Group of Restoration Ecology----Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden,CAS

MAJOR FIELD OF RESEARCH:

The research field focuses on ecosystem health and bio-indication, disturbance and ecosystem degradation, responses and process after disturbance, determining of recovery capability and measures for various degraded ecosystems. Study areas:

Recovery capability and obstacles, and effective ways for vegetation restoration of degraded lands in karst, dry-hot valley and other areas

Response of epiphytes of montane moist　 forest to climate change and its bio-indication

Invasive plants and their control measures in terrestrial and hydrophytic ecosystems

Hydrological function and water-use patterns in tropical rainforest and rubber plantation in relation to environment change.

MEMBERS

Staff:

Liu Wenyao, Chief professor, Ph. D., received undergraduate training in forestry from Beijing Forestry University from 1978 to 1982, and completed Ph. D. research at Department of Environmental Biology, Curtin University of technology, Australia from 1997 and 2000. As a visiting professor in Curtin University of Technology for Restoration Research from 1996 to 1997, funded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Liu Wenjie, Professor, Ph. D. Graduated from Graduate School of CAS in 2005.

Shen Youxin, Asso. Prof., Ph. D. Graduated from Graduate School of CAS in 2006.

Gao Lei, Research Fellow, Ph. D. Graduate School of Fudan University in 2005.

Students

Since 2001, 23 students have been enrolled in RER, including 8 Ph.D. and 15 master degree students. Among them, 3 Ph.D. and 9 master degree students have graduated.

PROJECTS:

1. Key technology integration for comprehensive measures and its demonstration in

karst mountain area. (2007BAD53B, Program of National Science and Technology Supporting Plan of China, 2007-2010, 45.59milion RMB)

2. Response of epiphytes in montane moist evergreen broad-leaved forest to climatic change and its bio-indication. (Supported by the Natural ScienceFoundation of China. 2009-2011, 280,000 RMB)

3. Application of environmental isotopes in hydrological function studies of tropical

montane rubber plantation in Xishuangbanna, SW China. (Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China, 2008-2010, 320,000 RMB)

4. Composition, physical and chemical properties, and enzyme activities of canopy humus in montane moist evergreen broadleaved forest and cloud forest in Ailao Mountain. (Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China, 2008-2010, 340,000 RMB)

5. Epiphytes biomass and its spatial distribution in montane moist evergreen broad-leaved forest in Ailao Mountain. 2005-2007, Natural Science Foundation of China. (Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China, 2005-2007, 210,000 RMB)

6. Degradation mechanism of the typical ecosystem and vegetation restoration in

tropics, southern Yunnan. ( Hundreds of Talents Program of CAS, 2004-2006,

1,000,000 RMB)　

7. Species diversity and biomass structure of epiphytes and their response to anthropogenic disturbance of montane evergreen broad-leaved forest in Ailao Mountain. (Supported the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, 2005-2008,

250,000RMB)

8. Evaluation of hydrological service function of tropical montane rubber plantation

in Xishuangbanna, SW China, (Supported by the West Light Foundation of CAS, 2008-2010, 200,000 RMB)

9.　　　 Natural successional forces for vegetation recovery of typical degraded karst ecosystem. 2007-2009, West Light Program of CAS(Supported by the West Light Foundation of CAS, 2008-2010, 250,000 RMB)

10.　 Ecological adaptability of the weed (Eupatorium adenophorum) in Yunnan, SW China. 2006-2009, Province (Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan, 60,000RMB)

11.　 Ecological strategies and aquatic adoption of clones of Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) solms. (Supported by the CAS, 2007-2009, 800,000 RMB)

Selected Publications:

Yuan C. M.，Liu W. Y., Tang C. Q. (2009) Species composition, diversity and abundance of lianas in different secondary and primary forests in a subtropical mountainous area, SW China. Ecological Research. 24 (6):1361-1370.

Yang, L.P., Liu, W. Y., Ma W. Z. (2008) Woody debris stocks in different secondary and primary forests in the subtropical Ailao Mountains, southwest China. Ecological Research 23: 805-812.

Liu, W. Y., Fox, J. E. D. & Xu, Z. (2003) Nutrient budgets of natural Lithocarpus /Castanopsis forest on Ailao Mountains, Yunnan, SW China. Hydrological Processes 17: 1119-1134.

