DOI: 10.5061/dryad.9ghx3ffxp
title: Identifying ecological knowledge and research gaps via the African database on savanna protected areas (ADSPA)

description: 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.
description: # Identifying ecological knowledge and research gaps via the African
 database on savanna protected areas (ADSPA) Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.9ghx3ffxp](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.9ghx3ffxp) ##
 Description of the data and file structure 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. The data are organized into five .zip files which contain
 folders; folders contain .csv files or .shp files that represent raw data
 or files required to run the analyses in R. 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/](https://osf.io/xfcb7/)), and we welcome edits,
 improvements, and additions to the database. Zip files, folders, files,
 and variables ### Zip file: ADSPA_CLUSTER_AND_SEM_ANALYSIS.zip R script
 and all data required to run the cluster and structural equation modelling
 analysis. The following folders are included: ‘data’, ‘pix’,
 ‘sem.results’, and ‘veg_map’. The ‘data’ folder includes the raw data
 ADSPA_ALL.csv and ADSPA_AVERAGE.csv required to execute analyses. The
 ‘pix’ folder includes the output data from the within-ecosystem cluster
 analysis. The ‘sem.results’ folder is where all results from the
 structural equation modelling analysis are written. The folder ‘veg_map’
 includes several savanna biome layer maps used to compare vegetation types
 and consumer types among clusters. ***Folder: \data*** **File:
 ADSPA_ALL.csv** * *ID*: unique numerical identifier of protected area *
 *ID.PIX*: unique numerical identifier of each 5 km2 pixel within protected
 area * *Name*: name of protected area * *Code*: four-letter unique code
 for protected area * *Country*: country of protected area * *X*: longitude
 (UTM meters) * *Y*: latitude (UTM meters) * *MAP*: mean annual
 precipitation (mm yr-1) * *MAT*: mean annual temperature (oC) * *SEAS*:
 seasonality (coefficient of variation in monthly rainfall) * *ETo*:
 reference evapotranspiration (mm yr-1) * *BDEN*: soil bulk density (kg
 dm-3) * *ORGC*: soil organic carbon (g kg-1) * *SAND*: sand (%) * *DEM*:
 elevation (m) * *WET* * *FIRE RAD*: fire radiative power * *FIRE FREQ*:
 fire frequency * *ELEP*: elephant density all years (N km-2) * *ELEP N*:
 count of number of available studies/records across all census years *
 *ELEP 2000*: elephant density since 2000 (N km-2) * *ELEP N2000*: count of
 number of available studies/records since 2000 * *TC*: tree cover (%)
 **File: ADSPA_AVERAGE.csv** * *ID*: unique numerical identifier of
 protected area * *Name*: name of protected area * *Code*: four-letter
 unique code for protected area * *Country*: country of protected area *
 *Citations*: number of protected area citations from literature search *
 *X*: longitude (UTM meters) * *Y*: latitude (UTM meters) * *MAP*: mean
 annual precipitation (mm yr-1) * *MAT*: mean annual temperature (oC) *
 *SEAS*: seasonality (coefficient of variation in monthly rainfall) *
 *ETo*: reference evapotranspiration (mm yr-1) * *BDEN*: soil bulk density
 (kg dm-3) * *ORGC*: soil organic carbon (g kg-1) * *SAND*: sand (%) *
 *DEM*: elevation (m) * *TOPO*: coefficient of variation in elevation from
 a DEM * *WET*: average area of wetland per pixel (ha) * *FIRE RAD*: fire
