摘要：Given rapid changes in agricultural practice, it is critical to understand how alterations inecological, technological, and economic conditions over time and space impact ecosystemservices in agroecosystems. Here, we present a benefit transfer approach to quantify cottonpest-control services provided by a generalist predator, the Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadaridabrasiliensis mexicana), in the southwestern United States. We show that pest-control estimatesderived using (1) a compound spatial–temporal model – which incorporates spatial andtemporal variability in crop pest-control service values – are likely to exhibit less error thanthose derived using (2) a simple-spatial model (i.e., a model that extrapolates values derivedfor one area directly, without adjustment, to other areas) or (3) a simple-temporal model (i.e., amodel that extrapolates data from a few points in time over longer time periods). Using ourcompound spatial–temporal approach, the annualized pest-control value was $12.2 million, incontrast to an estimate of $70.1 million (5.7 times greater), obtained from the simple-spatialapproach. Using estimates from one year (simple-temporal approach) revealed large valuedifferences (0.4 times smaller to 2 times greater). Finally, we present a detailed protocol forvaluing pest-control services, which can be used to develop robust pest-control transferfunctions for generalist predators in agroecosystems.
关键词：Ecosystem service valuation;Mexican free-tailed bats;generalist predators;pest-control;benefittransfer;spatial andtemporal variability;agroecosystems
