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This paper is a product of the African Tropical Rainforest Observatory Network (AfriTRON), curated at ForestPlots.net. AfriTRON has been supported by numerous people and grants since its inception. We sincerely thank the people of the many villages and local communities who welcomed our field teams and without whose support this work would not have been possible: Sierra Leone (villages: Barrie, Gaura, Koya, Makpele, Malema, Nomo, Tunkia; teams in protected areas: the Gola Rainforest National Park), Liberia (villages: Garley town, River Gbeh, Glaro Freetown), Ghana (villages: Nkwanta, Asenanyo, Bonsa, Agona, Boekrom, Dadieso, Enchi, Dabiasem, Mangowase, Draw, Fure, Esuboni, Okumaninin, Kade, Asamankese, Tinte Bepo, Tonton), Nigeria (Oban village), Gabon (villages: Ekobakoba, Mikongo, Babilone, Makokou, Tchimbele, Mondah, Ivindo, Ebe, Ekouk, Oveng, Sette Cama; teams in protected areas: Ivindo National Park, Lope National Park, Waka National Park; teams in concessions: Ipassa station, Kingele station, Leke/Moyabi Rougier Forestry Concession), Cameroon (villages: Campo, Nazareth, Lomié, Djomédjo, Alat-Makay, Somalomo, Deng Deng, Eyumojok, Mbakaou, Myere, Nguti, Bejange, Kekpane, Basho, Mendhi, Matene, Mboh, Takamanda, Obonyi, Ngoïla; teams in protected areas: Ejagham forest reserve), Democratic Republic of Congo (villages: Yoko, Yangambi, Epulu, Monkoto), Republic of Congo (villages: Bomassa, Ekolongouma, Bolembe, Makao, Mbeli, Kabo, Niangui, Ngubu, Goualaki, Essimbi). We thank the field assistants whose expertise and enthusiasm is indispensable to successful fieldwork, including: M. E. Abang, U. P. Achui, F. Addai, E. J. Agbachon, J. Agnaka, A. J. Akaza, G. Alaman, G. Alaman, A. E. Alexander, K. Allen, M. Amalphi, D. Amandus, J. Andju, L. A. Limbanga, S. Asamoah, T. M. Ashu, M. Ashu, J. Asse, B. Augustine, H. Badjoko, M. Balimu, J. Baviogui-Baviogui, S. Benteh, A. Bertrand, A. Bettus, A. Bias, A. Bikoula, A. Bimba, P. Bissiemou, M. Boateng, E. Bonyenga, M. B. Ekaya, G. Bouka, J. Boussengui, D. B. Ngomo, C. Chalange, S. Chenikan, J. Dabo, E. Dadize, T. Degraft, J. Dibakou, J.-T. Dikangadissi, P. Dimbonda, E. Dimoto, C. Ditougou, D. Dorbor, M. Dorbor, V. Droissart, K. Duah, E. Ebe, O. J. Eji, E. B. Ekamam, J.-R. Ekomindong, E. J. Enow, H. Entombo, E. M. Ernest, C. Esola, J. Essouma, A. Gabriel, N. Genesis, B. Gideon, A. Godwin, E. Grear, D. J. Grear, M. Ismael, M. Iwango, M. Iyafo, N. Kamdem, B. Kibinda, A. Kidimbu, E. Kimumbu, J. Kintsieri, C. K. Opepa, A. Kitegile, T. Komo, P. Koué, A. Kouanga, J. J. Koumikaka, I. Liengola, E. Litonga, L. Louvouando, O. Luis, N. M. Mady, F. Mahoula, A. Mahundu, C. A. Mandebet, P. Maurice, K. Y. Mayossa, R. M. Nkogue, I. D. Mbe, C. Mbina, H. Mbona, A. Mboni, A. Mbouni, P. Menzo, M. Menge, A. Michael, A. Mindoumou, J. Minpsa, J. P. Mondjo, E. Mounoumoulossi, S. Mpouam, T. Msigala, J. Msirikale, S. Mtoka, R. Mwakisoma, D. Ndong-Nguema, G. Ndoyame, G. Ngongbo, F. Ngowa, D. Nguema, L. Nguye, R. Niangadouma, Y. Nkrumah, S. Nshimba, M. N. Mboumba, F. N. Obiang, L. Obi, R. Obi, E. L. Odjong, F. Okon, F. Olivieira, A. L. Owemicho, L. Oyeni-Amoni, A. Platini, P. Ploton, S. Quausah, E. Ramazani, B. S. Jean, L. Sagang, R. Salter, A. Seki, D. Shirima, M. Simo, I. Singono, A. E. Tabi, T. G. Tako, N. G. Tambe, T. Tcho, A. Teah, V. Tehtoe, B. J. Telephas, M. L. Tonda, A. Tresor, H. Umenendo, R. Votere, C. K. Weah, S. Weah, B. Wursten, E. Yalley, D. Zebaze, L. Cerbonney, E. Dubiez, H. Moinecourt, F. Lanckriet, S. Samai, M. Swaray, P. Lamboi, M. Sullay, D. Bannah, I. Kanneh, M. Kannah, A. Kemokai, J. Kenneh and M. Lukulay. For logistical and administrative support, we are indebted to international, national and local institutions: the Forestry Department of the Government of Sierra Leone, the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB, UK), The Gola Rainforest National Park (Sierra Leone), the Forestry Development Authority of the Government of Liberia (FDA), the University of Liberia, the Forestry Commission of Ghana (FC), the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG), University of Ibadan (Nigeria), the University of Abeokuta (Nigeria), the Ministère des Eaux, Forêts, Chasse et Pêche (MEFCP, Central African Republic), the Institut Centrafricain de Recherche Agronomique (ICRA, Central African Republic), The Service de Coopération et d’Actions Culturelles (SCAC/MAE, Central African Republic), The University of Bangui (Central African Republic), the Société Centrafricaine de Déroulage (SCAD, Central African Republic), the University of Yaounde I (Cameroon), the National Herbarium of Yaounde (Cameroon), the University of Buea (Cameroon), Bioversity International (Cameroon), the Ministry of Forests, Seas, Environment and Climate (Gabon), the Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux de Gabon (ANPN), Institut de Recherche en Écologie Tropicale du Gabon, Rougier-Gabon, the Marien Ngouabi University of Brazzaville (Republic of Congo), the Ministère des Eaux et Forêts (Republic of Congo), the Ministère de la