Data from: Perceived and actual ecosystem services by fruit bats, birds, and primates in litchi orchards agroecosystems

Ecosystem services and disservices by key animal groups such as birds,
fruit bats, and primates are often understudied. The lack of ecological
knowledge results in persecution and culling due to perceived damage to
fruit trees. We combined a control-treatment study with questionnaire data
to untangle the actual and perceived impact of birds, fruit bats, and
primates in South African litchi orchards. Control trees produced
significantly higher yields than the caged trees. There was a weak, but
non-significant, trend towards higher vertebrate damage on control trees
compared to treatment trees. Questionnaire data found that weather and
monkeys caused more damage to litchi fruits compared to fruit bats. There
was also strong consensus among farmers that damage varied between
vertebrate (monkey, fruit bats, birds, and wild pigs) and invertebrate
(insects) as well as an abiotic factor (weather) groups. Farm type
(commercial versus small-scale) showed a statistically significant
difference in perceived damage caused by vertebrate groups and weather.
Commercial farms reported higher damage caused by groups when compared to
small-scale farms. This study recorded relatively low incidences of crop
raiding by fruit bats and highlights the economic benefits of biocontrol
by insectivorous bats and birds, which outweighed the yield losses by
fruit bats, birds, and monkeys. Vertebrate exclusion to prevent crop
damage limits access and biocontrol benefits provided by bats and birds.
Farmers are unaware of the economic benefits of bats and birds; thus, it
is vital to educate them on the ecological importance which can outweigh
the disservices resulting from fruit bats and reduce persecution by fruit
farmers.