Full inventory of ten permanent plots installed in pockets of different tree functional types along the Moni River transects (Yangambi, Democratic Republic of Congo)

Most of the tropical forests of Central Africa are characterised by a remarkable abundance of light-demanding canopy species. A popular hypothesis is that these forests are still recovering from the intense slash-and-burn farming activities that ended abruptly in the 19th century with the arrival of the colonists. Today, it is assumed that the zones occupied by crop fields until the 19th century are covered by forests dominated by light-demanding species. However, this hypothesis of human disturbance has not yet been sufficiently tested using spatial distribution. So, using the 'Kernel Density Estimation' (KDE) tool in the SAGA GIS software, we mapped the density distribution of light-demanding species, subdivided into 3 tree functional types, along transects in the Moni river catchment. We also produced a similar map for a particular shade-tolerant species, 'Gilbertiodendron dewevrei'. The species were then divided into the following groups, known as 'functional tree types': LLP=Long-L..., The plots were installed in the Moni catchment along the transects. They are rectangular, 50 m wide (25 m on either side of the transect baseline), and 200 m long, centered on the transect baseline. Each plot was well delimited and divided into 16 square sub-plots (25 m × 25 m). All trees of all species were surveyed using the international standardised inventory protocol for tropical forests (RAINFOR) (Dallmeier 1992; Condit 1998; Phillips et al. 2009; ForestPlots.net et al. 2021). All trees with at least 10 cm of diameter at breast height (DBH) were identified, measured (DBH), and mapped (X and Y coordinates). The points of measurement (POM) of the diameter were marked with paint. For trees with buttresses or any deformations at 1.30 m, the POM was taken about 50 cm above the deformation., , # Full inventory of ten permanent plots installed in pockets of different tree functional types along the Moni River transects (Yangambi, Democratic Republic of Congo)

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.nk98sf81m](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.nk98sf81m)

Our dataset includes data on tree diameters at breast height, data on the height at which diameters were measured, data on the identification of the species to which the trees belong, the location of each tree in the plot in which it is found, and the date of the census. The survey was carried out on ten plots of one hectare each in the catchment area of the Moni River in Yangambi (Democratic Republic of Congo).

## Description of the data and file structure

This dataset contains several variables (columns). Below is a description of each variable:

* Plot: the plot code indicating the type of pocket in which the plot was installed
* Tag: the unique number assigned to each tree
* Subplot: number of the subplot
* X: east-west Cartesian co...