DU Xiaofang, female, born in January 1993 native of Shuozhou, Shanxi Province, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Her main research interests include the soil ecology. She currently leads 1 Young Scientists Fund project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, 2 sub-projects of the National Key R&D Program, 1 topic of the Regional Innovation and Development Joint Fund, 1 topic of the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and 1 PhD Research Startup Project of the Liaoning Provincial Natural Science Foundation Joint Fund. She has published more than 20 academic papers in domestic and international journals, been granted 3 patents, formulated 5 national, local and group standards related to soil organisms and soil health, and co-authored 2 monographs.

2016.09–2021.06 PhD degree in Ecology from Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences 2012.09–2016.07 Bachelor degree in Science from Taiyuan Normal University

2024.07–Present Associate Researcher, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences 2021.07–2024.06 Special Research Assistant, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Soil ecology; soil nematodes; structure and function of soil food webs; soil health

2024 Awarded the "Lüye Outstanding Young Scientist Program" 2021 Outstanding Graduate, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences 2021 Outstanding Graduate of Beijing Municipality 2020 National Scholarship for Doctoral Students

2025–2027: Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Mechanisms of Nitrogen Deposition and Drought Effects on Trophic Structure and Function of Grassland Soil Food Webs, Principal Investigator 2024–2027: Lüye Outstanding Young Scientist Program, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cultivation and Evaluation of Soil Food Web Health in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China, Principal Investigator 2024–2027: Sub-project of the National Key R&D Program of China, Co-evolutionary Patterns of Soil Biological Health and Soil Biological Communities, Sub-project Leader 2023–2028: Sub-project of the National Key R&D Program of China, Synergistic Improvement Mechanisms of Black Soil Fertility and Resistance to Drought and Chilling Injury, Sub-project Leader 2023–2026: Topic of the Regional Innovation and Development Joint Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Effects of Maize-Peanut Intercropping on Soil Biological Functional Groups, Topic Leader 2023–2027: Topic of the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Response of Soil Micro-food Webs to Global Change and Their Impacts on Litter Decomposition, Topic Leader 2023–2025: Liaoning Provincial Natural Science Foundation Joint Fund (PhD Research Startup Project), Mechanisms of Organic Substitution Effects on Soil Nematode Functional Groups and Soil Biological Health, Principal Investigator

1. Li Yingbin#, *, Du Xiaofang#, Su Xiaolin, Han Xu, Liang Wenju, Wang Zhengwen, Bruelheide Helge, Bezemer Thiemo Martijn, Li Qi*. 2023. Local-scale soil nematode diversity in a subtropical forest depends on the phylogenetic and functional diversity of neighbor trees. Plant and Soil 486: 441-454 2. Sun Yixin#, Du Xiaofang#, Li Yingbin, Han Xu, Fang Shuang, Geisen Stefan, Li Qi*. 2023. Database and primer selections affect nematode community composition under different vegetations of Changbai Mountain. Soil Ecology Letters 5(1):142-150 3. Du Xiaofang, Liu Hanwen, Li Yingbin*, Li Bing, Han Xu, Li Yuhui, Mohammad Mahamood, Li Qi*. 2022. Soil community richness and composition jointly influence the multifunctionality of soil along the forest-steppe ecotone. Ecological Indicators 139:108900 4. Du Xiaofang, Li Yingbin, Han Xu, Wasim Ahmad, Li Qi*. 2020. Using high-throughput sequencing quantitatively to investigate soil nematode community composition in a steppe-forest ecotone. Applied Soil Ecology 152:103562 5. Wang ZY, Niu ZX, Bai Y, Xu ZX, Yu EP, Du XF*. 2026. Effects of typical farmland improvement measures on soil fauna distribution in the black soil region of Northeast China. Chinese Journal of Ecology https://link.cnki.net/urlid/21.1148.Q.20250709.1659.008 6. Du XF, Li YB*, Bai Y, Zhang XK, Liang WJ, Li Q. 2024. Assessment of soil biological health based on exploratory factor analysis. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 35(12): 3497-3506 7. Sun YX, Li YB, Li YH, Li B, Du XF*, Li Q*. 2022. Application of high-throughput sequencing technology in the study of nematode diversity. Biodiversity Science, 30(12): 22266 8. Du XF, Liang WJ, Li Q*. 2021. DNA extraction, amplification and high-throughput sequencing of soil nematode communities. Microbiome Experimental Handbook, Bio-101 e2104085 9. Du XF, Li YB, Liu F, Su XL, Li Q*. 2018. Structure and ecological functions of soil micro-food webs. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 29(2): 403-411

Du Xiaofang, Li Yingbin, Jiang Siwei, Tian Yijia. Soil Collector Suitable for Medium-sized Soil Fauna Collection. Issued on: 2024-06-25, Patent No.: CN 221224288 U Du Xiaofang, Li Qi, Li Yingbin, Zhang Xiaoke, Jiang Siwei. Separator for Sorting Small and Medium-sized Soil Fauna. Issued on: 2025-12-09, Patent No.: CN 223640016 U Li Qi, Li Yingbin, Du Xiaofang, Liang Wenju, Bai Yang, Sun Yixin, Jiang Siwei. A Method and System for Assessing Cultivated Soil Biological Health Based on Exploratory Factor Analysis. Issued on: 2025-10-10, Patent No.: CN 120594804 B Dong Yuanhua, Li Jiangang, Liang Wenju, Hu Feng, Li Qi, Liu Manqiang, ... Du Xiaofang. Biological Test Methods for Comprehensive Characterization of Soil Health. National Standard: GB/Z 41358-2022. Issued on: 2022-10-01 Liang Wenju, Xu Zhiqiang, Li Yingbin, Du Xiaofang, Wang Yonghuan, Yang Guang, Zhang Xiaoke, Li Qi. Technical Specification for Assessment of Dryland Soil Biological Health. Local Standard: DB21/T 4328-2025. Issued on: 2025-12-30 Zhang Shixiu, Lü Ying, Li Yingbin, Liang Aizhen, Du Xiaofang, Liu Ping. Technical Specification for Monitoring Farmland Soil Fauna Diversity in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China. Group Standard: T/LNIQA 003-2022. Issued on: 2022-12-29 Lü Ying, Zhang Shixiu, Wan Xue, Du Xiaofang, Hou Na, Yan Pingping, Cao Wenjun, Wu Bin, Li Yingbin. Technical Specification for Monitoring Farmland Soil Nematode Diversity. Group Standard: T/LNIQA 007-2023. Issued on: 2023-03-06 Du Xiaofang, Liang Siwei, Lü Ying, Li Yingbin, Zhang Xiaoke, Liang Wenju, Wu Jian. Technical Specification for Assessment of Soil Biological Health Under Continuous Peanut Cropping. Group Standard: T/LNIQA 012-2024. Issued on: 2024-06-20