Higher avian biodiversity, increased shrub cover, and proximity to continuous forest may reduce pest insect crop loss in small-scale oil palm farming

One of the key ecosystem services offered by avian biodiversity within agricultural landscapes is natural predation. Nonetheless, the current use of biological control agents such as farmland birds in oil palm plantations is relatively limited. The present study aimed to assess the potential roles of avian biodiversity, particularly insectivores which provide natural predation against oil palm herbivorous insects. We also investigated the influence of local- and landscape-scale variables on foliage damage (crown or frond). Our data showed that crown damage decreased with increasing farmland bird richness (overall and insectivore), shrub cover, dried biomass, and elevation, but increased with epiphyte cover, oil palm height, and distance to continuous forest. Frond damage was negatively related to bird richness (overall, insectivore, and non-insectivore) and non-insectivore abundance, elevation, and shrub cover, while increased with insectivorous abundance, epiphyte cover, oil palm heigh..., Study design and foliage damage assessments
Foliage damage assessments were conducted at 30 predetermined sampling points established at each study site, totalling 180 sampling points across all study sites. All points were spaced at >500m apart to maximise spatial coverage. Foliage damage assessments were made based on the approach used by previous studies (e.g., Gilbert & Gregoire, 2003, Priwiratama et al., 2019; Ruslan et al., 2019). At each sampling point, eight oil palms, located within a 20 m radius from the centre of the sampling point were selected for the herbivorous pests (e.g., bagworms) damage inspection at two levels, namely crown and frond. Crown damage evaluations were conducted through visual inspections (using binoculars) to assess the extent of herbivorous pests affecting the entire foliage. The value representing crown damage at each sampling point was derived from the averaged percentage values of damage observed on eight selected palms. Damage observed from t..., , # Data From: Higher avian biodiversity, increased shrub cover, and proximity to continuous forest may reduce pest insect crop loss in small-scale oil palm farming

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.ghx3ffbwn](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.ghx3ffbwn)

## Description of the data and file structure

This dataset comprises foliage damage assessments conducted on oil palm at 180 sampling points across Peninsular Malaysia. Additionally, the dataset encompasses bird data as well as local- and landscape-scale variables gathered from each sampling point.

File name: Data-JAPPL-2023-00856.xlsx

Data-specific information:

1. Number of variables: 22

2. Number of cases/rows: 180

3. Variable list:

* Site: Location where data is collected (Banting, Tanjung Karang, Sabak Bernam, Kemayan, Segamat, or Besout)

* Management: Oil palm management regime (industrial plantation or smallholding)

* Point: Number assigned to each sampling point (point 1 - point 180)

* Year: Year when data is collec...