Background:

The African tropical forest has gained acknowledgment for its biodiversity and its crucial role in climate change mitigation, primarily through its unique fauna and flora, and its carbon sequestration ability. However, the intricate functionality of this forest, seed dispersal, carbon sequestration influenced by tree phenology such as leaf change, flower and fruit production, has been relatively overlooked. Current studies, which are few and dispersed, indicate leaf changes, flower and fruit production have all been affected by seasonal irregularities or climate change (Ilondea et al. 2019, Bush et al. 2020, Ssali and Sheil 2023, Sullivan et al. 2023).

Despite understanding the importance of phenology trends for the health of ecosystems, there is very limited research dedicated to understanding the links between ecosystem functions and tropical forest phenology in Africa, as is the case to temperate forests. Current projects in Africa employ diverse methods, and the majority have been carried out for a short-term period for different reasons such as lack of stability in the field sites and funding opportunities. There is an existing and pressing need for more comprehensive, long-term initiatives through diverse collaboration to standardize, thoroughly expand, and strengthen phenology studies to grasp the complexities of forest phenology and its implications within the African tropical forest functionalities.

Scope:

Establish standards, expand and strengthen data sharing potential for phenology studies in Africa.

Goals:

Present an overview of phenology monitoring in African tropics, the opportunity to establish standards, expand and strengthen phenology studies in Africa.

Objectives:

1)-Showcase current research on phenology across Africa

2)-Establish a platform to work on the standardization of the phenology method

3)-Emphasize the need to sustain current studies and seek new funding to expand and strengthen phenology studies across Africa

Importance and potential interest to ATBC attendees:

Phenology provides linkages among various fields of tropical research. Community and ecosystem ecology, functional ecology, ethnobotany, ecosystem services, forest dynamics, succession, plant-animal interactions, biodiversity conservation, and forest climate interactions all link well to phenological events in tropical forests (leaf production, flowering, and fruiting). Tropical Forest phenology serves to maintain forest growth and succession. It also provides sources of food for protected wildlife and local communities. Tropical tree phenology dysfunction could have negative impacts on forest succession, thereby affecting future carbon sequestration, and increasing negative interaction between wildlife and local communities. These areas cover the research fields of ATBC attendees who would be interested in exploring these linkages.