About

Climate change is drastically reshaping species distributions and populations, with cascading ecological impacts already disrupting human societies—and intensifying. Community responses are often not gradual, their nonlinear nature challenge traditional methods to predict the vulnerability and sensitivity of biodiversity to climate change. We are a team based at School of Life Sciences, NanJing University, China. Our research group is interested in studying the mechanism governing the response and adaptation of ecological communities to global changes and disturbances. We conduct empirical research in the field and lab, in combination with molecular techniques and mathematical modelling to investigate (1) the eco-evolutionary dynamics of biological communities driven by extreme climatic events, (2) mechanisms regulating coexistence and numerical dynamics within species interaction networks, (3) insect distribution and their ecological functions under global changes.

My own PhD work relied on a highly versatile experimental system —— rainforest Drosophila and their natural enemies, parasitoid wasps. This multi-trophic system with multiple hosts and parasitoid species has empowered me and my colleagues to study species range, ecological networks, direct and indirect biological effects of climate change, species coexistence and evolution! Now I carry on such work and beyond (from molecular pathways to community resilience) as an assistant Professor at NanJing University. If you would like to learn more about our projects and the study system, please feel free to contact us directly!