Data from: Assessing the vulnerability of Africa's freshwater fishes to climate change: a continent-wide trait-based analysis

Climate change is a key driver of biodiversity loss across the globe, and
freshwater fishes are predicted to be among the most vulnerable taxa.
African freshwater ecosystems are home to one of the most unique and
diverse ichthyo-faunas on the planet, and freshwater fish species provide
essential livelihoods for millions of people living in riparian
communities across the continent. Although nearly one sixth of African
freshwater fishes have been designated as endangered or vulnerable to
extinction by the IUCN Red List assessment, the effects of climate change
on these species have not been explored on a continent-wide scale. In this
study, we present the first trait-based climate change vulnerability
assessment (CCVA) comprising the majority (85%) of Africa's currently
described freshwater fishes. We assembled data relating to three
dimensions of vulnerability including sensitivity, adaptive capacity, and
exposure. In addition, we developed an index of ‘conservation value’ based
on traditional conservation metrics including extinction risk, endemism,
and provision of ecosystem services. We found that almost 40% of African
freshwater fishes are vulnerable to climate change, mostly owing to the
many species with highly specialized habitat and life-history
requirements, and because of the numerous anthropogenic stressors they
face. High proportions of species within the Nothobranchiidae and
Cichlidae families were found to be vulnerable. Regions with high
frequencies of vulnerable species included the African rift valley lakes,
the Congo River drainage, and the coastal rivers of West Africa. Several
important data deficiencies were identified relating to species'
population sizes, genetic variability, and life history traits, and
constitute priority research areas for the future. In addition, we
highlighted some cases where traditional conservation approaches overlook
species and regions that are predicted to be threatened by climate change.