What does this research mean for the field?

In managed forest-farmland mosaics, bat activity and species richness are primarily driven by proximity to water bodies, high habitat diversity, and deciduous forests, whereas structurally abrupt forest edges do not positively influence activity. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.CONFIRMATORY. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.SUPPORTS_CONSENSUS.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To determine how landscape composition and configuration influence bat activity, species richness, and foraging groups near their northern range limit in a managed forest-farmland mosaic.

September 14, 2026Forest Ecology and ManagementOpen Access

Deciduous forest, habitat diversity and distance to water - but not forest edges - drive bat activity in a managed forest-farmland mosaic in south-eastern Sweden

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Authors

LFLiliana Andreia dos Santos FerreiraStockholm University SCSara A. O. CousinsStockholm University JPJorge M. PalmeirimSustainability Institute

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Implication

Acoustic monitoring study reveals bat activity depends on deciduous cover, water, and habitat diversity rather than edge density, suggesting forestry should prioritize broadleaf and aquatic habitats.

Key Points

To determine how landscape composition and configuration influence bat activity, species richness, and foraging groups near their northern range limit in a managed forest-farmland mosaic.
Deployed passive acoustic recording stations across 128 sampling points in south-eastern Sweden, collecting ~70,000 recordings with ~37,500 identified across nine bat species and three foraging guilds.
Used generalized linear models to evaluate species- and guild-specific activity, total acoustic activity, and species richness against landscape metrics, generating spatial prediction maps.
Water bodies and high habitat diversity had the strongest positive associations with total bat activity and overall species richness.
Deciduous forest cover positively correlated with Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Plecotus auritus, and edge-space foragers, whereas conifer stands favored Myotis daubentonii and Nyctalus noctula, and crop fields favored open-space foragers.
Neither edge density nor habitat connectivity showed a positive correlation with bat activity or richness, indicating that abrupt plantation edges provide minimal habitat value in fine-grained mosaics.

Cite This Study

Ferreira et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa7dfc60926e14a848b3e35 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2026.124242

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Implication

Acoustic monitoring study reveals bat activity depends on deciduous cover, water, and habitat diversity rather than edge density, suggesting forestry should prioritize broadleaf and aquatic habitats.

Deciduous forest, habitat diversity and distance to water - but not forest edges - drive bat activity in a managed forest-farmland mosaic in south-eastern Sweden

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Deciduous forest, habitat diversity and distance to water - but not forest edges - drive bat activity in a managed forest-farmland mosaic in south-eastern Sweden

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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