The Research Station of Changbai Mountain Forest Ecosystem (here after referred to as CBS), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is located at the northern slope of Changbai Mountain National Nature Reserve (128.10° E, 42.40° N). It was established in 1979 and joined Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) in the same year. It was promoted as an "Opened Research Station" by CAS in 1989, selected as a key research station by Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) in 1992, and joined the International Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTER) in 1993. In 2000, CBS was selected as pilot station of National Key Open Laboratory Station. In 2005, it was accredited as a member of the National Scientific Observation and Research Field Station Network (CRERN) and officially named " National Scientific Observation and Research Field Station of Changbai Moutain Forest Ecosystem in Jilin". It was recognized as an Outstanding Research Station by CERN and CRERN in 2010 and 2019, respectively.

Research Objectives

Regarding the global hot issues in population, environment, and resources, the major research objectives in the station are to reveal the law of structure, function, and dynamics of the forest ecosystems, to elucidate the impact of human activities and environmental changes on temperate forests, and to explore effective ways for sustainable development of temperate forests and optimized forest management.

Research Direction

1) Forest biodiversity and forest productivity maintenance

Ø Contribution of ecological niche separation and resource utilization to the productivity maintenance.

Ø Environmental regulation on the relation between forest biodiversity and productivity.

Ø Impacts of climate change on the forest productivity and model prediction.

2) Forest ecosystem material circulations and coupling mechanism

Ø Multi-mediums/interfaces biogeochemical processes of N, C & H2O.

Ø Biotic and Abiotic driving mechanism of N, C & H2O cycling.

Ø Responses and feedbacks of N, C & H2O cycling to human activities and climate change.

3) Restoration, function enhancement and sustainable management of forest ecosystem

Ø Regulation of natural disturbance & forest management to forest and soil ecological processes.

Ø Impacts of forest management on forest and soil ecological service function.

Ø Impacts of macro-process-level-regulation on the regional landscape and environment.

Achievement and Award

More than 1200 research papers including over 800 SCI papers, and more than 20 monographs were published by CBS since 2006. More than 20 invention patents have been authorized. Research results have been awarded 3 National Science and Technology Progress Awards and 10 Provincial-level Science and Technology Progress Awards.

Talent Team

CBS currently has 54 permanent researchers, including 21 professors, 25 associate professors, and 8 assistant professors, with 47 holding doctoral degrees. A core team of young and middle-aged researchers has been established, which consists of including the Outstanding Young Scientists of CAS, winners of NSFC Outstanding/Distinguished Young Scientist Fund, winners of Hundred-Talent Program of CAS, and members of the CAS Youth Innovation Promotion Association (YIPA). In addition, there are 11 visiting researchers and 18 postdoctoral researchers. Currently, more than 120 doctoral and master’s students are associated with the station.

Facilities

CBS possesses 18.01 ha of state-owned land use rights, comprising 6.06 ha for the station area and 11.95 ha for scientific research purposes. It has constructed an expert office building, an expert apartment, a comprehensive building, a canteen, and an activity center, which can accommodate over 150 people for work and academic activities. In addition, 2 vehicles are available to meet the needs of scientific expeditions. More than 10 observation and research platforms have been established for forest ecosystem research, including meteorological observation system, long-term permanent monitoring plots of forest structure evolution, temperate forest biodiversity monitoring plot, flux observation system and forest hydrology observation and simulation, etc.