Rercherche Scientifique et de l’Innovation Technologique (Republic of Congo), the Nouabalé-Ndoki Foundation (Republic of Congo), WCS-Congo, Salonga National Park (Democratic Republic of Congo), The Centre de Formation et de Recherche en Conservation Forestière (CEFRECOF, Epulu, Democratic Republic of Congo), the Institut National pour l’Étude et la Recherche Agronomiques (INERA, Democratic Republic of Congo), the École Régionale Postuniversitaire d’Aménagement et de Gestion intégrés des Forêts et Territoires tropicaux (ERAIFT Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo), WWF-Democratic Republic of Congo, WCS-Democratic Republic of Congo, the Université de Kisangani (Democratic Republic of Congo), Université Officielle de Bukavu (Democratic Republic of Congo), Université de Mbujimayi (Democratic Republic of Congo), le Ministère de l'Environnement et Développement Durable (Democratic Republic of Congo), the FORETS project in Yangambi (CIFOR, CGIAR and the European Union; Democratic Republic of Congo), the Lukuru Wildlife Research Foundation (Democratic Republic of Congo), Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST, Uganda), WCS-Uganda, the Uganda Forest Department, the Commission of Central African Forests (COMIFAC), the Udzungwa Ecological Monitoring Centre (Tanzania) and the Sokoine University of Agriculture (Tanzania). We thank C. Chatelain (Geneva Botanic Gardens) for access to the African Plants Database. Grants that have funded the AfriTRON network including data in this paper are: a European Research Council Advanced Grant to O.L.P. and S.L.L. (T-FORCES; 291585; Tropical Forests in the Changing Earth System), a NERC grant to O.L.P., Y.M., and S.L.L. (NER/A/S/2000/01002), a Royal Society University Research Fellowship to S.L.L., a NERC New Investigators Grant to S.L.L., a Philip Leverhulme Award to S.L.L., a European Union FP7 grant to E.G. and S.L.L. (GEOCARBON; 283080), Valuing the Arc Leverhulme Program Grant to Andrew Balmford and S.L.L., a Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Consortium Grant to Jon Lloyd and S.L.L. (TROBIT; NE/D005590/), the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to L.J.T.W and S.L.L., the David and Lucile Packard Foundation to L.J.T.W. and S.L.L., the Centre for International Forestry Research to T.S. and S.L.L. (CIFOR), and Gabon’s National Parks Agency (ANPN) to S.L.L. W.H. was funded by T-FORCES and the Brain programme of the Belgian Federal Government (BR/132/A1/AFRIFORD grant to Olivier Hardy and the BR/143/A3/HERBAXYLAREDD grant to H.B.). O.L.P., S.L.L., M.J.P.S, A.E.-M., A.L., G.L.-G., G.P. and L.Q. were supported by T-FORCES. Eight plots (codes ANK, IVI, LPG, MNG) included in AfriTRON are also part of the Global Ecosystem Monitoring network (GEM). Additional African data were included from the consortium MEFCP-ICRA-CIRAD (Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement), the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring Network (TEAM), and the Forest Global Earth Observatory Network (ForestGEO; formerly the Center for Tropical Forest Science, CTFS). The TEAM network is a collaboration between Conservation International, the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Smithsonian Institution and the Wildlife Conservation Society, and funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and other donors. The ForestGEO Network is a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution, other federal agencies of the United States, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and funded by the US National Science Foundation and other donors. The paper was made possible by the RAINFOR network in Amazonia, with multiple funding agencies and hundreds of investigators working in Amazonia, acknowledged in ref. 6, providing comprehensive published data and code and assisting in the onward analysis of their data; see ref. 6. Data from AfriTRON and RAINFOR are stored and curated by ForestPlots.net, a long-term cyber-infrastructure initiative hosted at the University of Leeds that unites permanent plot records and their contributing scientists from the world’s tropical forests. The development of ForestPlots.net and curation of most data analysed here was funded by many sources, including grants to O.L.P. (principally from ERC AdG 291585 ‘T-FORCES’, NERC NE/B503384/1 and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation 1656 ‘RAINFOR’), T.R.B. (the University of Leeds contribution to ‘AMAZALERT’, NERC (NE/I028122/1) with T. Pennington, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (‘MonANPeru’) and a NERC Impact Accelerator grant for the initial development of the BiomasaFP R package), E.G. (‘GEOCARBON’ and NE/F005806/1 ‘AMAZONICA’) and S.L.L. (Royal Society University Research Fellowship, NERC New Investigators Award, NERC NE/P008755/1). We acknowledge the contributions of the ForestPlots.net developers (M. Burkitt, G. Lopez-Gonzalez) and the steering committee (T.R.B., A.L., S.L.L., O.L.P., L.Q., E. N. H. Coronado and B. S. Marimon) for advice on database development and management.