Description

The Amazon rainforest plays a crucial role in regulating the global carbon cycle, yet it is increasingly threatened by climate change, deforestation, and extreme weather events. Dr. Santiago Botia's research on the "Amazon Carbon Cycle Response to Exceptional Heat and Drought in 2023" addresses these urgent issues by providing cutting-edge insights into how the forest is responding to unprecedented heatwaves and droughts. Understanding these dynamics is vital for predicting future carbon fluxes and for informing both environmental policy and climate change mitigation strategies. The research has significant societal relevance, as disruptions to the Amazon's carbon storage could accelerate global warming, with far-reaching impacts on biodiversity, agriculture, and weather patterns worldwide.

Dr Santiago Botia is an expert in tropical ecosystem dynamics, leading the Atmosphere-Biosphere Signal Attribution in the Tropics research group at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena. He holds a PhD from the same institute, where he analyzed methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) data from the ATTO project in the Amazon. Dr. Botia studied Environmental Engineering in Colombia, followed by a Master's in Environmental Sciences at Wageningen University, where his work focused on the role of fire emissions in the Amazon’s carbon balance. His current research is critical to assessing how tropical ecosystems respond to global climate change

The seminar includes a 45-minute presentation by Dr. Santiago Botia, followed by an interactive 45-minute Q&A session. 

PhD and postdoctoral researchers from Flemish universities are encouraged to actively participate in the discussion, with a special focus on those working in climate science, environmental sciences, and ecosystem dynamics.