 radiative power * *FIRE FREQ*: fire frequency * *ELEP*: elephant density
 (N km-2) * *TC*: tree cover (%) * *Cluster*: cluster number from cluster
 analysis (1 - 5) ***Folder: \pix*** **File: Amboseli.pix.csv** **File:
 Hluhluwe-iMfolozi.pix.csv** **File: Kruger National Park.pix.csv** **File:
 Okavango.pix.csv** **File: Serengeti.pix.csv** * *CLUST.5km*: cluster
 number (1-4) * *Name*: park name * *X*: longitude (m) * *Y*: latitude (m)
 * *MAP*: mean annual precipitation (mm yr-1) * *ETo*: reference
 evapotranspiration (mm yr-1) * *MAT*: mean annual temperature (oC) *
 *SEAS*: seasonality (coefficient of variation in monthly rainfall) *
 *BDEN*: soil bulk density (kg dm-3) * *SAND*: sand (%) * *ORGC*: soil
 organic carbon (g kg-1) * *WET*: average area of wetland per pixel (ha) *
 *ID*: unique pixel id number (sorted by cluster) * *col.4*: name of the
 color in R for plotting ***Folder: \sem.results*** NOTE: all files have
 the same column headings. **File: coefs.clust.1.trim.csv** **File:
 coefs.clust.2.trim.csv** **File: coefs.clust.3.trim.csv** **File:
 coefs.clust.4.trim.csv** **File: coefs.clust.5.trim.csv** **File:
 coefs.clust.all.trim.csv** * *Response*: response variable in the SEM
 analysis (`'~~'` represents a correlation) * *Predictor*:
 predictor variable in the SEM analysis (`'~~'` represents a
 correlation) * *Estimate*: estimated path coefficient * *Std.Error*:
 standard error of the estimated path coefficient * *DF*: degrees of
 freedom * *Crit.Value*: critical value for significance * *P.Value*:
 p-value that the estimated coefficient is different from zero *
 *Std.Estimate*: standardized path coefficient ***Folder: \veg.map***
 **File: Aleman savanna-forest map.shp** Shapefile of African
 savanna-forest vegetation from the following source: Aleman, J.C.,
 Fayolle, A., Favier, C., Staver, A.C., Dexter, K.G., Ryan, C.M., Azihou,
 A.F., Bauman, D., te Beest, M., Chidumayo, E.N. and Comiskey, J.A., 2020\.
 Floristic evidence for alternative biome states in tropical Africa.
 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(45), pp.28183-28190.
 **File: Caesalpiniod_mixed_savanna_QDS.shp** Shapefile of fine- vs.
 broad-leaved vegetation across the African savanna biome from White (1983)
 as digitized in the following source: Hempson, G.P., Archibald, S. and
 Staver, C., 2019. Fire and browsers in savannas: traits, interactions, and
 continent‐level patterns. Savanna Woody plants and large herbivores,
 pp.439-468. **File: Savanna_50percent_300mm_dissolve.shp** Shapefile
 depicting the savanna area boundary as defined by the following source:
 Beale, C.M., Courtney Mustaphi, C.J., Morrison, T.A., Archibald, S.,
 Anderson, T.M., Dobson, A.P., Donaldson, J.E., Hempson, G.P., Probert, J.
 and Parr, C.L., 2018. Pyrodiversity interacts with rainfall to increase
 bird and mammal richness in African savannas. Ecology Letters, 21(4),
 pp.557-567. ### Zip file: ADSPA_LITERATURE_SEARCH.zip Data files, search
 strategy, and R code used to conduct a literature search of four online
 peer-reviewed publication databases (EBSCO Environment Complete, ProQuest
 Agricultural & Environmental Science, Scopus, and Web of Science Core
 Collection). We searched for the name of each savanna protected area from
 ADSPA, along with other entry terms such as “national,” “park,” “reserve,”
 “savannah,” and “ecosystem,” prior to January 01 2025 and compiled the
 number of unique instances in which the entry terms occurred in a title or
