Location: Stations--Agricultural Stations--Luan Cheng
Introduction to Luancheng Agro-Ecosystem Experimental Station of Chinese Academy of Sciences
1. Background LAEES was founded in December 1981 and renamed in July 1987 from Luancheng Agriculture Experimental Station. Now it is subordinate to both the Institute of Agriculture Modernization and the Institute of Geography of Chinese Academy of Sciences. In January 1993, under the ratification of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (Datun) Agro-Ecosystems Experimental Station (founded in December 1981) and Luancheng Experimental Station of Ecological Agriculture of the Institute of Agriculture Modernization (renamed in July 1987 from Luancheng Agriculture Experimental Station which was founded in June 1981) were incorporated into LAEES. It was founded in June 1981 and joined the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network(CERN) in 1989. LAEES covers a total area of 27.8 hectare(hm2)(417 mu).
2. Geographical Location and Social Environment
(1) Geographical location This station is located in Niejiazhuang Township, Luancheng County, Hebei Province. It is geographically situated at 37o532N,114o412E with an elevation 50.1m and is 28 km far away from Shijiazhuang City. (
2) Vegetation Zonal vegetation is warm, temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest, and now broad-leaved trees ,such as poplar, willow, elm, and pagoda tree are widely distributed in this area. Carefully-cultivated crops here include wheat, maize, cotton ,fruit trees, and vegetable.
(3) Soil According to soil classification, soil in-site is typical cinnamon soil with thin humus layer and middle or thick solum. The soil is developed on loess-like sediment, so it is called Grey-yellow soil or thick Grey-yellow soil.
(4) Climate Located in the east monsoon region, the station has a semi-humid and warm temperate climate. Annual mean temperate., monthly mean temperature of July and January are 12.2 , 26.4C,and 3.9 , respectively, mean annual precipitation is 536.8mm, annual total sunshine length reaches 2522 hours, accumulated temperature of equal to or more than 10 is 4713 , and the frost free period is about 200days.
(5) Economy Luancheng county is a typical agricultural high-yield region, its traditional agriculture is long and developed, and agriculture market base of Hebei Province. Arable soil area amounts to 470,000mu in this county, and it has a population of 340,000 with an average income of2950 yuan in 1999.
3. Research
(1) Research focus The station is committed to the long term and on-site experiments, observations, and researches on ecological and environmental factors and ecological processes. It now focuses its effort on the following areas: the study of the dynamics of structure and function of agro-ecosystems under human activity and its drive force, the application of appropriate technologies for sustainable agro-ecosystem management , the establishment of a high yield, quality, cost-effectiveness and optimized model, and the development of best approaches for regional economic sustainable development.
(2) key research area ? The theories and technical system of saving water agriculture. ? Ecosystem management and agricultural cultivation. ? Crop genetics and breeding and rapid breeding technique
(3) Research achievement Main research achievements have 10 projects. 12 monographs such as Data Pickling-up System on Agricultural ecosystem, Experimental Research on Ecological Agriculture have been published. 6 rewards were gained.
(4) Research on going There are 32 on-going projects in the station, including an international cooperation project, 10 projects funded by national natural science foundations, 14 national projects and 14 key projects of Chinese academy of sciences and 6 other projects.
3. Research Strength
(1) Academic committee The academic committee of the station focuses its effort on7 areas, including water-energy transfer in SPAC system, nutrients cycling in agro-ecosystem, crop physiology and growth simulation, crop applied remote sensing, field variable information sampling and analysis, water-saving systems and agricultural economy. It is composed of 19 distinguished scientists from home and abroad.
(2) Full-time Researchers It has a a staff of 30 full-time people engaging in research in the station, comprising 20 people with senior technical positions , 18 with intermediate technical positions, and 4 with junior technical positions. There are also 7 staff with master or bachelor degrees in this station.
4. Facilities The station covers an area of 27.8 hectares, with 20 hectares field land for observation and experiments. There is a complete set of agricultural machinery. The field is divided into different parts, such as crops, vegetable, fruit trees, poultry and livestock. In the experimental field were set up a variety of observation systems, covering the meteorology, water budget, soil nutrients cycle, soil water, tower for remote sensing, large soil cylinder for measuring a soil physical properties, etc.. The field is also provided with various advanced instruments and data-takers. The main instruments are as follows: l Solar-meters for measurement l Instruments for micrometeorological observations in and above plant canopy. l An automatic weather station and instruments for standard meteorological observation on a weather station l A set of carbon dioxide infrared gas analyzer. l Instruments for soil water content and soil physical propertied measurement. l Instruments for plant eco-physical features measurement. l Two kinds of equipment for obtaining soil solution directly. l Bowen ratio and eddy correlation There is a experimental building with 1000m2, which provide better accommodation for researchers and experimental facilities for internal analysis .
5. Organizational framework Head of the station, Professor Liu Changming, and other 4 vice heads are responsible for different affairs in the station respectively. There are 3 divisions of research, accounting, and management. 12 workers are hired.
6. Academic exchange and cooperation We have established long-term and broad academic exchange relationship with domestic and overseas universities and research units. At present, there are 3 international cooperation projects with Australia and Japan.