The book, titled “Ecology of Protective Forests”, is authored by ZHU Jiajun, a researcher at the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). It passed the evaluation of the 2022 textbook project of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) and was selected as part of its graduate textbook series.

The book is a continuation of the legacy of three generations of shelterbelt researchers at the institute, dating back to the 1960s. It builds on the previous works of CAO Xinsun, who edited “Agricultural Shelterbelt Science” in 1983, and JIANG Fengqi and others, who wrote “Shelterbelt Management Science” in 2003.

The book is a systematic summary of ZHU Jiajun’s years of research on shelterbelts, which are rows of trees or shrubs planted to protect crops, soil and water from wind erosion and other environmental factors. The book clarifies the basic concepts and scope of shelterbelt ecology and covers topics such as the design and classification of shelterbelt ecosystems, their management and maintenance, and their ecological service functions and evaluation methods.

The book is not only an innovation of basic theory and method in shelterbelt engineering construction, but also a cross-disciplinary integration of shelterbelt science and ecology. It also reflects the comprehensive thinking and refinement of shelterbelt engineering construction in the new era.

The book is one of a series of books on “Ecological Perspective” published by the Chinese Ecological Society. It is listed as a general textbook for graduate students by UCAS and can be used as a reference for researchers, teachers, engineers and technicians engaged in ecology (forest ecology), forestry (shelterbelt science), geography (physical geography), ecological construction and ecological restoration. It is also suitable for undergraduate students and graduate students in colleges, universities and research institutes.