Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper): Demuynck won the Eos Prize 2024 from SciMingo, getting €2,500 for his research showing Congo Basin trees absorb 27% more CO2 than Amazon trees. Other winners were Chiara Pletinckx, Hanne Vermeire, and Sofie Lenders, each receiving €1,500.
Every year, the non-profit organization SciMingo looks for impressive research from Flemish graduates. This year, Demuynck won the top prize at the ceremony in Ghent City Hall, receiving a trophy and 2,500 euros. For his study, he travelled to Yangambi in Central Africa to measure how 23 types of trees perform photosynthesis, and then he analyzed the leaves in Belgium. He found that trees in the Congo Basin absorb 27 per cent more CO2 than those in the Amazon rainforest.
How does Demuynck’s research redefine the role of the Congo Basin in climate change?
Demuynck’s research suggests that the trees in the Congo Basin take in more CO2 because the leaves of those trees contain more nitrogen and phosphorus, possibly derived from the fires in nearby savannas. He believes that the current models being used in climate models are wrong since they classify all rainforests as one. According to Demuynck, every rainforest has its uniqueness and, hence, needs to be treated differently to understand real climatic changes. He even believes that the tropical rainforest in the Congo Basin might be the biggest “lung” of our planet, even more than the Amazon.
Head of the jury from De Tijd, Stephanie De Smedt, praised Demuynck for his research on the Congo Basin, making him win the Eos Prize 2024. Others who won include Chiara Pletinckx from Hogeschool Odisee for her effort to assist non-Dutch speaking families, Hanne Vermeire from UGent for her work on bullying in schools, and Sofie Lenders from UGent for her research on fast communication tech. All the prizes are worth 1,500 euros.
