ISSN: 0000‑0000
Volume 1, Issue 1 (2026)
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Planetary Ethics and
Biodiversity Accounting Journal
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Research Paper No. 2026/001
Is there a regeneration crisis? SEEA Species Accounts for Adansonia digitata in Benin: Implications for Africa
by Fadeke Ayoola, FCCA
30 April 2026
Abstract
A pilot study evaluated whether natural regeneration can sustain the existing Adansonia digitata population through the end of this century. The study examined the species’ spatial distribution, population structure, and regeneration status across Benin, West Africa, covering all major climatic, ecological, and land‑use zones. This national‑scale approach enabled a comprehensive assessment of how rainfall variability, agricultural expansion, deforestation, and protected‑area coverage influence the species’ current and future viability.
Using 300 georeferenced citizen‑science photographs representing individual trees, the study applied the System of Environmental‑Economic Accounting (SEEA) Species Accounts framework—specifically stock, condition, reproduction, pressure, and ecosystem accounts—to produce the first experimental SEEA species account for A. digitata. Spatial data processing and species distribution mapping were conducted in QGIS 3.44.11, while Python 3.14, implemented through Visual Studio Code, supported data organisation, analysis, and visualisation.
The pilot study demonstrates that SEEA Species Accounts, combined with citizen‑science observations, offer a standardised, cost‑effective, and spatially explicit method for monitoring population status, regeneration dynamics, and long‑term conservation prospects of culturally and ecologically important tree species. These results provide a strong foundation for a full‑scale investigation into the regeneration capacity and future persistence of Adansonia digitata.
Key Words: Adansonia digitata, Species, Regeneration, Africa
Fadeke Ayoola, FCCA
Environmental & Biodiversity Accounting Specialist
Fellow, Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA)
Lead Environmental Auditor (ISO 14001:2015)
CEO, NET Africa
Citation
Ayoola, F. A. (2026). Is there a regeneration crisis? SEEA species accounts for Adansonia digitata in Benin: Implications for Africa. Journal of Planetary Ethics and Accounting, 1(1), 1–21. DOI: https://doi.org/xxxxx. Status: In press
© 2026 F. A. Ayoola. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY‑NC‑ND 4.0).
Users may share the work with proper attribution, but may not use it commercially or create derivatives.
Research Paper No. 2026/002
A Pilot Assessment of Data Strengths and Gaps Limiting SEEA Species Accounts for Adansonia digitata in Nigeria.
by Fadeke Ayoola, FCCA, Dr Daniel Musa Gwary and Dr Musa Garba
20 December 2025
Abstract
Monitoring Adansonia digitata in Africa remains severely constrained by weak ecological data and fragmented observation records, limiting the ability to assess population trends or inform conservation planning. This study evaluates baobab population structure, regeneration status, pollination dynamics, and biodiversity pressures across Nigeria, while examining how a System of Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA) Species Account can reveal both evidence strengths and critical gaps. Using a mixed‑methods approach, we combined a reconnaissance survey of 400 participants with spatial analysis of 91 baobab and 129 Eidolon helvum observations sourced from iNaturalist. Remote photo interpretation of geotagged images to construct a SEEA‑aligned species account and assess temporal patterns from 2012 to 2025.
Findings indicate a population dominated by mature trees (95%), with very few saplings (5%) and no recorded seedlings—suggesting a regeneration deficit that current monitoring systems have not captured. Spatial distributions were highly fragmented, and pollinator overlap was inconsistent, yet the limited volume and uneven timing of observations restrict confidence in interpreting reproductive risks. Seasonal clustering of citizen‑science records highlights potential phenological signals but also exposes long periods with no monitoring coverage. Overall, the evidence base is too sparse, inconsistent, and biased to support high‑confidence ecological assessments. Nigeria is not alone; across Africa, the same pattern emerges, except in Benin, South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi.
The study demonstrates that SEEA Species Accounts provide a structured mechanism for integrating diverse data sources and diagnosing monitoring weaknesses. However, without substantial improvements in field surveys, regeneration assessments, and systematic phenology monitoring, data gaps will continue to undermine long‑term species management. Strengthening monitoring through annual SEEA species accounts, quarterly phenology surveys, and periodic landscape audits is essential for building a reliable evidence base for the conservation and sustainable management of Adansonia digitata in Nigeria, with implications across the region.
Key Words: Adansonia digitata, Species, Regeneration, Africa
Fadeke Ayoola, FCCA
Environmental & Biodiversity Accounting Specialist
Fellow, Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA)
Lead Environmental Auditor (ISO 14001:2015)
CEO, NET Africa
Professor Daniel Musa Gwary
Department of Crop Protection,
Faculty of Agriculture.
University of Maiduguri,
Nigeria
Dr Musa Garba
Research Fellow
Centre for Arid Zones Studies
University of Maiduguri,
NIgeria
Citation
Ayoola, F. A. Garba, M & Gwary D.M., (2025). A Pilot Assessment of Data Strengths and Gaps Limiting SEEA Species Accounts for Adansonia digitata in Nigeria.. Journal of Planetary Ethics and Accounting, 1(1), 1–21. DOI: https://doi.org/xxxxx. Status: In press
© 2026 F. A. Ayoola. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY‑NC‑ND 4.0).Users may share the work with proper attribution, but may not use it commercially or create derivatives.