Investigating the spatial, demographic, and genetic structures of Cylicodiscus gabunensis Harms, a light-demanding African timber species

Most Central African rainforest canopies consist of light-demanding tree species that hold high commercial value but also suffer locally from regeneration deficits, raising concerns about the sustainability of logging. Regeneration is influenced by factors such as past perturbations (including human activity), mating systems, and seed/pollen dispersal processes that impact demographic, spatial, and genetic structures within populations. To gain a better understanding of these interactions, we studied the spatial distribution and trunk diameter structure of Cylicodiscus gabunensis (Fabaceae) - a wind-dispersed, insect-pollinated, timber species - in three plots ranging from 400 to 839 ha situated in various environmental contexts (e.g. forest types and elephant densities) across Central Africa. We also genotyped adults and juveniles using microsatellite markers to analyze the spatial genetic structure of each population and infer the selfing rate, seed and pollen dispersal capacities and..., In a 400 ha forest plot in Cameroon (site A), all C. gabunensis trees with a diameter at breast height (dbh) ≥ 10 cm were systematically inventoried and georeferenced with a GPS. To ensure exhaustive sampling, six individuals, spaced regularly between them, position themselves between two lines 100 meters apart, moving abreast and systematically sample the individuals found.  Individuals with a dbh <10 cm were also inventoried when encountered although we do not expect to have reached an exhaustive inventory for them. The dbh of each sampled tree was measured and the dominance status of each tree, indicating whether the position of the tree crown is below, within, or above relative to the surrounding canopy layer (dominant, co-dominant or dominated) was also recorded. For each individual we collected a sample of a few cm2 of cambium or a leaf that was immediately dried with silica-gel to preserve DNA.
We used the ‘neighborhood model’ (parentage model) to estimate seed and pollen disp..., , # Dataset for investigating the spatial, demographic, and genetic structures of *Cylicodiscus gabunensis* Harms, a light-demanding African timber species

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.0zpc8674f](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.0zpc8674f)

The dataset comprises files with information on *Cylicodiscus gabunensis* individuals sampled in two 400 ha forest plots (site A and B) and a 839 ha one (site C). It also includes NMpi and SPAGeDi input data files for the three plots (only site A and C for NMpi). This dataset is valuable for examining both diameter distribution and spatial patterns, spatial genetic structure, mating system, gene flow and determinants of reproductives success.

## Description of the data and file structure

There are three types of data files provided.

The first type consists of lists of Cylicodiscus gabunensis individuals that were sampled. The first row in these datasets serves as the header. These datasets contain individual names in the first column, longitude (x ...