On the morning of July 15, the academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and former director of the National Meteorological Administration (NMA), QIN Dahe, leading the team members of program “Hulunbeier National Ecological Protection Comprehensive Experimental Zone Construction / Implementation Plan”, paid a visit and investigation to the Erguna forest-steppe ecotone research station (Erguna station) of the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). QIN’s visit was accompanied by XU Xiaofeng, deputy director of the NMA, and WANG Jinbao, deputy director of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Development and Reform Commission.

In the morning, the honorary head of the Erguna Station, Prof. HAN Xingguo of the Institute of Botany of CAS, and the present head of the station, Prof. WANG Zhengwen of the IAE, accompanied the visitors to field plots of the station and introduced the scientific significance, experimental design and preliminary results of relevant experiments. The hosts and visitors exchanged views and ideas on regional climate characteristics, scientific observation facilities, and ecosystem responses to climate change.

Then at the Lecture Hall of the station the visitors listened to HAN’s report on the establishment background, scientific significance, main functions, development goals, research directions and work progress of the Erguna Station, and communicated with staff of the station. Academician QIN fully affirmed the achievements of Erguna Station. He suggested that in addition to monitoring and studying plant and soil, Erguna Station should pay attention to strengthening hydrology and atmospheric monitoring, such as groundwater level and atmospheric dry / wet deposition. He also suggested the researchers at the station combine their scientific goals more closely with local and national needs, and do their best to serve the sustainable development of the local economy. XU said that he was deeply impressed by researchers’ spirit of dedication, and that the NMA would install a standard meteorological observation system at Erguna Station to support its long-term meteorological monitoring. Experts from the visiting team put forward a series of good suggestions for the long-term development of Erguna Station. The symposium was presided over by WANG Zhengwen.