Poyang Lake Biodiversity and Wetland Conservation
•Biodiversity patterns
To study the biodiversity patterns and evolution in Poyang Lake Basin at multiple spatial and temporal scales.
•Biodiversity evolving mechanisms
To study the evolving mechanisms of biodiversity in Poyang Lake Basin under anthropogenic activities and climate change.
•Wetland conservation and restoration
To propose conservation and restoration strategies of wetlands and protection measures of important species in the Poyang Lake Basin.
Academic Leader
Prof. Xiaoping Wu
Team Members
Xiaoping Wu, Gang Ge, Lan Wu, Shan Ouyang, Luzhang Ruan, Bicai Guan, Jun Rong, Xiaoguo Xiang, Ruichang Shen, Lei Li, Chunhua Zhou, Liang He, Zhixia Ying, Enxiang Li, Xiaochen Huang, Jian Zhang, Yizhen Liu, Huan Zhang, Yao Zhao, Qiaoli Xu, Li Leng
Xiaoping Wu, Ph.D., Professor
He graduated from Jiangxi University with a bachelor's degree in biology in 1983 and obtained his master's degree in zoology from Jiangxi University in 1986. He earned his Ph.D. from the Institute of Hydrobiology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1998. Since 1986, he has served as a lecturer, associate professor (since 1994), professor (since 2000), and doctoral supervisor (since 2006) at both Jiangxi University and Nanchang University. From August 2001 to July 2002, he was a visiting scholar at the University of California, Riverside. Professor Wu has dedicated much of his career to researching aquatic animal protection and utilization within the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River—particularly focusing on mollusks and fish species. His expertise lies especially within freshwater mollusk research. He has successfully led five projects funded by various organizations including: The National Natural Science Foundation of China; a key research development project under China's Ministry of Science and Technology (2018-2022); training programs for academic leaders within key disciplines sponsored by Jiangxi Province; among others.
Lan Wu, Ph.D., Professor
She is the leader of the microbiology department in School of Life Sciences, and a member of Jiangxi Province Talents Project and Key Teachers in Jiangxi Province. She is a member of the Microbial Teaching Working Committee of the Chinese Society for Microbiology, and director of the Jiangxi Society for Microbiology. Prof. Wu mainly focuses on the microbial ecology of lake wetlands, studying on the response of microorganisms to global changes in the Poyang Lake wetlands. She managed 6 research projects, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the key research and development sub-projects of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and also completed more than 10 provincial and ministerial level projects. She published over 50 papers in academic journals and authorized 7 patents.
The Environmental Microbial Resources and Applications team led by Prof Wu currently has 5 full-time teachers, including 2 professors, 2 associate professors, and 1 lecturer. There are currently 18 master's and doctoral students. The team has been engaged in long-term research on the development and application of environmental microbial resources. The main research directions include: 1) the geochemical cycle in which lake wetland microorganisms participate and their response to global change; 2) The development and application of resource microorganisms, including plant growth promoting bacteria, pollutant degrading bacteria, novel plant viruses, insect endophytic bacteria, etc. In recent years, the team has undertaken nearly 20 national-level scientific research projects, published over 60 scientific papers, and obtained more than 10 authorized patents.
Shan Ouyang, Ph.D., Professor
Her primary research focuses on the diversity of fish and mollusks. She has led two projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, including "Research on Fish Diversity in the Luoxiao Mountain Area" under the National Basic Research Program of China, and "Special Database for the Identification and Description of Freshwater Snails in China" as part of the National Specimen Platform. Additionally, she has edited several works, including the "Illustrated Guide to Vertebrates in the Luoxiao Mountain Area." In recent years, she has conducted investigations and monitoring of aquatic biological resources in key water bodies across Jiangxi Province, providing essential data support for the "Bulletin on Aquatic Biological Resources and Their Habitats in Key Waters of Jiangxi Province."
Jun Rong, Ph.D., Professor
Vice Director of Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Province “Gan-Po Talent 555 Project” Innovative Talent, Committee member of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany Committee, Botanical Society of China, and Editorial Board member of Bulletin of Botanical Research
Mainly engaged in Molecular Ecology researches, focusing on conservation and sustainable utilization of genetic diversity in crop wild relatives for more than 20 years. Published 61 academic articles (47 in SCI journal) cited more than 1800 times (Google Scholar). Published Chinese translation of text book Molecular Ecology (Second Edition) by Freeland et al. (2011). Served as reviewers for more than thirty SCI journals such as New Phytologist, Journal of Ecology and so on.
