Managing hedgerows for biodiversity: disentangling the effects of trimming, structure and connectivity on the use of linear features by bats

Hedgerows are key semi-natural elements in European agricultural landscapes supporting diverse wildlife, including bats, that depend on these linear elements for foraging and commuting. Despite replanting initiatives, many hedgerows remain degraded due to intensive management practices such as over-trimming. To develop effective and generalisable conservation guidelines, more research is needed to understand how both management practices and intrinsic hedgerow characteristics influence bat species with different foraging strategies. We conducted passive acoustic monitoring across 448 hedgerows to assess the influence of six characteristics on bat activity: trimming method, height, width, foliage density, connectivity, and woody plant diversity. We examined responses for two species associated with hedgerow landscapes (Barbastella barbastellus, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), and three echolocation guilds: short-, mid-, and long-range echolocators (SRE, MRE, LRE), corresponding to clutter, e..., , # Managing hedgerows for biodiversity: disentangling the effects of trimming, structure and connectivity on the use of linear features by bats Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.9s4mw6mvz](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.9s4mw6mvz) ## Description of the data and file structure ### Files and variables #### File: Dataset_hegderow_bat_activity_2025.csv **Description:**Â Using passive acoustic monitoring, this study aimed to disentangle the relative effects of six hedgerow characteristics (i.e. trimming method, height, width, foliage density, connectivity and woody plant diversity) on bat activity. We used data from passive acoustic monitoring of bats along 448 hedgerows across three French regions differing in landscape configuration and composition. Hedgerows were selected to cover contrasting structural characteristics while ensuring consistent experimental conditions (adjacent to crop fields, away from artificial lighting and major infrastructures). Bat echolocation calls were recorded o...,