管理方案以提高蝙蝠提供的害虫防治服务水平的影响。