 abstract. We extracted the article title, authors, year, journal name, and
 abstract from each database and used a custom script in R to eliminate
 duplicates, or redundant entries, and enumerate the number of citations
 for each protected area. ***Folder: \data*** **File: ADSPA_AVERAGE.csv** *
 *ID*: unique numerical identifier of protected area * *Name*: name of
 protected area * *Code*: four-letter unique code for protected area *
 *Country*: country of protected area * *Citations*: number of protected
 area citations from literature search * *X*: longitude (UTM meters) * *Y*:
 latitude (UTM meters) * *MAP*: mean annual precipitation (mm yr-1) *
 *MAT*: mean annual temperature (oC) * *SEAS*: seasonality (coefficient of
 variation in monthly rainfall) * *ETo*: reference evapotranspiration (mm
 yr-1) * *BDEN*: soil bulk density (kg dm-3) * *ORGC*: soil organic carbon
 (g kg-1) * *SAND*: sand (%) * *DEM*: elevation (m) * *TOPO*: coefficient
 of variation in elevation from a DEM * *WET*: average area of wetland per
 pixel (ha) * *FIRE RAD*: fire radiative power * *FIRE FREQ*: fire
 frequency * *ELEP*: elephant density (N km-2) * *TC*: tree cover (%) *
 *Cluster*: cluster number from cluster analysis (1 - 5) **File:
 ADSPA_original.park.names.csv** *Name*: name of protected area ***Folder:
 \database_search_results*** **File: EBSCO_02-18-2025.csv** * *longDBName*:
 Long database name * *shortDBName*: Short database name * *an*: Ascension
 number * *title*: Article title * *abstract*: Full written abstract *
 *publicationDate*: Date published * *contributors*: Authors * *docTypes*:
 Document type * *pubTypes*: Publication type * *coverDate*: Cover
 (publication) date * *peerReviewed*: Peer review status * *source*:
 Journal title * *subjects*: Subjects by journal or database * *isiType*:
 Publication type * *doids*: Digital Object Identifiers * *isbns*:
 International Standard Book Numbers * *issns*: International Standard
 Serial Numbers * *publisherLocations*: Publisher location * *identifiers*:
 Identifiers (other) * *isOpenAccess*: Open access status * *bookEdition*:
 Book edition number * *language*: Language * *publisher*: Name of
 publisher * *pageEnd*: Starting page * *pageStart*: Ending page *
 *pageCount*: Number of pages * *volume*: Volume * *issue*: Issue * *doi*:
 Digital Object Identifier * *notes*: Notes (user added) * *mid*: Media
 identifier * *degreeLevel*: Degree level (dissertation) * *plink*:
 Persistent link **File: PROQ_01-14-2025.csv** * *Title*: Article title *
 *Subtitle*: Subtitle * *Author*: Author list * *Publication*: Publication
 title * *SourceType*: Source (publication) type * *Publisher*: Name of
 publisher * *Volume*: Volume * *Issue*: Issue * *PubDate*: Date published
 (all numeric) * *AlphaDate*: Date published (expanded) * *StartPage*:
 Starting page * *EndPage*: Ending page * *PageRange*: Page range * *ISSN*:
 International Standard Serial Numbers * *EISSN*: Electronic International
 Standard Serial Numbers * *ISBN*: International Standard Book Numbers *
 *Language*: Publication language * *Abstract*: Full written abstract *
 *DocumentUrl*: Document URL (via institution access) * *DOI*: Digital
 Object Identifier **File: SCOPUS_02-14-2025.csv** * *Authors*: Author list
 * *Author full names*: Full names of authors * *Author(s) ID*: Scopus
 author ID * *Title*: Article title * *Year*: Year published * *Source
 title*: Publication title * *Volume*: Volume * *Issue*: Issue * *Art.
