Warre Demuynck wins the Flemish Thesis Prize 2024
Bioengineer Warre Demuynck (Ghent University) is the winner of the Flemish Thesis Prize 2024. His research shows that tree species in the Congo Basin in Central Africa absorb more CO₂ from the atmosphere than tree species in the Amazon forest in South America. This discovery questions the accuracy of current climate models, which often fail to distinguish between rainforests.
With the Flemish Thesis Prize, SciMingo vzw searches each year for strong and newsworthy theses by Flemish graduates. Out of 396 entries, the jury led by Stephanie De Smedt (De Tijd) chose Demuynck (23) as the winner. During the ceremony at Ghent City Hall, he received the coveted trophy and a cash prize of 2,500 euros.
Pioneering work in Central Africa
The Congo Basin, the second largest rainforest in the world, plays a crucial role in climate regulation. Yet until now, the photosynthesis of the trees in this area has never been studied. “Yet this is essential to know how much CO₂ this rainforest can absorb and how this affects our predictions about climate change”, says Demuynck.
For his research, he traveled to Yangambi in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he examined the photosynthesis of 23 different tree species. “Local climbers collected branches of each species, then I measured the photosynthesis of the leaves. Back in Belgium, I analyzed the chemical composition of the leaves, such as nitrogen and phosphorus levels”, Demuynck explains. It is the first time photosynthesis has been measured in the Congo Basin.
A remarkable discovery
The study yielded surprising results: trees in the Congo Basin absorb 27% more CO₂ than those in the Amazon. “This difference can possibly be explained by the chemical composition of the leaves, which are richer in nitrogen and phosphorus”, says Demuynck. “These nutrients, essential for photosynthesis, may have come from fires in nearby savannas.”
His study shows that rainforests are unique ecosystems that should not be lumped together. “Many climate models use the same parameters for all rainforests, but this is not correct. To more accurately predict and effectively address climate change, we need to understand the specifics of each rainforest.”
Perhaps not the Amazon rainforest, but the tropical rainforest in the Congo Basin is our planet's largest lung.
Contribution to climate research
With his research, Demuynck is not only making an important scientific contribution, he is also putting the Congo Basin on the map as a crucial area in the fight against climate change. “Perhaps not the Amazon rainforest, but the tropical rainforest in the Congo Basin is our planet's largest lung”, he concludes.
Unanimous praise from the jury
The jury was unanimously enthusiastic about Demuynck's work. “Warre combines scientific depth with a compelling narrative”, says jury president Stephanie De Smedt. “His research stood head and shoulders above the other entries. It clearly demonstrates why the Congo Basin deserves our attention.”
Two prizes for Warre
During the ceremony at Ghent City Hall, the partial prizes of the competition were also awarded. Warre Demuynck won the Eos Prize for exact science theses, making it to the podium twice. Other laureates were:
- Chiara Pletinckx, who won the Bachelor Prize with her thesis on supporting non-native-speaking families in school choice.
- Hanne Vermeire, who won the Klasse Prize with her research on cyberbullying in secondary education.
- Sofie Lenders, awarded the mtech+ Prize for her work on ultra-fast mobile communication via folded waveguides.
- Earlier this year, Elisa Kooy won the NBN Sustainability Award for her research on hydrochar, a sustainable product from marine biowaste.
