This repository contains the datasets and R scripts associated with the Master's thesis: "Assessing Patterns of Extinction Risk among Mammal Species in Nigeria: A Comparative Analysis of Human Impact"
NIGMAL: A Dataset and R Codes for Comparative Analyses of Mammalian Extinction Risk and Human Impacts in Nigeria
Bernard Asanbe (2025)
DOI](
doi.org)
Abstract
This repository contains the datasets and R scripts associated with the Master's thesis: "Assessing Patterns of Extinction Risk among Mammal Species in Nigeria: A Comparative Analysis of Human Impact". The dataset compiles species-level traits, IUCN Red List threat categories, and human impact variables, while the code supports trait-based and phylogenetic logistic regression models. Together, they provide a reproducible resource for studying biodiversity patterns and conservation priorities for mammals in Nigeria and globally.
Background \& Summary:
Nigeria is one of Africa’s biodiversity hotspots, yet mammalian species face growing pressures from habitat loss, hunting, and other human-driven threats. This dataset integrates ecological and life-history traits, phylogenetic information, and IUCN threat data for mammals occurring in Nigeria. The dataset supports trait–threat interaction models and comparative extinction risk analyses. The accompanying R code includes scripts for data cleaning, phylogenetic logistic regression, and model visualization. Openly sharing these resources will facilitate reproducibility and comparative research across other regions and taxa.
Methods:
Data Sources:
• Species list from IUCN Red List database obtained with the range data polygons (.SHP) from
is.gd.
• Threat categories from IUCN Red List (2025),
iucnredlist.org.
• Life-history traits (body mass, brain mass reproductive rate, and range size) from IUCN Red List, PHYLACINE 1.2 and COMBINE (Faurby et al., 2018; Soria et al., 2021).
• Human and environmental impact data (land-use, hunting pressure proxies, protected area overlaps) from IUCN Red List.
Data Processing:
• Standardized trait values, log-transform …