 No.*: Article number * *Page start*: Starting page * *Page end*: Ending
 page * *Page count*: Number of pages * *Cited by*: Number of times cited
 by Scopus * *DOI*: Digital Object Identifier * *Link*: Persistent link *
 *Abstract*: Full written abstract * *Document Type*: Document type /
 format * *Publication Stage*: Publication status * *Open Access*: Level of
 open access (via Scopus) * *Source*: Database source * *EID*: Electronic
 identifier **File: WOS_02-14-2025.csv** * *Publication Type*: Publication
 type / format * *Authors*: Author list * *Book Authors*: Book authors list
 * *Book Editors*: Book editors list * *Book Group Authors*: Book group
 (collective) authors list * *Author Full Names*: Full names of authors *
 *Book Author Full Names*: Full names of book authors * *Group Authors*:
 Group (collective) authors * *Article Title*: Article title * *Source
 Title*: Publication title * *Book Series Title*: Book series title * *Book
 Series Subtitle*: Book series subtitle * *Language*: Publication language
 * *Document Type*: Document type / format * *Conference Title*: Conference
 title * *Conference Date*: Conference date * *Conference Location*:
 Conference location * *Conference Sponsor*: Conference Sponsor *
 *Conference Host*: Conference Host * *Author Keywords*: Author selected
 keywords * *Keywords Plus*: Web of Science generated keywords *
 *Abstract*: Full written abstract * *Addresses*: Address (corresponding
 author) * *Affiliations*: Affiliations of authors * *Reprint Addresses*:
 Address (corresponding author) * *Email Addresses*: Email addresses
 (corresponding author) * *Researcher Ids*: Web of Science unique
 Researcher ID) * *ORCIDs*: ORCIDs (corresponding author) * *Funding Orgs*:
 Funding organizations * *Funding Name Preferred*: Funding organizations
 (Standardized name) * *Funding Text*: Funding details (raw acknowledgement
 details) * *Cited References*: Cited references (listed) * *Cited
 Reference Count*: Cited references (count) * *Times Cited, WoS Core*: Time
 cited in Web of Science Core Collection * *Times Cited, All Databases*:
 Time cited in all Web of Science databases * *180 Day Usage Count*: Times
 accessed in 180 days * *Since 2013 Usage Count*: Times accessed since 2013
 * *Publisher*: Name of publisher * *Publisher City*: City of Publisher *
 *Publisher Address*: Address of publisher * *ISSN*: International Standard
 Serial Numbers * *eISSN*: Electronic International Standard Serial Numbers
 * *ISBN*: International Standard Book Numbers * *Journal Abbreviation*:
 Journal Abbreviation * *Journal ISO Abbreviation*: International
 Organization for Standardization Journal Abbreviation * *Publication
 Date*: Date published * *Publication Year*: Year published * *Volume*:
 Volume * *Issue*: Issue * *Part Number*: Publication part (or issue)
 number * *Supplement*: Supplement information * *Special Issue*: Special
 Issue information * *Meeting Abstract*: Full meeting abstract * *Start
 Page*: Starting page * *End Page*: Ending page * *Article Number*: Article
 number * *DOI*: Digital Object Identifier * *DOI Link*: Digital Object
 Identifier Link * *Book DOI*: Book Digital Object Identifier * *Early
 Access Date*: Early access date * *Number of Pages*: Number of pages *
 *WoS Categories*: Web of Science categories * *Web of Science Index*: Web
 of Science Index identifier * *Research Areas*: Web of Science indicated
 research areas * *IDS Number*: Internal database identifier * *PubMed Id*:
 PubMed ID * *Open Access Designations*: Level of open access (via Web of
 Science) * *Highly Cited Status*: Top 1% of cited papers on Web of Science
 * *Hot Paper Status*: "Hot Paper" as determined by Essential
 Science Indicator * *Date of Export*: Export date * *UT (Unique WOS ID)*:
 Unique Web of Science record ID * *Web of Science Record*: Link to full
 Web of Science record ***Folder: \output*** **File:
 ADSPA_count.by.country.csv** * *Country*: Name of the country * *Count*:
 Count of literature citations by country * *Parks*: Number of ADSPA
 protected areas in the country **File: ADSPA_literature.count.csv** *
 *Name*: Name of protected area * *Count*: Count of literature citations by
 protected area * *ID*: Rank order ID of parks **File:
 ADSPA_parks.merged.export.csv** * *Name*: Name of protected area *
 *Country*: Name of the country * *Longitude*: Center point longitude of
 protected area * *Latitude*: Center point latitude of protected area *
 *Count*: Count of literature citations by protected area ***Folder:
 \search_strategy*** **File:
 ADSPA_LITERATURE_SEARCH_search_log_by_database.xls** This Excel file has
 four sheets - one for each of the four databases (EBSCO, PROQUEST, SCOPUS,
 and WOS). The first (EBSCO) is shown here, but all are of the same format.
