Identifying ecological knowledge and research gaps via the African database on savanna protected areas (ADSPA)

Abstract

We offer a new geodatabase titled the African Database of Savanna Protected Areas (ADSPA). The database includes an up-to-date spatial layer of protected area boundaries (as polygons), and multiple environmental variables sourced from global datasets, including X and Y coordinates (UTM meters), mean annual precipitation (mm yr-1), mean annual temperature (oC), seasonality (coefficient of variation in monthly rainfall), reference evapotranspiration (mm yr-1), soil bulk density (kg dm-3), soil organic carbon (g kg-1), % sand, elevation (m), coefficient of variation in elevation from a DEM, average area of wetland per pixel (ha), fire radiative power, fire frequency, elephant density, and tree cover (%). This geodatabase can serve as a crucial baseline for future analyses of African savannas to understand global change and human impacts on savanna ecosystems. ADSPA is also available for download under the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/xfcb7/), and we welcome edits, improvements, and additions to the database.