The Evolution of Landscape Ecology in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2005–2025): Scientific Advances, Methodological Challenges, and Future Prospects

Landscape ecology in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has emerged as a structuring scientific field since 2005, notably driven by the contributions of Professor Jan Bogaert. The evolution of research in this domain can be divided into three major phases. The first phase (2005–2012) was marked by the quantitative analysis of forest fragmentation using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and landscape metrics. Between 2013 and 2019, research approaches expanded to incorporate social sciences, reflecting a shift towards a socio-ecological understanding of landscapes. Since 2020, research has increasingly embraced holistic frameworks, integrating climatic dimensions and forward-looking modelling. Key themes include ecological flows across landscape mosaics, land-use dynamics, and the anthropogenic transformation of ecological systems. Nevertheless, several limitations remain, including the scarcity of long-term temporal datasets, uneven geographic coverage of studies, and limited inclusion of local knowledge systems. Notable progress has been enabled by high-resolution remote sensing and participatory approaches, though their implementation remains constrained by technical and economic barriers. This manuscript advocates for strengthened interdisciplinary synergies, optimization of field protocols, and the development of context-sensitive tools to foster sustainable and localized landscape management in the Congolese context.