 * *Search #*: Number of search * *"Search string for EBSCO
 Environmental Complete NOTE: In each database instance, Title OR Abstract
 were searched. Limits included academic / scholarly journals and citations
 through December 31, 2024"*: List of search terms for the database *
 *Results*: Number of citations produced ### Zip file:
 ADSPA_POLYGON_BOUNDARIES.zip Spatial protected area boundaries from the
 World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) were intersected the savanna
 biome layer from Beale et al. (2018) and sites classified by co-authors as
 "savanna" were retained. Recent Google Earth images (circa 2020)
 of each protected area were inspected, and polygon boundaries were
 modified to exclude recent human encroachment or agriculture. The final
 product of these modifications are the spatial polygon boundaries for
 protected areas in the African Database of Savanna Protected Areas
 (ADSPA). These polygons were used to extract environmental data from a 5
 km grid within each protected area to create a dataset of all the 5 km
 data within a protected area (ADSPAD_ALL.csv) and a single average value
 for each protected area (ADSPA_AVERAGE.csv). The ADSPA_POLYGONS.shp and
 these datasets are linked by unique identifiers (ID, Name, and Code). Also
 included in the polygon layer are elephant density data sourced from
 AfricaElephantDatabase.org from reports produced in 1995, 1998, 2002,
 2007, 2013, and 2016. **ADSPA_POLYGONS.shp** Shapefile of spatial polygons
 and elephant density data for the 244 sites included in the African
 Database of Savanna Protected Areas (ADSPA). * *Code*: unique four letter
 code for each protected area in ADSPA * *Region*: approximated regional
 affiliations grouped broadly into "West", "East" , or
 "South" Africa. * *Country*: name of African country in which
 the park is located * *Name*: unique full name for each protected area in
 ADSPA * *DenAll*: elephant density averaged across all census years (this
 is the variable ELEP from "ADSPA_AVERAGE.csv") * *NAll*: total
 number of available studies/records across all census years * *Den2000*:
 elephant density averaged across census years post 2000 (2002, 2007, 2013,
 and 2016) * *N2000*: total number of available studies/records post 2000
 (2002, 2007, 2013, and 2016) * *geometry*: geospatial data for drawing
 polygon boundaries **ADSPA_POLYGONS_metadata.txt** A text metadata file
 explaining the WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, and HOW for the ADSPA spatial
 polygon layer and providing details for each of the data columns in the
 shapefile database. ### Zip file: ADSPA_RAW_DATA_FILES.zip Included are
 the core data files of the African Database of Savanna Protected Areas
 (ADSPA). The data are provided at two spatial scales: either one average
 value per protected area (i.e., each row is one protected area) in the
 file 'ADSPA_AVERAGE.csv' or values provided for each 5 x 5 km
 grid cell within each protected area in the file
 'ADSPA_ALL.csv'. Each spatial datafile also is associated with a
 metadata file (either 'ADSPA_AVERAGE_metadata.txt or
 'ADSPA_ALL_metadata.txt'). **File: ADSPA_ALL.csv** * *ID*:
 unique numerical identifier of protected area * *ID.PIX*: unique numerical
 identifier of each 5 km2 pixel within protected area * *Name*: name of
 protected area * *Code*: four-letter unique code for protected area *
 *Country*: country of protected area * *X*: longitude (UTM meters) * *Y*:
 latitude (UTM meters) * *MAP*: mean annual precipitation (mm yr-1) *
 *MAT*: mean annual temperature (oC) * *SEAS*: seasonality (coefficient of
 variation in monthly rainfall) * *ETo*: reference evapotranspiration (mm
 yr-1) * *BDEN*: soil bulk density (kg dm-3) * *ORGC*: soil organic carbon
 (g kg-1) * *SAND*: sand (%) * *DEM*: elevation (m) * *WET* * *FIRE RAD*:
 fire radiative power * *FIRE FREQ*: fire frequency * *ELEP*: elephant
 density all years (N km-2) * *ELEP N*: count of number of available
 studies/records across all census years * *ELEP 2000*: elephant density
 since 2000 (N km-2) * *ELEP N2000*: count of number of available
 studies/records since 2000 * *TC*: tree cover (%) **File:
 ADSPA_ALL_metadata.txt** A text metadata file explaining the WHO, WHAT,
 WHERE, WHEN, and HOW for the ADSPA_ALL.csv file. In addition this text
 file provides details for each of the data columns in the .csv file.
