Café
WeCLISH Climate Café
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We are glad you are interested in conversing with the Café Guest and other participants invested in climate justice, research, policy, advocacy, and actions.
We meet on Zoom | Every 4th Friday of the Month, 9–10 am EST
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What the Climate Café is and is not, its values, ground rules, and more…
Next Climate Café
Friday, February 28, 2025, 9–10 AM (EST)
Zoom: https://westernuniversity.zoom.us/j/93608824257
Passcode: 943294 | Register here
Topic: Climage change impact on plan carbon metabolism in boreal and tropical tree species in Canada and Rwanda
Café Guests
Dr Mirindi Eric Dusenge
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4218-0911
Dr Dusenge, a WeCLISH alum and a PARTAKE Africa co-director, is a plant ecophysiologist and a fellow at the Australian National University.
His research focuses on understanding the impact of warming and elevated carbon dioxide on the physiology of trees and crops. His work spans major world biomes, including boreal, temperate, and tropical regions. Drawing on his research, Dusenge aims to advance knowledge of climate change impacts on plant carbon metabolism, particularly photosynthesis and leaf respiration processes.
A native of Rwanda, he earned a degree in Biology at the University of Rwanda, followed by an MSc in Environmental Sciences at the University of Gothenburg and a PhD in Biology at Western University. After his PhD, he completed postdocs in Sweden, the UK, and Canada. Currently, Dusenge holds a prestigious Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) fellowship.
Dr Myriam Mujawamariya
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8852-8499
Dr Mujawamariya, a PARTAKE Africa co-director, is a Senior Lecturer in forest ecology and biodiversity science at the University of Rwanda.
Her research focuses on improving mechanistic understanding of tropical forest responses to climate change. She is currently engaged in research projects exploring multipurpose native tree species, which are critical for research-based reforestation and conservation measures, guiding policies and action to plant trees towards mitigating and adapting to climate change and related hazards, and restoration of degraded ecosystems.
Dr Mujawamariya completed her PhD in Environmental Sciences at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. For her contribution to the climate action and environment, she received an OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award for Early Career Women Scientists in the Developing World in 2022.
Description
Let’s drink in the WeCLISH Climate Café Zoom Room and connect over an insightful conversation with Café Guests: Dr Mirindi Dusenge and Dr Myriam Mujawamariya.
Dr Dusenge will share findings from his research that focus on improving our understanding of the impacts of climate change (warming and elevated CO2) on plant carbon metabolism (photosynthesis and leaf respiration) of tropical and boreal trees in the Global South and North.
Drawing on research findings from the Rwanda Tropical Elevational gradient Experiment (TREE) project, Dr Mujawamariya will unpack why the strong thermal acclimation of leaf dark respiration (Rd) in tropical tree species should be accounted for to avoid overestimation of the impact of global warming on autotropic respiration in tropical forests.
Please mark your calendar and join us to listen, get inspired, and share your thoughts for an engaging conversation!
Readings
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- Dusenge, M. E., Duarte, A. G., & Way, D. A. (2019). Plant carbon metabolism and climate change: Elevated CO2 and temperature impacts on photosynthesis, photorespiration and respiration. The New Phytologist, 221(1), 32–49. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.15283
- Mujawamariya, M., Wittemann, M., Manishimwe, A., Ntirugulirwa, B., Zibera, E., Nsabimana, D., Wallin, G., Uddling, J., & Dusenge, M. E. (2021). Complete or over compensatory thermal acclimation of leaf dark respiration in African tropical trees. The New Phytologist, 229(5), 2548–2561. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17038
