Reinhart Ceulemans

Reinhart Ceulemans
Education
Alma materUniversity of Antwerp
Philosophical work
SchoolEvolutionary ecology
Websitewww.monicagagliano.com

Reinhart Jan Maria Ceulemans (born 15 January 1954, Antwerp, Belgium) is a Belgian ecologist and emeritus professor at the University of Antwerp, where he directed the Research Center of Excellence PLECO. He has served as vice-dean of the Faculty of Sciences and has held visiting professorships at the University of Washington, Université Paris-Sud, University of Ghent, and University of Antwerp. Since retiring in 2019, he has been a visiting professor at the University of Antwerp, a researcher at CzechGlobe in Brno, and a consultant to the Slovenian Forestry Institute.[1]

Academic career

From 2000 to 2019 Ceulemans led the Research Group of Plant and Vegetation Ecology[2] (PLECO, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp). In 2007 the research group was recognized as a Research Center of Excellence[3] at the University of Antwerp. As the director of the Research Center, he also became the Methusalem titular with long-term funding from the Flemish Government through the University of Antwerp (2007-2019). He was chairman of the Department of Biology (2004-2006), vice dean of the Faculty of Sciences (2006-2009) and chair of various international evaluation and selection committees, including the European Science Foundation (ESF). Under his supervision a total of 28 PhD's were defended.

Research

Ceulemans’ research focused on how trees respond to elevated CO₂, the development of poplar and willow plantations for bioenergy, and the exchange of carbon between ecosystems and the atmosphere.[4] He investigated short rotation coppice systems and led the ERC-funded POPFULL project[5], which carried out detailed greenhouse gas balance measurements and life cycle assessments of large-scale bioenergy plantations.[6][7] Through European CO₂ enrichment programs such as POPFACE and EUROFACE[8], he quantified plant growth responses and the role of acclimation in moderating these effects.[9] He also contributed to European carbon flux research networks and, from 2013 to 2019, coordinated Belgium’s participation in the Integrated Carbon Observation System, managing a national network of monitoring stations.[10][11]

Awards and honors

  • In 1990, he received the Scientific Achievement Award of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO).[12]
  • During the academic year 2006-2007 he was titular of the Belgian Francqui Chair at the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL). As a Francqui Chair he taught various courses and classes on forest ecophysiology, the ecology and genetics of poplar, plant ecology and related.
  • He was elected a member of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts (since 2009)[13]
  • On 27 April 2010, he received the academic title of Doctor Honoris Causa at Mendel University of Brno (Czech Republic)[14] from the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences. Two years later – on 15 March 2012 – he became Doctor Honoris Causa at the Université d’Orléans, France.[15]
  • In 2015, he was elected a corresponding member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (since 2015)[16]

Publications and output

By 2019, Ceulemans was the author or co-author of over 345 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals, as well as the (co-)editor of nine books on plant responses to environmental factors and tree physiology. He also co-authored over 50 publications in scientific volumes, proceedings and popularizing journals. His publications have been cited over 30 000 times[17] and he has an H-index of 83 on Google Scholar.[17]

Selected publications

  • Ceulemans R.; M. Mousseau (1994). "Tansley Review. Effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 on woody plants". New Phytologist. 127: 425–446. doi:10.1111/J.1469-8137.1994.TB03961.X.

Invited Tansley review, providing a comprehensive review of the major physiological responses of trees to elevated CO2. This enabled the development of process-based models for the prediction of global change effects on forest ecosystems. It has been cited more than 600 times.

This work showed that trees can profit from atmospheric CO2 concentrations with a mean biomass stimulation of 30%, despite the variability between experiments and species. The authors also gave proof of the fact that acclimation counteracts and mitigates most of this stimulation. It has been cited more than 400 times.

