Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.q2bvq83zn

Description of the data and file structure

The data were collected as part of a field study investigating the ecological role of lightning in tropical forests of Central Africa. The aim was to assess how landscape features, stand structure, and tree traits influence the spatial distribution of direct lightning damage. Fieldwork was carried out in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, and the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve, Democratic Republic of the Congo. During these campaigns, we mapped lightning strike locations along forest transects, identified struck trees and their neighbors, and measured structural traits such as DBH, height, crown area, and canopy exposure. We also collected wood resistivity data for selected canopy species to explore potential species-specific differences in susceptibility to lightning strikes.

This dataset accompanies the manuscript “Landscape, stand and tree characteristics influence the distribution of lightning damage in Central African forests.” It consists of three Excel files:

01_Topography_Bwindi.xlsx – Derived from the 30 m SRTM Digital Elevation Model. Elevation, gradient, and profile curvature were extracted at 30 m resolution along transects surveyed in Bwindi. Each 30 m segment is classified as valley (gradient < 20°, curvature ≤ 0), slope (gradient ≥ 20°), or ridge (gradient < 20°, curvature ≥ 0), and information is included on whether a lightning-struck tree was recorded within the segment.

02_Tree_Data.xlsx – Contains data for all trees struck by lightning and their neighbors. For each tree, we recorded species identity, DBH, height, relative height, canopy exposure, crown area, and strike status (focal, secondarily affected, or unaffected).

03_Resistivity.xlsx – Provides electrical resistance and resistivity measurements for individuals from 10 canopy species. For each tree, DBH and corrected resistance values are included, along with calculated resistivity.

Files and variables

File: 01_Topography_Bwindi.xlsx

Description: This file contains topographic information extracted from the 30 m SRTM Digital Elevation Model along surveyed transects in Bwindi. For each 30 m transect segment, elevation, slope, and curvature values were calculated and used to classify the landform as valley, slope, or ridge. The file also indicates whether a lightning-struck tree was recorded in that segment.

Variables

• fid – Unique segment ID.
• track_name – Transect identifier (e.g., BW1).
• elevation – Elevation at the segment midpoint (m above sea level).
• slope – Slope at the segment midpoint (degrees).
• profile_curvature – Profile curvature of the terrain at the segment midpoint.
• tangential_curvature – Tangential curvature of the terrain at the segment midpoint.
• Landform_Category – Landform classification based on slope and curvature: Valley, Slope, or Ridge.
• strike_ID – Identifier of a lightning strike occurring within the segment (blank if no strike observed).
• code – code used to distinguish unambiguous (G) and ambiguous (Y) strikes (blank if no strike observed).

File: 02_Tree_Data.xlsx

Description: This file lists all trees recorded at each lightning strike location, including the focal tree (directly struck), secondarily affected neighbors, and nearby unaffected controls. For each tree, species identity, size, structural traits, and relative position within the stand are reported.

Variables:

• Trail – Trail identifier where the strike location was recorded.
• Site – Strike location identifier
• Elevation_DEM – Elevation (m a.s.l.) from the DEM at the strike location.
• Topography – Local topographic category (e.g., Ridge, Valley, Slope, Flat).
• Dist_Big – Distance (m) from the focal tree to the nearest larger tree (by DBH). Blank cell: the focal tree was the biggest within 20m. 
• Dist_Tall – Distance (m) from the focal tree to the nearest taller tree (by canopy height). Blank cell: the focal tree was the highest within 20m. 
• Tree_ID – Unique identifier for each tree.
• Species – Scientific name of the tree species.
• Struck_Status – Strike status of the tree:
  • 1 = focal tree (directly struck)
  • 0 = neighbor tree
• Dist_Focal – Distance (m) from the focal tree.
• DBH_Total – Diameter at breast height (cm) of the tree.
• Height – Total tree height (m).
• Relative_Height – Height relative to the focal tree, corrected for slope.
• Exposure – Canopy exposure index 
• Crown_Area – Estimated crown area (m²) based on species-specific allometric equations.
• code – code used to distinguish unambiguous (G) and ambiguous (Y) strikes. For each site, the code is reported only in the first row; subsequent rows referring to the same site contain empty cells in this column.

File: 03_Resistivity.xlsx

Description: This file contains measurements of electrical resistance and resistivity for individuals of ten canopy tree species. Values were obtained during the 2022 field campaign in Bwindi using standardized resistance measurements (see manuscript methods for details).

Variables

• Species – Scientific name of the tree species.
• DBH – Diameter at breast height of the individual (cm).
• R (Kohm) – Corrected electrical resistance of the wood (kΩ).
• rho (ohm·m) – Electrical resistivity (Ω·m), calculated from resistance, cross-sectional area, and electrode spacing.

Code/software

The data files are provided in .xlsx format and can be viewed using any spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc, or Google Sheets.