Impacts of African elephants and other environmental drivers on trees nested in by critically endangered white-backed vultures

The decline of white-backed vultures (Gyps africanus, hereafter termed vultures) across Africa highlights the need to understand their habitat and nesting requirements, especially in protected areas where African elephants (Loxodonta africana) can impact the trees in which vultures build their nests. Our study aimed to assess the impact that elephants have on trees containing vulture nests in the Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR) of South Africa’s savanna system through three separate but interlinked assessments. We first assessed the tree species used by vultures for nesting and compared their size and elephant impact scores between riparian and woodland habitats. We assessed how elephant presence or absence affects the size of Senegalia nigrescens, a key tree species, and compared vulture nests in an adjacent elephant-free area. Lastly, we modeled environmental factors influencing vulture nest and tree persistence using data from 2008-2020. Vultures utilised 10 tree species, w..., Dataset Collection:
The dataset was collected through detailed field surveys conducted between 2008 and 2020 in the Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR) and the adjacent Air Force Base Hoedspruit (AFB), located in South Africa’s savanna system. The surveys were designed to assess the impact of African elephants on trees utilized by white-backed vultures (Gyps africanus) for nesting.
The surveys focused on three objectives:

Measuring the morphometric traits (height, diameter at breast height [DBH]) and elephant impact scores of various tree species used for nesting by vultures, across both riparian and woodland habitats.
Comparing the characteristics and impact levels of nesting and control trees (non-nesting) of the key species Senegalia nigrescens in areas with and without elephants.
Investigating the long-term persistence of S. nigrescens trees with vulture nests under varying ecological and environmental pressures.

Data collection involved marking tree locations using GPS, mea..., , # Impacts of African elephants and other environmental drivers on trees nested in by critically endangered white-backed vultures

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m37pvmdcd](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m37pvmdcd)

## Description of the data and file structure

The data was collected to investigate the impact of African elephants on trees used by critically endangered white-backed vultures (*Gyps africanus*) for nesting. The study was conducted in South Africa's savanna system, focusing on the Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR) and Air Force Base Hoedspruit (AFB), where elephants are present and absent, respectively.

The experimental efforts involved:

1. **Multispecies Assessment**: Identifying tree species used for vulture nesting, measuring tree morphometrics, and evaluating elephant impact across riparian and woodland habitats.
2. **Elephant Influence**: Comparing tree characteristics and elephant impact scores for *Senegalia nigrescens*, the primary nesting tree species, in ...