Liu, W.Y. , Fox, E. D. Fox & Xu, Z. (2003) Litterfall and nutrient dynamics in montane moist evergreen broad-leaved forest on Ailao Mountains, SW China. Plant Ecology 164: 157-170.

Liu, W. Y. , Fox, J. E. D & Xu, Z. (2002) Nutrient fluxes in bulk precipitation, throughfall and stemflow in montane subtropical moist forest on Ailao Mountains in Yunnan, SW China. Journal of Tropical Ecology 18: 527-548.

Liu, W. Y., Fox, J. E. D. & Xu, Z. F. (2002) Biomass and nutrient accumulation in montane evergreen broad-leaved forest ( Lithocarpus xylocarpus type) in Ailao Mountains, SW China. Forest Ecology and Management 158: 223-235.

Liu, W. Y., Fox, J. E. D. & Xu, Z. F. (2001) Community characteristics, species diversity and management of middle mountain moist evergreen broad-leaved forest in the Ailao Mountains, southwestern China. Pacific Conservation Biology 7 (1):34-47.

Liu, W. Y., Fox, J. E. D. and Xu, Z. F. (2000) Leaf litter decomposition of canopy trees, bamboo and moss in montane moist evergreen broad-leaved forest in Ailao Mountain of Yunnan, SW China. Ecological Research 15 (4): 435-447.

Sheng, C. Y., Liu, L. H. & Liu. W. Y. (2000). Biomass and dynamics of soil environment during the early stage of vegetation restoration in a degradation dry-hot mountain area of Nanjian, Yunnan. Acta Phytoecologica Sinica 24 (5): 575-580.

Liu, W. Y., Liu. L. H. & He, A. (2000) Decomposition of leaf litter in Pinus yunnanensis forest and evergreen broad-leaved forest in central Yunnan. Acta Botanica Yunnanica 22: 298-306.

Liu, W. Y. (2000) The role of epiphytic materials in nutrient cycling of forest ecosystem. Chinese Journal of Ecology 19: 30-35.

Liu, W. Y., Liu, L. H. & Sheng, C. Y. (1999) Adaptability and application of biological engineering for controlling debris flow. Journal of Mountain Science 17: 358-362.

Liu, W. Y., Liu, L. H., Qiu, X. Z., Xie, S. C. & Sheng, C. Y. (1999) Bio-ecological engineering prevention and control of debris flow of Houshan by Nanjian County Town, Yunnan. Journal of Mountain Science 17: 136-140.

Liu, W. Y., Liu, L. H., Qiu, X. Z., Xie, S. C., Sheng, C. Y. & Tang C. (1999) Environmental characteristics and its control of dry-hot degraded mountainous area by Nanjian County, Yunnan Province. Journal of Soil Erosion and Soil and Water Conservation 5: 87-95.

Liu, W. Y., Sheng, C. Y. & Liu, L. H. (1999) Vegetation restoration on degraded mountainous area of dry-hot river valley in Nanjian County, Yunnan Province. Journal of Beijing Forestry University 21: 9-13.

Liu, W. Y., Sheng, C. Y. & Liu, L. H. (1999) Analysis of benefit of vegetation restoration on degraded mountainous area of dry-hot river valley in Nanjian County. Guihaia 19: 215-220.

Liu, W.Y. (1999) Study on rainfall erosivity and soil erodibility in the Zhaotong Basin, Yunnan Province. Yunnan Geological Environment Research 11: 76-82.

Liu, W. Y., Liu, L. H. & Sheng, C. Y. (1999) Experience on bio-ecological engineering harnessing of gullies in degraded mountainous region in dry-hot valley, Nanjian, Yunnan. Yunnan Geological Environment Research 11: 38-43.

Liu WJ, Liu WY, Li JT, Wu ZW, Li HM. 2008. Isotope variations of throughfall, stemflow and soil water in a tropical rain forest and a rubber plantation in Xishuangbanna, SW China. Hydrology Research, 39(5-6): 437–449.

Liu WJ, Wang PY, Liu WY, Li JT, Li PJ. 2008. The importance of radiation fog in the tropical rain forest of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China. Hydrology Research (Formerly Nordic Hydrology), 39(1): 79–87.

Liu WJ, Liu WY, Li PJ, Gao L, Shen YX, Wang PY, Zhang YP, Li HM. 2007. Using stable isotopes to determine sources of fog drip in a tropical seasonal rain forest of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 143: 80–91.

