Tadelebedo/CrithagraXantholaemaHabitatAnalysis

Machine-learning species-distribution modelling for Crithagra xantholaema in Ethiopia under climate change. Code accompanying Gelete et al. (2025), Scientific Reports. # Climate-Change Effects on *Crithagra xantholaema* Habitat in Ethiopia R code and documentation accompanying the peer-reviewed article: > **Gelete, T. B.**, Tulu, D., Yasin, K. H., & Kebede, E. (2025). Machine-learning predictions of climate-change effects on the nearly threatened bird species *Crithagra xantholaema* habitat in Ethiopia for conservation strategies. *Scientific Reports*, 15, 36972. doi.org --- ## 📖 Overview The Yellow-throated Seedeater (*Crithagra xantholaema*) is a near-threatened songbird endemic to Ethiopia. Climate change is expected to alter the bioclimatic envelope this species depends on, but spatially explicit projections have been lacking. This study integrates **species occurrence data** with **bioclimatic and topographic predictors** in an **ensemble machine-learning species-distribution modelling (SDM) framework** to project current and future suitable habitat under multiple climate scenarios, and identifies priority areas for conservation. ## 📁 Repository structure ``` CrithagraXantholaemaHabitatAnalysis/ ├── R/ # Analysis scripts (rename "R code" folder to "R") │ └── analysis.R ├── data/ # Input data — see "Data sources" below │ └── README.md ├── outputs/ # Generated maps, figures, and tables ├── CITATION.cff # Citation metadata (rendered as "Cite this repository") ├── LICENSE # CC0 1.0 Universal └── README.md ``` > **Note on folder naming:** the original `R code` folder should be renamed to `R/` (without a space) — spaces in folder names break common R/CLI tooling and Continuous Integration. ## 🗂️ Data sources | Layer | Source | License | | --- | --- | --- | | Species occurrence records | GBIF | CC-BY-NC 4.0 | | Bioclimatic variables (current & future) | WorldClim v2.1 | Free for academic use | | Topographic variables (elevation, slope, aspect) | SRTM | Public domain | | Land-cover | ESA WorldCove …