The bii4africa dataset of faunal and floral population intactness estimates across Africa’s major land uses
Authors: Clements Hayley S. , Do Linh San Emmanuel , Hempson Gareth , Linden Birthe , Maritz Bryan , Monadjem Ara , Reynolds Chevonne , Siebert Frances , Stevens Nicola , Biggs Reinette , De Vos Alta , Blanchard Ryan , Child Matthew , Esler Karen J. , Hamann Maike , Loft Ty , Reyers Belinda , Selomane Odirilwe , Skowno Andrew L. , Tshoke Tshegofatso , Abdoulaye Diarrassouba , Aebischer Thierry , Aguirre-Gutiérrez Jesús , Alexander Graham J. , Ali Abdullahi H. , Allan David G. , Amoako Esther E. , Angedakin Samuel , Aruna Edward , Avenant Nico L. , Badjedjea Gabriel , Bakayoko Adama , Bamba-kaya Abraham , Bates Michael F. , Bates Paul J. J. , Belmain Steven R. , Bennitt Emily , Bradley James , Brewster Chris A. , Brown Michael B. , Brown Michelle , Bryja Josef , Butynski Thomas M. , Carvalho Filipe , Channing Alan , Chapman Colin A. , Cohen Callan , Cords Marina , Cramer Jennifer D. , Cronk Nadine , Cunneyworth Pamela M. K. , Dalerum Fredrik , Danquah Emmanuel , Davies-Mostert Harriet T. , de Blocq Andrew D. , De Jong Yvonne A. , Demos Terrence C. , Denys Christiane , Djagoun Chabi A. M. S. , Doherty-Bone Thomas M. , Drouilly Marine , du Toit Johan T. , Ehlers Smith David A. , Ehlers Smith Yvette C. , Eiseb Seth J. , Fashing Peter J. , Ferguson Adam W. , Fernández-García José M. , Finckh Manfred , Fischer Claude , Gandiwa Edson , Gaubert Philippe , Gaugris Jerome Y. , Gibbs Dalton J. , Gilchrist Jason S. , Gil-Sánchez Jose M. , Githitho Anthony N. , Goodman Peter S. , Granjon Laurent , Grobler J. Paul , Gumbi Bonginkosi C. , Gvozdik Vaclav , Harvey James , Hauptfleisch Morgan , Hayder Firas , Hema Emmanuel M. , Herbst Marna , Houngbédji Mariano , Huntley Brian J. , Hutterer Rainer , Ivande Samuel T. , Jackson Kate , Jongsma Gregory F. M. , Juste Javier , Kadjo Blaise , Kaleme Prince K. , Kamugisha Edwin , Kaplin Beth A. , Kato Humphrey N. , Kiffner Christian , Kimuyu Duncan M. , Kityo Robert M. , Kouamé N’goran G. , Kouete T Marcel , le Roux Aliza , Lee Alan T. K. , Lötter Mervyn C. , Lykke Anne Mette , MacFadyen Duncan N. , Macharia Gacheru P. , Madikiza Zimkitha J. K. , Mahlaba Themb’alilahlwa A. M. , Mallon David , Mamba Mnqobi L. , Mande Claude , Marchant Rob A. , Maritz Robin A. , Markotter Wanda , McIntyre Trevor , Measey John , Mekonnen Addisu , Meller Paulina , Melville Haemish I. , Mganga Kevin Z. , Mills Michael G. L. , Minnie Liaan , Missoup Alain Didier , Mohammad Abubakr , Moinde Nancy N. , Moise Bakwo Fils E. , Monterroso Pedro , Moore Jennifer F. , Musila Simon , Nago Sedjro Gilles A. , Namoto Maganizo W. , Niang Fatimata , Nicolas Violaine , Nkenku Jerry B. , Nkrumah Evans E. , Nono Gonwouo L. , Norbert Mulavwa M. , Nowak Katarzyna , Obitte Benneth C. , Okoni-Williams Arnold D. , Onongo Jonathan , O’Riain M. Justin , Osinubi Samuel T. , Parker Daniel M. , Parrini Francesca , Peel Mike J. S. , Penner Johannes , Pietersen Darren W. , Plumptre Andrew J. , Ponsonby Damian W. , Porembski Stefan , Power R. John , Radloff Frans G. T. , Rambau Ramugondo V. , Ramesh Tharmalingam , Richards Leigh R. , Rödel Mark-Oliver , Rollinson Dominic P. , Rovero Francesco , Saleh Mostafa A. , Schmiedel Ute , Schoeman M. Corrie , Scholte Paul , Serfass Thomas L. , Shapiro Julie Teresa , Shema Sidney , Siebert Stefan J. , Slingsby Jasper A. , Sliwa Alexander , Smit-Robinson Hanneline A. , Sogbohossou Etotepe A. , Somers Michael J. , Spawls Stephen , Streicher Jarryd P. , Swanepoel Lourens , Tanshi Iroro , Taylor Peter J. , Taylor William A. , te Beest Mariska , Telfer Paul T. , Thompson Dave I. , Tobi Elie , Tolley Krystal A. , Turner Andrew A. , Twine Wayne , Van Cakenberghe Victor , Van de Perre Frederik , van der Merwe Helga , van Niekerk Chris J. G. , van Wyk Pieter C. V. , Venter Jan A. , Verburgt Luke , Veron Geraldine , Vetter Susanne , Vorontsova Maria S. , Wagner Thomas C. , Webala Paul W. , Weber Natalie , Weier Sina M. , White Paula A. , Whitecross Melissa A. , Wigley Benjamin J. , Willems Frank J. , Winterbach Christiaan W. , Woodhouse Galena M. 
Published: February 2024

Sub-Saharan Africa is under-represented in global biodiversity datasets, particularly regarding the impact of land use on species’ population abundances. Drawing on recent advances in expert elicitation to ensure data consistency, 200 experts were convened using a modified-Delphi process to estimate ‘intactness scores’: the remaining proportion of an ‘intact’ reference population of a species group in a particular land use, on a scale from 0 (no remaining individuals) to 1 (same abundance as the reference) and, in rare cases, to 2 (populations that thrive in human-modified landscapes). The resulting bii4africa dataset contains intactness scores representing terrestrial vertebrates (tetrapods: ±5,400 amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and vascular plants (±45,000 forbs, graminoids, trees, shrubs) in sub-Saharan Africa across the region’s major land uses (urban, cropland, rangeland, plantation, protected, etc.) and intensities (e.g., large-scale vs smallholder cropland). This dataset was co-produced as part of the Biodiversity Intactness Index for Africa Project. Additional uses include assessing ecosystem condition; rectifying geographic/taxonomic biases in global biodiversity indicators and maps; and informing the Red List of Ecosystems.