GENERAL INTEREST
I am interested in evolutionary ecology of plant reproduction and its implications for conservation and sustainable use. I focus on questions addressing the role of evolutionary history, anthropogenic disturbance and global change in shaping plant-pollinator interactions and breeding system evolution in endemic, endangered and economically important plant species (3E species) in southwestern China.
SPECIFIC INTERESTS
The family Orchidaceae, representing one of the largest groups in angiosperms, is distinguished by high floral diversity and intricate adaptations to pollinators. Darwin described and identified most of the functional floral morphology and biomechanics in orchid pollination. However, he never recognized that many of the flowers that he examined lacked food rewards for pollinators. Floral evolution in the Orchidaceae appears to be dominated by modes of pollination by deceit. Deceptive orchids depend largely on insect pollinators for reproduction, as a result, most of them are suffered high risk of local extinction under anthropogenic disturbance and global change. Therefore, pollination biology studies are needed to provide scientific basis for proper conservation of endangered orchids.
The mega-biodiversity hotspot of the mountains of Southwestern China harbors high diversity orchid flora, it is here been suggested to be the center of diversity for genera Cypripedium, Calanthe, Hebenaria, Spiranthes and other several subtropical and warm temperate orchid genera. However, in this region, interaction between orchids and their pollinators, and the questions related to the causes and consequences of deceptive pollination are not fully explored. My research interests are focus on pollination, breeding systems and conservation of rare and threatened orchids in Southwestern Mountains of China. My study combines field observation and lab experiment approaches, which include: Floral phenology, floral life span and the length of fruit mature; Hand-pollination in the field to test the breeding system; Inbreeding depression analysis by embryo viability test; Quantitative analyses of vector foraging dynamics; General and micro functional morphology measurements; Pollen-pistil interaction; Mimic/model relationships; Floral scent collection and analysis; Natural fruit set dynamic; Conservation of rare and endangered orchids. Studied taxa include Cypripedium, Calanthe, Epipactis and Doritis.
ONGOING PROJECTS
1. Pollination and breeding systems of rare and threatened lady’s slipper orchids in the Southwestern Mountains in China, mainly focus on the fly-pollinated group in Cypripedium Sect. Trigonopedia. (in association with Prof. Peter Bernhardt and Dr. Meier, St. Louis University, USA; funded by Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan Province and National Natural Science Foundation of China)
2. Conservation biology studies of rare and threatened orchids in Yunnan, especially focus on the alpine Cypripedium and Calanthe. (Funded by Chinese Academy of Sciences)
3. Pollination and breeding systems of selected native orchids from China. (in association with Dr. Xiao-Hua Jin, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)
4. Pollination ecology and self incompatibility of Hypoxis (Hypoxidaceae) from North American and China, with emphasis on evolution of orchids. (in association with Dr. Bernhardt)
5. Hunting wasp pollination syndrome in flora of Sino-Himalayan region. (in association with Dr. Feng-Ping Zhang, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)
FUNDING
Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan Province (No. 2011FB101), “Pollination ecology of Cypripedium fargesii and its relatives, C. lichangense and C. margaritaceum” Dec. 2011 to Dec. 2014 - RMB 50,000.
Postdoc Fellowship at St. Louis University, Funded by Chinese Academy of Sciences. Jan 2013-Jan 2014.
Western Light Project, Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. Y3217111W1), “Conservation biology of Cypripedium fargesii and its relatives, C. lichangense and C. margaritaceum” Jan. 2013 to Jan. 2016. RMB 100,000.
National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31300199), “The Evolution of Myophily in Cypripedium Section Trigonopedia”, Jan 2014 to Jan. 2017. RMB 230 000.
Member of Youth Innovation Promotion Association, Chinese Academy of Sciences, "Evolution and ecology of web-dependent pollination interactions: Using deceptive orchids as model systems", Jan 2014 - Dec 2017. RMB 500 000.