Research Interests
Conservation and sustainable utilization of plant genetic resources
Use cultivated plants and wild relatives essential for Yangtze River Basin sustainable development as major research objectives, and apply the principles & methods of Molecular Ecology to: 1) study genetic diversity patterns and forming mechanisms; 2) explore impacts of human activities on genetic diversity and conservation strategies; and 3) mine & utilize genetic diversity resources associated with important agronomic traits.
Email: rong_jun@hotmail.com, rongjun@ncu.edu.cn
Bicai Guan, Ph.D., Professor
He is principally committed to landscape genomics research. Global change poses a significant threat to biodiversity, leading to severe ecological consequences. By integrating genetic data with GIS data and applying innovative approaches, we aim to quantify the impacts of global change on gene flow and population demographics. Moreover, we strive to predict the dynamics of genetic clusters in response to global changes. Some of our recent research projects have centered on the effects of urbanization on gene flow and genetic divergence among urban plant populations. Additionally, our laboratory has conducted in - depth research on the evolutionary hotspots in the wetlands of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the Poyang Lake Basin.
Luzhang Ruan, Ph.D., Professor
Dr. Luzhang Ruan is a professor at the School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, and graduated from Lanzhou University in 2004 with a PhD degree in Zoology.
I have been engaged in bird ecology research for a long time, taking urban and wetland birds as the research objects, studying the impact of urbanization on the life history responses of birds and their adaptive evolution, and also conducting research on field monitoring and biodiversity conservation related to the diversity of mountain birds and animals.
I have published more than 40 scientific papers related to ornithology as corresponding or first author in journals including Ibis, Journal of Avian Biology, Avian Research, Science of the Total Environment, Ecology and Evolution. I focus on urban bird ecology, bird population genetics and community ecology.
Xiao-Guo Xiang, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Direction: Molecular phylogenetics, Biogeography, Plant Diversification
Research Interests: (1) Phylogeny and evolution of Orchidaceae and Gesneriaceae; (2) Global distribution patterns of epiphytic angiosperms; (3) Conservation biology of Asian evergreen broad-leaved forests.
E-mail: xiangxg2010@163.com, xiangxg2018@ncu.edu.cn
Ruichang Shen, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Professional Experiences
2023-present, Associate Professor, Center for watershed ecology, School of life Sciences, Nanchang University
2023-2024, Visiting Scholar, Soil microbial ecology group (Professor Johannes Rousk), Lund University, Sweden
2021-2023, Associate Professor, Center for watershed ecology, Institute of life science, Nanchang University
2016-2019, Post doctor, Ecology, Fudan University
2015-2021, Lecturer, Center for watershed ecology, Institute of life science, Nanchang University
Research Interests
My interest is wetland ecosystem ecology and biogeochemistry under global change. Recently, my research mainly concentrates on the effects of seasonal flooding on soil carbon cycling in the Poyang Lake, a typical floodplain lake in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River.
Email: shenruichang@ncu.edu.cn
Lei Li, Ph.D., Associate professor
Guest Scientist at University of Copenhagen, Postdoctoral Fellow at Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (Berlin) and Fudan University (Shanghai), Ganjiang young scholar of "215 talent project" of Nanchang University
He has been engaged in aquatic plant ecology and lake ecology for more than ten years, paying special attention to aquatic plant adaptability and community dynamic response mechanism under changing environment, interactions between aquatic plants and other biological components (periphyton, crayfish, snails and fish), and aquatic vegetation restoration and management.
Chunhua Zhou, Ph.D., Associate professor
Ganjiang young scholar, Executive director and Deputy Secretary General of Jiangxi Fisheries Society
Her research interests include biodiversity, population genetics, and environmental DNA. She has presided over more than 10 national and provincial projects, published more than 30 papers, and authorized 5 invention patents. She won one Science and Technology Progress Award and one Natural Science Award of Jiangxi Province. She has guided undergraduates to win 3 third prizes in the National College Students' Life Science Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. She has edited 1 textbook.
