Pierre Meerts obtained a Ph.D. in Botanical Sciences from the Université libre de Bruxelles in 1990. Since 1991, he has been teaching botany and plant ecology at the same institution. He has served as Head of the Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Biogeochemistry, Curator of the African Herbarium, and Director of the Jean Massart Botanical Garden (2005–2025).
His research focuses on plant population biology and ecology, with a particular interest in plant–soil interactions. He has conducted extensive research on plants adapted to metalliferous soils and on the effects of invasive alien plant species on soil properties. Since 2005, his research has increasingly focused on tropical botany through close collaboration with the University of Lubumbashi (Democratic Republic of the Congo). He led a research and development programme on the phytoremediation of copper-contaminated soils resulting from mining activities.
Another major research focus concerns the distinctive vegetation associated with large termite mounds. Using both experimental and observational approaches, he investigates the ecological processes responsible for the marked vegetation contrast between termite mounds and the surrounding forest.
For the past fifteen years, he has also been actively engaged in the taxonomy and floristics of the Haut-Katanga region. In particular, he contributes to the preparation of the Flore d’Afrique centrale at Meise Botanic Garden. This work includes the description of species new to science.
Key Publications
Ngoy Shutcha, M., Mpundu Mubemba, M., Faucon, M.-P., Ngongo Luhembwe, M., Visser, M., Colinet, G., & Meerts, P. (2010). Phytostabilisation of copper-contaminated soil in Katanga: An experiment with three native grasses and two amendments. International Journal of Phytoremediation, 12, 616–632. https://doi.org/10.1080/15226510903390411
Meerts, P., & Hasson, M. (2016). Arbres et arbustes du Haut-Katanga. Jardin botanique de Meise.
Cuma Mushagalusa, F., Bauman, D., Mujinya Bazirake, B., Mleci, Y., Kalenga, M., Ngoy Shutcha, M., & Meerts, P. (2018). Edaphic specialisation in relation to termite mounds in Katanga (DR. Congo): A reciprocal transplant experiment with congeneric tree species. Journal of Vegetation Science, 29, 921–932. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12675
Meerts, P., & Paton, A. J. (2024). The genus Coleus (Lamiaceae) in Central Africa (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi), with the description of 15 new species. PhytoKeys, 246, 71–178. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.246.129476
Meerts, P., Ballings, P., Barberá, P., Bauters, K., Beentje, H., Cheek, M., Couvreur, T. L. P., Damen, T. H. J., de Almeida, R. F., De Block, P., de la Estrella, M., Dessein, S., Engledow, H., Fischer, E., Gautier, L., Haigh, A., Harris, D. J., Hetterscheid, W., Jongkind, C. C. H., Lachenaud, O., Larridon, I., Ley, A., Maurin, O., Mayo, S. J., Mbandu Luzolawo, P., Moafo Tchioffo, T., Morel, J., Mwanga Mwanga, I., Pellegrini, M. O. O., Quintanar, A., Reynders, M., Robbrecht, E., Rusaati, B. I., Simões, A. R. G., Sosef, M. S. M., Stévart, T., Stone, R. D., Sukhorukov, A. P., van der Zon, A. P. M., Verstraete, B., Wiland-Szymańska, J., Xanthos, M., & Zuloaga, F. (2026). A checklist of the vascular plants of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. PhytoKeys, 277, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.277.193807
Publications
Pierre Meerts (0000-0003-4215-027X) - ORCID