 **File: ADSPA_AVERAGE.csv** * *ID*: unique numerical identifier of
 protected area * *Name*: name of protected area * *Code*: four-letter
 unique code for protected area * *Country*: country of protected area *
 *Citations*: number of protected area citations from literature search *
 *X*: longitude (UTM meters) * *Y*: latitude (UTM meters) * *MAP*: mean
 annual precipitation (mm yr-1) * *MAT*: mean annual temperature (oC) *
 *SEAS*: seasonality (coefficient of variation in monthly rainfall) *
 *ETo*: reference evapotranspiration (mm yr-1) * *BDEN*: soil bulk density
 (kg dm-3) * *ORGC*: soil organic carbon (g kg-1) * *SAND*: sand (%) *
 *DEM*: elevation (m) * *TOPO*: coefficient of variation in elevation from
 a DEM * *WET*: average area of wetland per pixel (ha) * *FIRE RAD*: fire
 radiative power * *FIRE FREQ*: fire frequency * *ELEP*: elephant density
 (N km-2) * *TC*: tree cover (%) * *Cluster*: cluster number from cluster
 analysis (1 - 5) **File: ADSPA_AVERAGE_metadata.txt** A text metadata file
 explaining the WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, and HOW for the ADSPA_AVERAGE.csv
 file. In addition this text file provides details for each of the data
 columns in the .csv file. **File: All.parks.data.09SEP2024.csv** * *ID*:
 unique numerical identifier of protected area * *ID.PIX*: unique numerical
 identifier of of each 5 km2 pixel within the protected area * *Name*: name
 of protected area * *Code*: four-letter unique code for protected area *
 *Country*: country of protected area * *X*: center longitude of each pixel
 (in UTM meters) * *Y*: center latitude of each pixel (in UTM meters) *
 *MAP*: mean annual precipitation (mm yr-1) * *MAT*: mean annual
 temperature (oC) * *SEAS*: seasonality (coefficient of variation in
 monthly rainfall) * *ETo*: reference evapotranspiration (mm yr-1) *
 *BDEN*: soil bulk density (kg dm-3) * *ORGC*: soil organic carbon (g kg-1)
 * *SAND*: sand (%) * *DEM*: elevation (m) * *WET* * *FIRE RAD*: fire
 radiative power * *FIRE FREQ*: fire frequency * *ELEP*: elephant density
 (N km-2) * *ELEP N*: count of number of available studies/records across
 all census years * *ELEP 2000*: elephant density since 2000 (N km-2) *
 *ELEP N2000*: count of number of available studies/records since 2000 *
 *TC*: tree cover (%) ### Zip file: ADSPA_RESULTS_FIGURES_TABLES.zip R
 script (ADSPA_results_figures_and_tables.R) and all associated data files
 that are required to conduct all analyses and produce all figures in the
 main manuscript and in the Supporting Information. The ‘Africa’ folder
 contains a shape file of the African continent to make spatial maps. The
 ‘data’ folder contains all the raw data required to conduct all analyses,
 including the ADSPA data at the scale of each park (ADSPA_AVERAGE.csv) and
 5 x 5 km grid cells within each park (ADSPA_ALL.csv). The ‘figures’ folder
 is where figures produced by the R file are written and stored. The ‘maps’
 folder houses a digital elevation model of Africa and the political
 boundaries of countries for overlaying on the map of Africa. The ‘pix’
 folder contains the results of the within-ecosystem cluster analysis for
 mapping variation within ecosystems. The ‘tables’ folder is where tables
 produced by the R file are written and stored. The ‘veg_map’ folder
 includes the savanna vegetation/biome map used to identify sites included
 in ADSPA and for extracting environmental variables that are compared to
 the ADSPA sites. ***Folder: \Africa*** Shapefile of spatial Africa for
 visualizing location of the 244 sites included in the African Database of
 Savanna Protected Areas (ADSPA). **File: Africa.shp** ***Folder: \data***
