Rob Marchant is a Professor of Tropical Ecology at the University of York, where he leads the York Institute for Tropical Ecosystems https://www.york.ac.uk/environment/research/kite/. His research investigates ecosystem dynamics in the moist forests, savanna-woodland spectrums and cropland mosaics across the tropics with a particular focus on eastern and southern Africa. Through applying a range of techniques, he aims to better understand the spatial and temporal dynamics of tropical ecosystems, their societal value and challenges to their conservation. His research aims at developing deep-time insights for addressing current and future environmental challenges, enabling community engagement and contributing to the management and protection of tropical ecosystems from the urban through to the rural.