Liu WJ, Li PJ, Li HM, Duan WP. 2006. Estimation of evaporation rate from soil surface using stable isotopic composition of throughfall and stream water in a tropical seasonal rain forest of Xishuangbanna, SW China. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 26: 1303–1311.

Liu WJ, Zhang YP, Li HM, Liu YH. 2005. Fog drip and its relation to groundwater in the tropical seasonal rain forest of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China: a preliminary study. Water Research, 39(5): 787–794.

Liu WJ, Zhang YP, Li HM, Meng FR, Liu YH, Wang CM. 2005. Fog and rainwater chemistry in the tropical rain forest of Xishuangbanna, SW China. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 167: 295–309.

Liu WJ, Meng FR, Zhang YP, Liu YH, Li HM. 2004. Water input from fog drip in the tropical seasonal rainforest of Xishuangbanna, SW China. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 20(5): 517–524.

Liu WJ, Liu WY, Li JT, Luo QP, Li HM. 2009. Runoff generation in small catchment under a primary rain forest and a rubber plantation in Xishuangbanna, SW China. Water and Environment Journal, 24.

Liu WJ, Liu WY, Li PJ, Duan WP, Li HM. 2009. Dry-season water uptake of two dominant canopy tree species in a tropical seasonal rainforest of Xishuangbanna, SW China. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, (submitted).

Liu WJ, Liu WY, Duan WP, Luo QP, Li HM. 2009. Dry-season water utilization by trees growing on thin karst soils in a seasonal tropical rainforest of Xishuangbanna, SW China. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, (submitted).

Liu WJ, Li HM, Zhang YP, Wang CM, Meng FR. 2009. Fog and rainwater chemistry in the seasonal tropical rainforest of Xishuangbanna, Southwest China. In: L.A. Bruijnzeel et al. (eds). Mountains in the Mist: Science for conserving and managing tropical montane cloud forest. Cambridge University Press. 42.

Li HM, Ma YX, Liu WJ, Liu WJ. 2009. Clearance and fragmentation of tropical rain forest in Xishuangbanna, SW China. Biodiversity and Conservation, 18.

Tian LW, Bi Y, Ho Suzanne C., Liu WJ, Liang S, William BG, Emily YYC, Zhou S, Sung JYJ. 2008. One-year delayed effect of fog on malaria transmission: a time-series analysis in the rain forest area of Mengla County, south-west China. Malaria Journal, 7: 110.

Dou JX, Zhang YP, Feng ZW, Liu WJ. 2005. Variations in photosynthetic photon flux density within a tropical seasonal rain forest of Xishuangbanna, Southwestern China. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 17(6): 966–969.

Shen YX, Liu WY, Baskin JM, Baskin CC, Cao M. 2006. Persistent soil seedbanks of the globally-significant invasive species Eupatorium adenophorum in Yunnan Province, southwestern China. Seed Science Research, 16(2)：157-162. (SCI)

Gao, L., Li, B., 2006. A potential native natural enemy of invasive aquatic weed—— water hyacinth. Biological Invasions, 8:1689-1692.

Liu, H.M., Gao, L.^*, 2006. Ecological implication of cultivation of on a tropical seasonal rainforest in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. Biodiversity and Conservation 15:2971-2985. (correspond author)

Gao L. Liu W.Y. Shen Y.X. Liu W.J. 2009. The Study to a Rotational System associating Cardamom plantation and forest regrowth. Journal of Tropical Forest Science.21(3):190-197.

Wang, J.X., Liu, H.M., Hu H.B. & Gao, L., 2004. Participatory approach for rapid assessment of plant diversity through a folk classification system in tropical rainforest: a case study in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. Conservation Biology. 18, 1139-1142.

Gao L. Li B. 2009. Can water hyacinth be controlled by reducing pollution of water bodies? Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management Society (Under Review)

Gao L. Li B. 2009. The clonal growth responses to sever stolons and nutrient availability in water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes (Mart) Solms-Laubach. Aquatic Botany (Under Review)

Gao L. Liu W.Y. Shen Y.X. Liu W.J. 2009. Primary discussion on general rules of biological invasions by comparing the characteristics of invasive plants in China and the USA. Biological Invasions. (Under Review)

Gao L. Liu W.Y. Shen Y.X. Liu W.J. 2009. A case of just opposite to expectation of controlling invasive species water lettuce using allelopathy. Aquatic Ecology (Under Review)