My research is broadly interested in the effect of global change on biogeochemical cycling in soils. As part of my doctorate research, I studied soil nitrogen cycles and carbon losses along a temperature gradient in Northern China, using a combination of field, lab, stable isotope and modeling approaches. In addition, I studied deep soil CO₂ flux using both chamber and gaseous diffusion models in subtropical broadleaf forest. I also worked with numerical models to understand the effects of fertilizer use on soil nitrogen losses at the regional and global scales.

Carbon and nitrogen isotopes were mainly used in my studies. I am currently working on two projects: one is using vertical profile of soil carbon isotope (13C and 14C) to understand soil carbon turnover rate and influencing factors at global scales; the other one is to understand the contribution of microbial necromass to soil organic matter using isotopic tracers (13C and 15N) under different temperature in lab and field. I also conducted some meta-analyses in my previous research.

Wang, C., Wei, H.W., Liu, D.W., Han, X.G., Bai, E. (2017) Depth profiles of soil carbon isotope along a semi-arid grassland transect in northern China. Plant Soil. DOI 10.1007/s11104-017-3233-x

Wang, C., Houlton, B.Z., Dai, W., Bai, E. (2017) Growth in the global N2 sink attributed to N fertilizer inputs over 1860 to 2000. Science of Total Environment 574: 1044-1053.

Wang, C., Liu, D.W., Luo, W.T., Fang, Y.T., Wang, X.B., Lü, X.T., Han X, Bai, E. (2016) Variations in leaf carbon isotope composition along an arid and semi-arid grassland transect in northern China. Journal of Plant Ecology 9: 576-585.

Wang, C., Wang, X.B., Liu, D.W., Wu, H.H., Lü, X.T., Fang, Y.T., Cheng, W.X., Luo, W.T., Jiang, P., Shi, J., Yin, H., Zhou, J.Z., Han, X.G., Bai, E. (2014) Aridity threshold in controlling ecosystem nitrogen cycling in arid and semi-arid grasslands. Nature Communications 5: 4799.

Liu, J., Wang, C., Peng, B., Xia, Z.W., Jiang, P., Bai, E. (2016) Effect of nitrogen addition on the variations in the natural abundance of nitrogen isotopes of plant and soil components. Plant Soil: 1-12.

Lü, M.K., Xie, J.S., Wang, C., Guo, J.F., Wang, M.H., Liu, X.F., Chen, Y.H., Chen, G.S., Yang, Y.S. (2015) Forest conversion stimulated deep soil C losses and decreased C recalcitrance through priming effect in subtropical China. Biology and Fertility Soils 51: 857-867.

Wang, X.B., Van Nostrand, J.D., Deng, Y., Lü, X.T., Wang, C., Zhou, J.Z., Han, X.G. (2015) Scale-dependent effects of climate and geographic distance on bacterial diversity patterns across northern China's grasslands. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 91: fiv133.

Luo, W.T., Dijkstra, F.A., Bai, E., Feng, J., Lü, X.T., Wang, C., Wu, H.H., Li, M.H., Han, X.G., Jiang, Y. (2016) A threshold reveals decoupled relationship of sulfur with carbon and nitrogen in soils across arid and semi-arid grasslands in northern China. Biogeochemistry 127(1): 141-153

Liu, D.W., Zhu, W.X., Wang, X.B., Pan, Y.P., Wang, C., Xi, D., Bai, E., Wang, Y.S., Han, X.G., Fang, Y.T. (2017) Abiotic versus biotic controls on soil nitrogen cycling in drylands along a 3200 km transect. Biogeosciences. 14, 989–1001

Luo, W.T., Elser, J.J., Lü, X.T., Wang, Z.W., Bai, E., Yan, C.F., Wang, C., Li, M.H., Zimmermann, N.E., Han, X.G. Xu, Z.W., Li, H., Wu, Y.N. Jiang, Y. (2015) Plant nutrients do not covary with soil nutrients under changing climatic conditions. Global Biogeochemical Cycles. 29(8): 1298-1308

Feng, J., Turner, B.L., Lü, X.T., Chen, Z.H., Wei, K., Tian, J.H., Wang, C., Luo, W.T., Chen, L.J. (2016) Phosphorus transformations along a large-scale climosequence in arid and semiarid grasslands of northern China. Global Biogeochemical Cycles. 30(9): 1264-1275

Wang, C., Huang, Q. B., Yang, Z. J., Huang, R., Chen, G.S. (2011). Analysis of vertical profiles of soil CO2 efflux in Chinese fir plantation. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 31:5711-5719. In Chinese with English Abstract.

Wang, C., Yang, Z.J, Chen, G.S. and Yang, Y.S. (2010). Research on the flux of carbon dioxide in soil vertical profile. Journal of Subtropical Resources and Environment, 5: 85-92. In Chinese with English Abstract.

Wang, C. Huang, R. Yang, Z.J., Liu, Q., Chen, G.S. Wan, X.H., (2012). Dynamic changes of soil respiration in Citrus reticulata and Castanea henryi orchards in Wanmulin Nature Reserve, Fujian Province of East China, Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 23: 1469-1475. In Chinese with English Abstract.

2016 Outstanding doctoral degree from Chinese Academy of Sciences

2015 Special Prize of President Scholarship for Postgraduate Students

2013 Chinese government Scholarship for Postgraduate Students

2012 Provincial-Level Merit Student Award, Educational Office of Fujian Province

2012 Excellent Graduate Award of Fujian Normal University, Fujian Province

2011 University Scholarship, Fujian Normal University