 **File: ADSPA_ALL.csv** **File: ADSPA_AVERAGE.csv** **File:
 ADSPA_consumer.data.csv** **File: ADSPA_count.by.country.csv** **File:
 ADSPA_literature.count.csv** **File: ADSPA_mapdat.csv** **File:
 ADSPA_savanna.biome.data.csv** ***Folder: \figures*** This folder contains
 all graphical results and figures included in the manuscript as .png
 files. ***Folder: \maps*** This folder contains two maps used in the
 analysis: a digital elevation model for Africa (Africa_elevation.tif) and
 a spatial data file in RDS format containing country boundary information
 from version 3.6 of the Global Administrative Areas (GADM) database
 (gadm36_adm0_r5_pk.rds), generated with the geodata package. ***Folder:
 \maps\elevation*** **File Africa_elevation.tif** ***Folder: \maps\gadam***
 **File gadm36_adm0_r5_pk.rds** ***Folder: \pix*** This folder contains the
 results of the within-park cluster analysis for six of the seven
 well-studied research areas identified in Figure 1C including the four
 parks depicted in Figure S3 in .csv format. **File: Abokouamekro.pix.csv**
 **File: Amboseli.pix.csv** **File: Hluhluwe-iMfolozi.pix.csv** **File:
 Kruger National Park.pix.csv** **File: Okavango.pix.csv** **File:
 Serengeti.pix.csv** ***Folder: \tables*** This folder contains tables S1
 and S2 from the supporting information file. **File: TABLE.S1.csv**
 **File: TABLE.S2.csv** ***Folder: \veg_map*** **File:
 Savanna_50percent_300mm_dissolve.shp** Shapefile depicting the savanna
 area boundary as defined by the following source: Beale, C.M., Courtney
 Mustaphi, C.J., Morrison, T.A., Archibald, S., Anderson, T.M., Dobson,
 A.P., Donaldson, J.E., Hempson, G.P., Probert, J. and Parr, C.L., 2018.
 Pyrodiversity interacts with rainfall to increase bird and mammal richness
 in African savannas. Ecology Letters, 21(4), pp.557-567. ## Code/software
 The open software R is required to run the analyses. The following three R
 scripts are included to run the literature search and to execute all
 analyses: 'ADSPA_database_search.R' - this script does post
 processing on the database literature search and remove duplicates among
 the different literature search databases.
 'ADSPA_results_figures_and_tables.R' - this script makes all
 figures and tables provided in the results of the manuscript.
 'ADSPA_cluster analysis and structural equation models.R' - this
 script executes the cluster analysis, and then runs the structural
 equation modelling analysis on the results from the cluster analysis. The
 version information from the R session (obtained with the
 'version' command in R) used to create and run these analyses
 is: * platform: x86_64-w64-mingw32 * arch: x86_64 * os: mingw32 * crt:
 ucrt * system: x86_64, mingw32 * status * major: 4 * minor: 5.1 * year:
 2025 * month: 06 * day: 13 * svn rev: 88306 * language: R *
 version.string: R version 4.5.1 (2025-06-13 ucrt) * nickname: Great Square
 Root ## Access information Other publicly accessible locations of the
 data: * The Open Science Framework
 ([https://osf.io/xfcb7/](https://osf.io/xfcb7/)) Data was derived from the
 following sources: * World Database on Protected Areas * WorldClim -
 version 2.1 (Fick and Hijmans 2017) * Global Reference Evapotranspiration
 (Zomer et al. 2022) * World Soil Information website (ISRIC; Hengl et al.
 2015) * Global Lakes and Wetlands Database (Lehner et al. 2024) *
 Hydrologic Derivatives for Modelling and Analysis database (Verdin 2017) *
 Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) * % woody cover
 (TREE COVER) at 1 km resolution (Hanan et al. 2020 *
 AfricanElephantDatabase.org