Forest Inventory and Lightning Strike Mortality in Ngel Nyaki Forest, Nigeria

Forest inventory and lightning strike data from a 40-hectare plot within Nigeria's Ngel Nyaki Forest, collected between June 2018 and July 2021. The dataset includes measurements of tree and liana stem diameters and status, such as alive, dead, broken, or uprooted. It was collected as part of the Smithsonian ForestGEO network to investigate tree mortality driven by lightning.

Use Cases

• Model tree mortality risk from lightning strikes using tree status and death mode fields.
• Analyze diameter distributions and mortality rates for trees and lianas with stem diameters ≥25 cm.
• Study forest dynamics and damage patterns by correlating lightning strike data with tree status records.
• Assess environmental impacts on a submontane forest using elevation range and census data.

Strengths

• Data collected from a standardized 40-hectare ForestGEO plot, ensuring methodological consistency.
• Covers a multi-year time range from June 2018 to July 2021.
• Includes specific elevation data for the plot (1,588–1,690m).

Limitations

• Sample size and row count are unknown, limiting assessment of statistical power.
• Data scope is restricted to trees and lianas with a stem diameter ≥25 cm, excluding smaller individuals.
• Geographic coverage is limited to a single forest plot in south-eastern Nigeria.

Provenance

Source

Environmental Information Data Centre

Collection Method

Field census measuring and tagging all trees and lianas with stem diameter ≥25 cm at 1.3 m height, noting living status and death mode.

Time Range

June 2018 to July 2021

Freshness

null

Geography

40-ha area at the Ngel Nyaki Forest Dynamic Plot, south-eastern Nigeria