Adelaida K. Semesi

Adelaida Kleti Semesi (1951 – 6 February 2001) was a Tanzanian ecologist, who was Professor of Marine Biology at the University of Dar es Salaam. Known for her work on mangrove ecology, Semesi was the first woman to be a professor in the field of natural sciences in Tanzania.

Education Semesi was born in 1951 in Haubi, Tanzania. She graduated from the University of Dar es Salaam with a BSc in 1975,

Career Semesi's teaching career began in 1975 as teaching assistant, rising to professor by the time of her death.

Nicknamed ("mama mangroves" in Swahili), she specialised in mangrove ecology, and a member of the board of trustees for the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association. These included a Fulbright Scholarship to the University of South Florida in 1982, where she undertook a research project entitled "Analysis of Certain Marine Phycocolloids". She was the recipient in 1992 of a Pew Trust Fellowship, which she used to undertake a major study on the Bagamoyo area, incorporating marine sources, socio-economic statistics and other factors. She died on 6 February 2001. Her death was described in Pwani Yetu: The Newsletter of the Tanzania Coastal Management Partnership as a "great misfortune for marine conservation".

Recognition

Fulbright Scholarship Pew Trust Fellowship in Marine Science Agricultural University of Norway: Noragric Publication Award (1999), for excellence in research publications Marine Plants of Tanzania: A field guide to the seaweeds and seagrasses of Tanzania by Eurico C. Oliveira, Katrin Österlund and Matern S. P. Mtolera was dedicated to Semesi's life and work.

Personal life Semesi was married with four children.

Selected publications

Collen, J., M. Mtolera, K. Abrahamsson, A. Semesi and M. Pedersen. 1995. Farming and physiology of the red algae Eucheuma: Growing commercial importance in East Africa. Ambio 24(7): 497-450 Mtolera, M.S.P., J. Collen and A.K. Semesi. 1995. Destructive hydrogen peroxide production in Eucheuma denticulatum (Rhodophyta) during stress caused by elevated pH, high light intensities and competition with other species. olera, M.S.P., J. Collen and A.K. Semesi. 1995. Destructive hydrogen peroxide production in Eucheuma denticulatum 30(4): 289 Semesi A.K. 1993. Wetlands of sub-saharan Africa, their relevance and management. Proceedings of the conference on water and environment: Key to Africa's Development 151-164

Engdahl, S., F. Mamboya, M. Mtolera, A. Semesi and M. Björk. 1998. The brown macroalgae Pakina boergesenii as an indicator of heavy metal contamination in the Zanzibar Channel. Ambio 27(8): 694-700 Semesi, A.K. 1998. Coastal resources utilization and conservation issues in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. Ambio 27(8): 635-644 Semesi, A.K. 1998. Mangrove management and utilization in Eastern Africa. Ambio 27(8): 620-626 Mtolera, M.S.P., J. Collen and A.K. Semesi. 1996. Stressed-induced production of volatile halogenated organic compounds in Eucheuma denticulatum (Rhodophyta) caused by elevated pH and high light intensities. European Journal of Phycology 31(1): 91 Bjork, M., S.M. Mohammed and A. Semesi. 1995. Coralline algae, important coral-reef builders threatened by pollution. Ambio 24(7): 502