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Value and benefit distribution of pollination services provided by bats in the production of cactus fruits in central Mexico

Value and benefit distribution of pollination services provided by bats in the production of cactus fruits in central Mexico
Value and benefit distribution of pollination services provided by bats in the production of cactus fruits in central Mexico
Despite providing important ecosystem services in both natural and agricultural systems in the tropics, bats are often disregarded or considered pests; and research quantifying their importance as pollinators is scarce. We quantified the value and benefit distribution of bat pollination in the production of a major fruit crop in Mexico (pitayas, Stenocereus queretaroensis). We used exclusion experiments to quantify the effect of bat pollinators on crop yield and quality. We then used yield analysis to assess the market value of pollination services, combined with value chain analysis to assess the distribution of these economic benefits among actors. Bat pollination services to pitaya production are worth approximately US$2,500 per ha through increases in both fruit yield and size, with bats contributing around 40% of gross income across producers. Participation in the pitaya value chain provides a key seasonal source of cash income at a time of low agricultural activity, supporting livelihoods and household activities of the rural poor. However, the commercialisation of the pitaya has concentrated economic benefits with privileged groups who have access to land and markets. Our novel approach to valuing pollination services is transferable to other crops and pollinator species to demonstrate disaggregated socio-economic consequences of losing pollinators.
Cash crop, Columnar cactus, Economic valuation, Ecosystem services, Leptonycteris, Stenocereus queretaroensis, Value chain
2212-0416
Tremlett, Constance J.
a7718167-17c2-482a-87f7-256a4888922e
Peh, Kelvin S.H.
0bd60207-dad8-43fb-a84a-a15e09b024cc
Zamora-Gutierrez, Veronica
17a6b9d9-3346-4df6-9438-026b7342e28a
Schaafsma, Marije
937ac629-0fa2-4a11-bdf7-c3688405467d
Tremlett, Constance J.
a7718167-17c2-482a-87f7-256a4888922e
Peh, Kelvin S.H.
0bd60207-dad8-43fb-a84a-a15e09b024cc
Zamora-Gutierrez, Veronica
17a6b9d9-3346-4df6-9438-026b7342e28a
Schaafsma, Marije
937ac629-0fa2-4a11-bdf7-c3688405467d

Tremlett, Constance J., Peh, Kelvin S.H., Zamora-Gutierrez, Veronica and Schaafsma, Marije (2021) Value and benefit distribution of pollination services provided by bats in the production of cactus fruits in central Mexico. Ecosystem Services, 47, [101197]. (doi:10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101197).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Despite providing important ecosystem services in both natural and agricultural systems in the tropics, bats are often disregarded or considered pests; and research quantifying their importance as pollinators is scarce. We quantified the value and benefit distribution of bat pollination in the production of a major fruit crop in Mexico (pitayas, Stenocereus queretaroensis). We used exclusion experiments to quantify the effect of bat pollinators on crop yield and quality. We then used yield analysis to assess the market value of pollination services, combined with value chain analysis to assess the distribution of these economic benefits among actors. Bat pollination services to pitaya production are worth approximately US$2,500 per ha through increases in both fruit yield and size, with bats contributing around 40% of gross income across producers. Participation in the pitaya value chain provides a key seasonal source of cash income at a time of low agricultural activity, supporting livelihoods and household activities of the rural poor. However, the commercialisation of the pitaya has concentrated economic benefits with privileged groups who have access to land and markets. Our novel approach to valuing pollination services is transferable to other crops and pollinator species to demonstrate disaggregated socio-economic consequences of losing pollinators.

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Tremlett et al_Value and distribution of pollination services provided by bats in the production of cactus fruits in central Mexico - Accepted Manuscript
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More information

Submitted date: 10 July 2020
Accepted/In Press date: 21 September 2020
e-pub ahead of print date: 30 November 2020
Published date: 1 February 2021
Additional Information: Funding Information: This work was supported by the Natural Environmental Research Council (grant number NE/L002531/1), with additional funding from the British Cactus and Succulent Society (to CJT), Bat Conservation International (to VZG) and the University of Southampton (to CJT and KSHP). We are indebted to all the volunteers for their assistance in the field, to SEDER Jalisco, and all the authorities and inhabitants of the municipality of Techaluta de Montenegro who contributed directly or indirectly to our work, without whom this research could not have happened.
Keywords: Cash crop, Columnar cactus, Economic valuation, Ecosystem services, Leptonycteris, Stenocereus queretaroensis, Value chain

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 444167
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/444167
ISSN: 2212-0416
PURE UUID: dab51d17-ff4f-4bee-ba98-74dd53401967
ORCID for Kelvin S.H. Peh: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-2921-1341
ORCID for Veronica Zamora-Gutierrez: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0661-5180
ORCID for Marije Schaafsma: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0878-069X

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 30 Sep 2020 16:30
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 05:46

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Contributors

Author: Constance J. Tremlett
Author: Kelvin S.H. Peh ORCID iD
Author: Veronica Zamora-Gutierrez ORCID iD

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