The 15^th Work Conference of the Chinese Ecosystem Research Center (CERN) was held in Zhengzhou during April 22 and 24, which brought together 209 scientists and scholars engaged in ecological research. XTBG scientists Cao Min, Zhang Yiping, Liu Yuhong, Chen Anqian, and Deng Xiaobao participated in the meeting.

　 Dr. Fu Bojie, director of Bureau of Science and Technology for Resources and Environment Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered a speech. Then deputy director Feng Renguo made a report addressing the work summary in 2007, plan for 2008, and strategic planning from 2008 to 2020, on behalf of CERN.

    Among the 9 keynote speakers, Dr. Cao Min was invited to deliver a lecture on “Seed germination behavior in tropical rainforest and its ecological significance”. Assoc. Prof. Chen Anqian made a report entitled “Bacterial 16S rRNA gene community structures across various vegetation and climate regions in south- western China” at a group session.

  　On April 24, all representatives at the meeting had a filed visit to Fengqiu Experimental Station of Agricultural Ecology.