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Ground-based climate data show evidence of warming and intensification of the seasonal rainfall cycle during the 1960–2020 period in Yangambi, central Congo Basin

Author

Listed:
  • Emmanuel Kasongo Yakusu

    (UGent-Woodlab, Ghent University
    Royal Museum for Central Africa
    Université de Kisangani)

  • Joris Van Acker

    (UGent-Woodlab, Ghent University)

  • Hans Van de Vyver

    (Meteorological and Climatological Research, Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium)

  • Nils Bourland

    (Royal Museum for Central Africa
    Situ Gede
    Resources and Synergies Development)

  • José Mbifo Ndiapo

    (Institut National Pour La Recherche Et L’Etude Agronomiques)

  • Théophile Besango Likwela

    (Institut National Pour La Recherche Et L’Etude Agronomiques)

  • Michel Lokonda Wa Kipifo

    (Institut National Pour La Recherche Et L’Etude Agronomiques)

  • Amand Mbuya Kankolongo

    (Institut National Pour La Recherche Et L’Etude Agronomiques)

  • Jan Van den Bulcke

    (UGent-Woodlab, Ghent University)

  • Hans Beeckman

    (Royal Museum for Central Africa)

  • Marijn Bauters

    (Isotope Bioscience Laboratory—ISOFYS, Ghent University
    UGent-CAVElab, Ghent University)

  • Pascal Boeckx

    (Isotope Bioscience Laboratory—ISOFYS, Ghent University)

  • Hans Verbeeck

    (UGent-CAVElab, Ghent University)

  • Kim Jacobsen

    (Royal Museum for Central Africa
    UGent-CAVElab, Ghent University)

  • Gaston Demarée

    (Meteorological and Climatological Research, Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium)

  • Françoise Gellens-Meulenberghs

    (Meteorological and Climatological Research, Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium)

  • Wannes Hubau

    (UGent-Woodlab, Ghent University
    Royal Museum for Central Africa)

Abstract

Meteorological stations are rare in central Africa, which leads to uncertainty in regional climatic trends. This is particularly problematic for the Congo Basin, where station coverage decreased significantly during the last few decades. Here, we present a digitized dataset of daily temperature and precipitation from the Yangambi biosphere reserve, covering the period 1960–2020 (61 years) and located in the heart of the Congo Basin. Our results confirm a long-term increase in temperature and temperature extremes since the 1960s, with strong upward trends since the early 1990s. Our results also indicate a drying trend for the dry season and intensification of the wet season since the early 2000s. Ongoing warming and increasing precipitation seasonality and intensity already have a significant impact on crop yields in Yangambi. This calls for urgent development of climate-smart and dynamic agriculture and agroforestry systems. We conclude that systematic digitization and climate recording in the Congo Basin will be critical to improve much-needed gridded benchmark datasets of climatic variables.

Suggested Citation

  • Emmanuel Kasongo Yakusu & Joris Van Acker & Hans Van de Vyver & Nils Bourland & José Mbifo Ndiapo & Théophile Besango Likwela & Michel Lokonda Wa Kipifo & Amand Mbuya Kankolongo & Jan Van den Bulcke &, 2023. "Ground-based climate data show evidence of warming and intensification of the seasonal rainfall cycle during the 1960–2020 period in Yangambi, central Congo Basin," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(10), pages 1-28, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:176:y:2023:i:10:d:10.1007_s10584-023-03606-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-023-03606-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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