An ecological-economic analysis of pest-control services: The Brazilian Free-tailed Bat as a model

Ecosystem services underpin human existence, yet we know little about the magnitude of these services in terms of what policy makers need to incorporate into decision-making frameworks. The objective of this project is to analyze existing databases for developing an ecological-economic model of pest-control services provided by an important insectivorous bat (Tadarida brasiliensis). Computer algorithms will be developed for estimating numbers of bats based on infrared thermal imaging, and population models of pest species will be developed based on available life-history data. Dynamic modeling and GIS will be used to integrate extant databases on bat foraging from Dopper radar (NEXRAD) data, crop and insect phenology, seasonal migration of bats and insects, and agricultural crop distribution, yield, and inputs. Ultimately, models will include sensitivity analysis to estimate the monetary value of the pest-control service, and thus provide the first comprehensive analysis of a major vertebrate predator of importance to agroecosystem productivity in North America.