The international symposium titled “Regional and Global Network of Grassland Ecosystem Research: Issues and Perspectives” was successfully held at the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on 12–14August 2009 in Beijing, China. It was organized and hosted by the Institute of Botany, CAS under the auspices of the Bureau of International Cooperation, CAS, Beijing Institutes of Life Science, CAS, National Natural Sciences Foundation of China and Bureau of Science and Technology for Resources and Environment, CAS. More than 170 participants coming from six countries including 30 institutions and universities attended the meeting.
Professor Xingguo Han, as the chairman of the organizing committee, hosted the conference, and Mr. Zhaoxijia gave warm welcoming remark at the opening ceremony on behalf of the Institute of Botany, CAS. Over 20 distinguished national and international scientists engaged in grassland ecosystem research were invited to give presentations at this meeting. International presenters included professors Alan Knapp (University of Wyoming, USA), John Blair (Kansas State University, USA), Osvaldo Sala (Brown University, USA), David Briske (Texas A&M University, USA), Walter Willims (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada/Agriculture et Agroalimentaire, Canada), Jingle Wu (Arizona State University, USA), James Elser (Arizona State University, USA), Shahid Naeem (Columbia University, USA), Frank Keppler (Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany), Klaus Butterbach-Bahl (IMK-IFU, Germany) and Yonghong Li (AgResearch Centre, New Zealand ). Chinese presenters included professors Xingguo Han, Yongfei Bai and Shiqiang Wan (the Institute of Botany, CAS), Le Kang and Shuguang Hao (Institute of Zoology, CAS), Guirui Yu and Shenggong Li (Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS), Xinquan Zhao (Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology), Yanfen Wang (Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences), Yubao Gao (Nankai University) and Guodong Han (Inner Mongolia Agricultural University).
This meeting also covered a broad range of topics involving Grassland Ecosystem Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning, Adaptation and Response of Grassland Ecosystems to Global Change, Rational Utilization and Sustainable Development of Grassland Resources and Regional and Global Network: Grassland Ecosystem Research. The invited scientists were divided into different groups to study and discuss important aspects and current research needs of these topics.
Furthermore, the conference included competitions for Best Master Student and Best Doctoral Student presentations to encourage young scientists to introduce and communicate their research to and interact with top scientists. Finally, Professor Xingguo Han hosted the meeting’s concluding ceremony and presented awards for the best student presentations.
The international symposium titled “Regional and Global Network of Grassland Ecosystem Research: Issues and Perspectives” was successfully held at the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on 12–14August 2009 in Beijing, China. It was organized and hosted by the Institute of Botany, CAS under the auspices of the Bureau of International Cooperation, CAS, Beijing Institutes of Life Science, CAS, National Natural Sciences Foundation of China and Bureau of Science and Technology for Resources and Environment, CAS. More than 170 participants coming from six countries including 30 institutions and universities attended the meeting.
Professor Xingguo Han, as the chairman of the organizing committee, hosted the conference, and Mr. Zhaoxijia gave warm welcoming remark at the opening ceremony on behalf of the Institute of Botany, CAS. Over 20 distinguished national and international scientists engaged in grassland ecosystem research were invited to give presentations at this meeting. International presenters included professors Alan Knapp (University of Wyoming, USA), John Blair (Kansas State University, USA), Osvaldo Sala (Brown University, USA), David Briske (Texas A&M University, USA), Walter Willims (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada/Agriculture et Agroalimentaire, Canada), Jingle Wu (Arizona State University, USA), James Elser (Arizona State University, USA), Shahid Naeem (Columbia University, USA), Frank Keppler (Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany), Klaus Butterbach-Bahl (IMK-IFU, Germany) and Yonghong Li (AgResearch Centre, New Zealand ). Chinese presenters included professors Xingguo Han, Yongfei Bai and Shiqiang Wan (the Institute of Botany, CAS), Le Kang and Shuguang Hao (Institute of Zoology, CAS), Guirui Yu and Shenggong Li (Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS), Xinquan Zhao (Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology), Yanfen Wang (Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences), Yubao Gao (Nankai University) and Guodong Han (Inner Mongolia Agricultural University).
This meeting also covered a broad range of topics involving Grassland Ecosystem Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning, Adaptation and Response of Grassland Ecosystems to Global Change, Rational Utilization and Sustainable Development of Grassland Resources and Regional and Global Network: Grassland Ecosystem Research. The invited scientists were divided into different groups to study and discuss important aspects and current research needs of these topics.
Furthermore, the conference included competitions for Best Master Student and Best Doctoral Student presentations to encourage young scientists to introduce and communicate their research to and interact with top scientists. Finally, Professor Xingguo Han hosted the meeting’s concluding ceremony and presented awards for the best student presentations.