Liang He, Ph.D., Associate professor
Professional Experience:
Dec 2021 – Present: Associate Professor, School of Resources and Environment, Nanchang University / Key Laboratory of Environmental and Resource Utilization of Poyang Lake, Ministry of Education
Sep 2015 – Dec 2021: Assistant Professor, School of Resources and Environment, Nanchang University / Key Laboratory of Environmental and Resource Utilization of Poyang Lake, Ministry of Education
International Research Experience:
Dec 2016 – Nov 2017: Postdoctoral Researcher, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (Germany)
May 2014 – Mar 2015: Joint PhD Program, Lund University (Sweden), Aquatic Ecology
Research Interests:
Aquatic Plant Ecology: Focuses on the adaptation of aquatic plants to environmental factors, spatial distribution patterns and driving forces of aquatic plants (including species, communities, and vegetation), as well as the temporal dynamics and underlying mechanisms driving aquatic vegetation changes.
Aquatic Ecosystem Protection, Restoration, and Management: Involves ecosystem monitoring and assessment, analysis of ecological processes and their drivers, restoration of degraded ecosystems, and sustainable management strategies aimed at improving the health and biodiversity of aquatic environments.
Zhi-Xia Ying, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Her research develops new theory and conducts theory-driven empirical analysis to understand biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and stability in a changing world.
Published papers
Ying ZX, Liu YJ, Shi C, et al. Simulating root distribution of plant individual with a three-dimensional model. Ecological Modelling, 2021, 455: 109649.
Ying ZX, Ge G, Liu YJ. The effects of clonal integration on the responses of plant species to habitat loss and habitat fragmentation. Ecological Modelling, 2018, 384:290-295.
Ying ZX, Liao JB, Liu YJ, et al. Modelling tree-grass coexistence in water-limited ecosystems. Ecological Modelling, 2017, 360:387-398.
Ying ZX, Liao JB, Wang SC, et al. Species coexistence in a lattice-structured habitat: Effects of species dispersal and interactions. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 2014, 359: 184-191.
Enxiang Li, Ph.D., Associate professor
His research focuses on Plant Systematic and Evolution, Genetic Diversity and seed plant classification. He presided over two projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) , and participated in several other research projects. He often carried out investigations of plant resources, including Chinese medicine resources in Poyang Lake basin. So he is very familiar with the vegetation and plant species there.
Xiao-Chen Huang, Ph.D., Associate Professor
I obtained my Ph.D. from Heidelberg University, Germany, in 2018. My work focuses on leveraging genomic approaches to investigate the ecology, evolution, and conservation of freshwater molluscs.
My research has advanced the field by identifying and describing new taxa within freshwater mussels, resolving long-standing higher-order taxonomic disputes, and elucidating key mechanisms driving speciation. These contributions enhance our understanding of the underlying principles of biodiversity and offer critical support for the development of effective species conservation and management policies.
My work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and my findings have been published in leading peer-reviewed journals, including Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Zoologica Scripta, and Invertebrate Systematics. Through my research, I aim to bridge the gap between genomic discoveries and practical conservation efforts, ensuring the preservation of freshwater ecosystems and their unique biodiversity.
Jian Zhang, Ph.D., Associate Professor
He obtained a doctorate in ecology from Zhejiang University and serves as an associate researcher and Master tutor at the Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, Nanchang University. He is mainly engaged in the research of agroecology and molecular ecology, and is committed to exploring the mutualistic mechanism among agricultural organisms, as well as the conservation and utilization of genetic resources of agricultural species. He has published 16 academic papers, including 9 SCI papers, and 3 national invention patents. He has led 6 scientific research projects at provincial and ministerial levels.
Yao Zhao, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Mainly engaged in researches related to plant evolutionary ecology, focusing on conservation and sustainable utilization of plant genetic resources. Published 31 academic articles (27 in SCI journal).
Research Interest
Conservation and sustainable utilization of plant genetic resources
The crops originated in the Yangtze River Basin and their wild relatives are the major research objects. During the Ph.D. period, molecular ecology was used to reveal the genetic dynamics and natural evolution process of wild relatives of crops. The research topic was the genetic structure and local adaptation of wild rice populations. At present, I am mainly engaged in the research of co-evolution between plants and microorganisms: taking Zizania latifolia as the model species, exploring the genetic mechanism of plant-fungus complex evolution, and addressing the potential utilization of Z. latifolia in de-novo domestication.
Email: yaozhao@ncu.edu.cn
Huan Zhang, Ph. D., senior lecturer
I conduct research on freshwater food web and fish communities via filed study and mesocosm experiments. Particularly, my current research projects concern how global climate change and other environmental factors affect lake ecosystem productivity and food web structure.
