1. Research Goals
In view of the urgent demand for ecological and environmental researches for the social and economic sustainable developments in the Bohai Rim region of northern China, the laboratory is dedicated to developing new theories of ecological and environmental evolution and technical methods of protection within the coastal region. With the aid of surface earth system sciences and through interdisciplinary studies, the primary goals are to (1) identify the impacts of human activities, climate change, and environmental change on the ecological environment, (2) develop theories and techniques for environmental protection to meet the need of repairing and restoring environmental function and services in the Bohai Rim region, and (3) provide scientific advise for resource development and major engineering construction in the northern coastal areas of China to satisfy the requirement of social and economic sustainable development.
2. Research Directions
The main research directions include:
(1) Biogeochemical cycle of aerosol and its impact on ecological environments
To provide scientific support for the prevention and control of regional air pollution, it aims to study physical, chemical and biological characteristics and biogeochemical cycling processes of atmospheric aerosols and wet deposition in the Bohai Rim region, using multi-disciplinary, cutting-edge technologies. Specific research contents include:
· Chemical composition and climatic effects of aerosols from land and ocean sources
· Influences of air microorganism from land and ocean sources on atmospheric processes
· Effects of aerosol emission and deposition on the biota at the land-ocean-atmosphere interface
· Hydro-chemical and microbiological characteristics of rain, snow, and cloud around the Bohai Sea, and feedback mechanisms of the aerosol-cloud-precipitation-climate system
· Geochemical characteristics of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur cycles, and trace metals (such as iron and mercury) at the air-sea interface
(2) Process and mechanism of the evolution of ecohydrological systems
Through extensive environmental monitoring networks (e.g., meteorology, surface water, groundwater, soil water, and vegetation), it aims to study the composition and interrelationship of water sources in the transitional zone between sea and terrestrial systems, to reveal ecosystem responses to the changes in hydrological and meteorological conditions, and to develop ecohydrological models to predict the ecosystem evolution under the influences of global changes. The main research contents include:
· Hydrodynamic process-based numerical models of land-water transitional zone
· Response mechanism of wetland vegetation ecology to water, salt, and other environmental factors
· Water consumption and maintenance mechanism of coastal ecosystems
· Driving mechanism and prediction of ecohydrological system evolutions in the land-sea transitional zone
(3) Geochemical cycle in the sea-land transitional zone around the Bohai Sea
Based on the principle and method of biogeochemistry along with those of hydrology, microbiology, and soil science, it aims to study the source, distribution, transport, and transformation of geochemical elements in wetland ecosystems, and their impacts on the functioning of wetland ecosystems. Specific research contents include:
· Eco-geochemical cycling processes and effects of biogenic elements in wetland
· Response of coastal wetland systems to C and N cycles due to environmental change
· Geochemical processes of typical pollutants in coastal wetland systems
· Source analysis and self-purification processes of pollutants in coastal wetlands
· Transformation mechanism of trace toxic pollutants in wetland environments
· Impact of land-based material export on coastal environments
(4) sustainable utilization of water and soil resources and the improvement of ecological functions in the Bohai Rim region
To meet the needs of social and economic development in the Bohai Rim region, it aims to provide scientific and technical support for repairing and restoring the ecological environment in the region through multi-disciplinary research. Specific research contents include:
· Prevention technology of typical pollutants in coastal wetland systems
· Ecological function zoning and ecological water demand assessment in the Bohai Rim region
· Water and salt regulation technology, and water resources allocation strategy in the Bohai Rim region
· Assessment of the supporting capacity of soil and water resources for social and economic development in the Bohai Rim region
· Green development strategy of coastal zones in the Bohai Rim region