  • Valentini R.; G. Matteucci; A.J. Dolman; E.D. Schulze; C. Rebmann; E.J. Moors; A. Granier; P. Gross; N.O. Jensen; K. Pilegaard; A. Lindroth; A. Grelle; C. Bernhofer; T. Grunwald; M. Aubinet; R. Ceulemans; A.S. Kowalski; T. Vesala; U. Rannik; P. Berbigier; D. Loustau; J. Guomundsson; H. Thorgeirsson; A. Ibrom; K. Morgenstern; R. Clement; J. Moncrieff; L. Montagnani; S. Minerbi; P.G. Jarvis (2000). "Respiration as the main determinant of carbon balance in European forests". Nature. 404 (6780): 861–865. Bibcode:2000Natur.404..861V. doi:10.1038/35009084. PMID 10786790. S2CID 205005949.

This work summarizes the exchange fluxes of carbon between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere for European forests. It has been cited more than 1100 times.

This work assessed the carbon sink in Europe's terrestrial biosphere; it was estimated at 135 to 205 teragram per year. This work has been cited over 500 times.

This study reviews the available literature on the energy and greenhouse gas balance of bioenergy production. It has been cited over 100 times.

References

  1. ^ "LESC's Ceulemans among the most cited Plant Science authors in Europe : European Science Foundation". archives.esf.org. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
  2. ^ "Plants and Ecosystems - Ecology in a time of change - University of Antwerp". www.uantwerpen.be.
  3. ^ "Onderzoeksexcellentiecentrum ECO - Universiteit Antwerpen". www.uantwerpen.be. Archived from the original on 2019-12-26. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  4. ^ Ceulemans, Reinart (February 12, 1990). Genetic variation in functional and structural productivity determinants in poplar Reinart Ceulemans. University of Antwerp. Antwerpen.
  5. ^ "POPFULL - The Project".
  6. ^ Njakou Djomo, S.; Ac, A.; Zenone, T.; De Groote, T.; Bergante, S.; Facciotto, G.; Sixto, H.; Ciria Ciria, P.; Weger, J.; Ceulemans, R. (2015). "Energy performances of intensive and extensive short rotation cropping systems for woody biomass production in the EU". Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 41: 845–854. Bibcode:2015RSERv..41..845N. doi:10.1016/J.RSER.2014.08.058. hdl:10261/291634.
  7. ^ "Biomass crops are energy efficient and climate friendly". ERC: European Research Council. June 17, 2019.
  8. ^ "CORDIS | European Commission".
  9. ^ Finzi, A. C.; Norby, R. J.; Calfapietra, C.; Gallet-Budynek, A.; Gielen, B.; Holmes, W. E.; Hoosbeek, M. R.; Iversen, C. M.; Jackson, R. B.; Kubiske, M. E.; Ledford, J.; Liberloo, M.; Oren, R.; Polle, A.; Pritchard, S.; Zak, D. R.; Schlesinger, W. H.; Ceulemans, R. (2007). "Increases in nitrogen uptake rather than nitrogen-use efficiency support higher rates of temperate forest productivity under elevated CO2". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 104 (35): 14014–14019. Bibcode:2007PNAS..10414014F. doi:10.1073/PNAS.0706518104. PMC 1955801. PMID 17709743.
  10. ^ "CARBO EUROPE IP | Copernicus". www.copernicus.eu.
  11. ^ "ICOS Research Infrastructure". ICOS RI.
  12. ^ "Scientific Achievement Award List of Recipients" (PDF). International Union of Forest Research Organizations. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2020.
  13. ^ "Members | KVAB". www.kvab.be.
  14. ^ "Čestné Doktoráty" (in Czech). Mendel University of Brno. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Cérémonie Docteur Honoris Causa" (PDF) (in French). Université d’Orléans. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-11-06. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  16. ^ "SAZU Members - Section four - Natural sciences". www.sazu.si. Retrieved 2025-07-19.
  17. ^ a b "Reinhart Ceulemans - Google Scholar Citations". scholar.google.be.
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