GhanaFLUX: Meauring carbon fluxes in an African Rainforest

A new carbon flux tower has been established in the tropical rainforest of Ghana to measure carbon fluxes as well as emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds. African tropical forests constitute about 20% of Global Tropical Forest cover but have been understudied due to a lack of in-situ observations. The establishment of GhanaFLUX in the Bia-Tano forest reserve in western Ghana will help to fill this gap, allowing in-depth assessments of carbon sequestration and storage in African forests. Here, we present a snapshot of the facilities available at GhanaFLUX, and measurements taken in the first year of operation. We show time series analysis of carbon dioxide and meteorological datasets obtained from GhanaFLUX, highlighting the seasonal variations in these observations. We also share some of our experiences and challenges during the establishment and operation of the flux site to guide researchers who are planning to set up new sites in challenging environments like rainforests.