I am interested in evolutionary ecology of plant reproduction and its implications for conservation and sustainable use. I focus on questions addressing the role of evolutionary history, anthropogenic disturbance and global change in shaping plant-pollinator interactions and breeding system evolution in endemic, endangered and economically important plant species (3E species) in southwestern China.
SPECIFIC INTERESTS
The family Orchidaceae, representing one of the largest groups in angiosperms, is distinguished by high floral diversity and intricate adaptations to pollinators. Darwin described and identified most of the functional floral morphology and biomechanics in orchid pollination. However, he never recognized that many of the flowers that he examined lacked food rewards for pollinators. Floral evolution in the Orchidaceae appears to be dominated by modes of pollination by deceit. Deceptive orchids depend largely on insect pollinators for reproduction, as a result, most of them are suffered high risk of local extinction under anthropogenic disturbance and global change. Therefore, pollination biology studies are needed to provide scientific basis for proper conservation of endangered orchids.
The mega-biodiversity hotspot of the mountains of Southwestern China harbors high diversity orchid flora, it is here been suggested to be the center of diversity for genera Cypripedium, Calanthe, Hebenaria, Spiranthes and other several subtropical and warm temperate orchid genera. However, in this region, interaction between orchids and their pollinators, and the questions related to the causes and consequences of deceptive pollination are not fully explored. My research interests are focus on pollination, breeding systems and conservation of rare and threatened orchids in Southwestern Mountains of China. My study combines field observation and lab experiment approaches, which include: Floral phenology, floral life span and the length of fruit mature; Hand-pollination in the field to test the breeding system; Inbreeding depression analysis by embryo viability test; Quantitative analyses of vector foraging dynamics; General and micro functional morphology measurements; Pollen-pistil interaction; Mimic/model relationships; Floral scent collection and analysis; Natural fruit set dynamic; Conservation of rare and endangered orchids. Studied taxa include Cypripedium, Calanthe, Epipactis and Doritis.
ONGOING PROJECTS
1. Pollination and breeding systems of rare and threatened lady’s slipper orchids in the Southwestern Mountains in China, mainly focus on the fly-pollinated group in Cypripedium Sect. Trigonopedia. (in association with Prof. Peter Bernhardt and Dr. Meier, St. Louis University, USA; funded by Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan Province and National Natural Science Foundation of China)
2. Conservation biology studies of rare and threatened orchids in Yunnan, especially focus on the alpine Cypripedium and Calanthe. (Funded by Chinese Academy of Sciences)
3. Pollination and breeding systems of selected native orchids from China. (in association with Dr. Xiao-Hua Jin, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)
4. Pollination ecology and self incompatibility of Hypoxis (Hypoxidaceae) from North American and China, with emphasis on evolution of orchids. (in association with Dr. Bernhardt)
5. Hunting wasp pollination syndrome in flora of Sino-Himalayan region. (in association with Dr. Feng-Ping Zhang, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)
FUNDING
Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan Province (No. 2011FB101), “Pollination ecology of Cypripedium fargesii and its relatives, C. lichangense and C. margaritaceum” Dec. 2011 to Dec. 2014 - RMB 50,000.
Postdoc Fellowship at St. Louis University, Funded by Chinese Academy of Sciences. Jan 2013-Jan 2014.
Western Light Project, Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. Y3217111W1), “Conservation biology of Cypripedium fargesii and its relatives, C. lichangense and C. margaritaceum” Jan. 2013 to Jan. 2016. RMB 100,000.
National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31300199), “The Evolution of Myophily in Cypripedium Section Trigonopedia”, Jan 2014 to Jan. 2017. RMB 230 000.
Member of Youth Innovation Promotion Association, Chinese Academy of Sciences, "Evolution and ecology of web-dependent pollination interactions: Using deceptive orchids as model systems", Jan 2014 - Dec 2017. RMB 500 000.
