Location: Stations--Grassland Stations-- Inner Mongolia( Nei Menggu)
Background Information of and Research activities at the Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosystem Research Station
1. Station Name Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosystem Research Station the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMGERS)
2. Background information: Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosystem Research Station of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMGERS) is situated betweenN43o26?@-44o08?@and E116?42- 117o05?@, with altitudes ranging from 1100 to 1400 m. This region is of typical temperate continental monsoon climate. It is characterized by cold and dry winters and warm and wet summers. The average annual temperature is 2 . January is the coldest month with an average temperature of ?C22.3 , while July is the hottest with an average temperature of 18.8 . The annual precipitation is 350mm, with 80% of which occurring from June to September. Chestnut soils are the main zonal soil types. Typical steppes are commonly found there, which are dominated by Stipa grandis, S. krylowii, Artemisia and Leymus chinensis. The flora consists of about 625 species of vascular plants belonging to 74 families and 278 genera. Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosystem Research Station (IMGERS) is located in one of the most typical regions belonging to the temperate steppe zone of China. Research activities can be traced back to the 1930 s. As early as in the middle 1960 s, an investigation team (called Mongolia-Ningxia Investigation Team then) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences started to comprehensively study the floristic characteristics and the soil factors. The results from these surveys were summarized and were compiled in eight investigation volumes. Vegetation of Inner Mongolia , one of the most influential publication in the field of grassland ecology in China, is one of them. Since 1979, the IMGERS has set up a comprehensive observation site and four permanent fenced experimental plots, including Leymus chinensis experimental plot, Stipa grandis experimental plot, vegetation restoration experimental plot, and grazing experimental plot. In 2000, IMGERS set up additional five experimental and demonstrative plots to study the effects of grazing methods, and the restoration of degraded grassland, and abandoned agricultural fields on the structure and function of steppe ecosystems.
3 Research objectives:
3.1 To study the structure and function of typical steppe grassland ecosystems, as well as to explore their adaptation and response mechanisms as induced by global change;
3.2 To monitor the dynamics of key hydrological, pedological, meteorological and biological factors in the typical steppe ecosystems;
3.3 To develop practical techniques and methods for grassland ecosystem management.
4. Research Activities: IMGERS focuses on the research of typical steppe ecosystems in Inner Mongolia, China. The major research activities include:
4.1 Basic research on the pattern and processes in grassland ecosystems, biodiversity conservation, and the response of grassland ecosystems to global changes
4.2 Long-term monitoring of grassland ecosystem structure and processes, mainly including: the pattern and key regulating factors of primary productivity, temporal and the spatial population dynamics at different trophic levels, the biogeochemistry of nutrient elements and the effects of different disturbance regimes on ecological processes.
4.3 Development of practical techniques on grassland ecosystem management, restoration of degraded grassland, sustainable use of grassland resources, and conservation of biodiversity.
5. Existing databases (available from 1979)
5.1 Database for dynamics of hydrological factors in Xilin River Basin;
5.2 Database for dynamics of biological factors in Leymus chinensis community and Stipa grandis community;
5.3 Database for dynamics of pedological factors in Leymus chinensis community and Stipa grandis community;
5.4 Database on major meteorological factors in the Xilin River Basin;
6 Staff
Name Professional post E-mail Tel Fax Chen Zuozhong Professor chenzz@ns.ibcas.ac.cn 010-62599058 010-62599058 Han Xingguo Professor xghan@ns.ibcas.ac.cn 010-62591431-6224 010-82595771 Li Linghao Professor 010-62591431-6282 010-82595771 Li Zhenqing Professor lizhqw@ns.ibcas.ac.cn 010-62591431-6272 Wang Shiping Professor wangship@ns.ibcas.ac.cn 010-62591431-6266 Bai Yongfei Associate Professor yfbai@ns.ibcas.ac.cn 010-62591431-6283 010-82595771 Wang Renzhong Associate Professor chenzz@ns.ibcas.ac.cn 010-62591431-6511 Pan Qingmin Associate Professor pqm@ns.ibcas.ac.cn 010-62591431-6283 010-82595771 Lin Weihong Associate Professor weihonhl@ns.ibcas.ac.cn 010-62591431-6266 Bai Wenming Associate Professor bwming@ns.ibcas.ac.cn 010-62591431-6282 Xiong Xiaogang Assistant Professor xxg@ns.ibcas.ac.cn 010-62591431-6283 010-82595771 Qing Xiuling Post doctor qingxl@ns.ibcas.ac.cn 010-62591431-6547 010-82595771 Zhao Shuqi Engineer chenzz@ns.ibcas.ac.cn 010-62591431-6274 Han Jianmei Technician 0479-8885502 0479-8885523 Zhang Yumei Technician 0479-8885502 0479-8885523