Main work

As the main executor, Prof. Zhao Zhonghua has improved the rationality evaluation method for forest stand status, proposed the optimal π value rule for forest stand status, and a method for determining the priority of management measures, making the determination of management direction more intuitive and solving the problem of how to determine the priority of management measures when facing multiple management problems.Theyhave conducted theoretical and technical research on the structural effects of artificial forest productivity formation, and proposed randomized management and controlled afforestation techniques for artificial forests, providing a theoretical basis for improving artificial forest productivity.

Conducted research on the expression methods of forest stand structure diversity and second-order characteristics of forest structure. By combining spatial structural parameters with tree species diversity, the concept of structural unit type diversity and a forest stand structural diversity expression method based on adjacent tree relationships were proposed, achieving quantitative expression of forest stand structural diversity, which can guide and evaluate forest structural adjustments. By using a second-order feature function to analyze the variation of tree species and tree size with scale, it was found that in highly mixed forest stands, tree size differentiation is severe, and the desired forest stand mixing and size distribution can be obtained through manual adjustment. In the deep analysis of the structural characteristics of different types of natural forests, it was found that the proportion of random bodies in natural forests is above 50%, independent of forest types. The architecture of random bodies is the most universal form of neighbor configuration in forest communities, and a random body stability hypothesis based on angular scale was proposed.

Led the promotion and demonstration of structured forest management technology in different types of forests in China, and established over 50 long-term monitoring plots with a demonstration area of over 500000 acres. As the main executor, industry standards such as "Technical Regulations for Structure-BasedForest Management", "Technical Regulations for Structure-Based Forest Management Data Investigation and Investigation", and "Technical Regulations for Secondary Forest Management in Northwest and North China Mountains" have been formulated.

Key research projects

• National Key R&D Program of China,“Research and demonstration of biodiversity enhancement techniques for severely degraded coniferous forests in cold temperate zones”(2023YFF1304002) 2023.12 to 2027.11

• National Key R&D Program of China, "Multi functional management technology for the entire cycle of secondary forests of Quercus acutissima" (2022YFD2200503-03), 2022.11 to 2027.10

• the National Natural Science Foundation of China's general project "Research on the Formation Mechanism of Natural Forest Random Structures Based on Angular Scale" (32171780), 2022.01 to 2025.12

• the National Natural Science Foundation of China's general project "Research on Forest Stand Structural Diversity Based on Adjacent Tree Relationships" (31670640), 2017.01 to 2020.12

Awards & achievements

• the second prize of Liangxi Forestry Science and Technology Progress Award (2019.R01)

• the second prize of Liangxi Forestry Science and Technology Progress Award (2017.R03)

• the second Prize of Gansu Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award (2016.R3)

Published articles & books

• Zhonghua Zhao, Gangying Hui, Wenzhen Liu, Yanbo Hu and Gongqiao Zhang. 2022, A Novel Method for Calculating Stand Structural Diversity Based on the Relationship of Adjacent Trees. Forests, 13, 343.https://doi.org/10.3390/f13020343

• Zhonghua Zhao, Gangying Hui, Aimin Yang, Gongqiao Zhang and Yanbo Hu. 2022, Assessing tree species diversity in forest ecosystems: A new approach J Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10: 9715851.

• Wang H, Zhao Z*, Myllymki M, et al. Spatial size diversity in natural and planted forest ecosystems: Revisiting and extending the concept of spatial size inequality. 2020, Ecological Informatics, 57: 101054.

• LiuWenzhen, Yuan Yichao, Zahn Lianjin, Zhao Zhonghua*. Stability Evaluation of Pinus tabulaeformis Forest Based on Its Internal Status and Neighborhood Environment. 2021, Scientia Silvae Sinicae, 57(9):76-86 (in Chinese).

• Hui Gangying, Zhao Zhonghua*,ZhangGongqiao,HuYanbo.The Role of Random Structural Pattern Based on Uniform Angle Index in Maintaining Forest Stability. 2021, Scientia Silvae Sinicae, 57(2):22-30. (in Chinese).

• Zhao Zhonghua, Hui Gangying. Advance in Structural Diversity of Stand Structure. 2020, Scientia Silvae Sinicae, 56(9): 143-152.(in Chinese).

• Li Yuanfa,Ye Shaoming, Hui Gangying,Hu Yanbo, Zhao Zhonghua*. Spatial structure of timber harvested according to structure-basedforest management. 2014, Forest Ecology and Management. (322) 106–116.

• Zhonghua Zhao, Gangying Hui, Yanbo Hu, Hongxiang Wang, Gongqiao Zhang and Klaus v. Gadow. Testing the Significance of different Tree Spatial Distribution Patterns based on the Uniform Angle Index. 2014, Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 44(11): 1417-1425.

• Hui G Y, Zhao Z Z, Zhang G Q, Hu Y B, Liu W Z, Zhang G G, Yuan S Y, Wang H X, Wan P, Chen M H. Theory and Practice of Structure-Based Forest Management. Beijing: Science Press. 2020.

• Hui G Y, Klaus v. Gadow, Zhao Z Z, Hu Y B, Xu H, Li Y F, Zhang L J, Zhang G Q, Liu W Z, Yuan S Y. Principles of Structure-Based Forest Management. Beijing: China Forestry Publishing House. 2016.

• Liu W Z, Zhao Z Z, Hu Y B,Zhang S Z. Quercus Mixed Forest Management of Xiaolongshan. Beijing: China Forestry Publishing House. 2015.