Among the 36 species of timber included in the IUCN red list, Tieghemella heckelii (Sapotaceae) or Makoré is one of the two species qualified as endangered, due to human activities that have led to the considerable reduction of forest ecosystems in Côte d'Ivoire. In addition, climate variations would also influence the distribution area of this endangered species. Hence the interest of this study, whose general objective is to provide knowledge on the effect of climatic variations on the phytogeographical distribution of Makoré in Côte d'Ivoire, for rational management of the species.

The aim was to model the distribution of the current favorable areas of Makoré in phytogeographical areas; to assess the potential effects of climate variations by 2050 on the extent of the phytogeographical distribution areas of Makoré and to determine the contributions of important bioclimatic variables in the modeling of the distribution of Makoré. To do this, the geographical coordinates of the Makoré specimens herbalized in the three national herbariums and the individuals inventoried in the phytogeographical areas of the country were identified. The RCP 6.0 and RCP 8.5 scenarios were used to predict the Makoré distribution under current and future climate conditions.

The results of the simulations show that the habitats favorable to the distribution of Makoré will be located preferentially in the country's dense humid evergreen forests. The important contribution of the bioclimatic variable “precipitation in the driest month (Bio 14)” means that the future distribution of Makoré will be mainly influenced by variations in rainfall. This study will certainly help managers of Ivorian forest heritage in their decision-making on the conservation and protection of biodiversity.