Main work

Prof. Li Shuaifeng's research interests include the following areas:

• Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning relationship-the simultaneous maintenance of multiple ecosystem functions and   services is defined as ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF), which has become an increasingly interesting focus in global climate change. he studied the driving mechanism of EMF in the coniferous forest, rainforest, evergreen broad-leaved forest, and dry-hot valley savanna in southwest China, and our conclusion could provide scientific reference for primary forest recovery and protection. They focus on the effect of plant diversity, functional diversity, phylogenetic diversity, and soil microbial diversity on EMF in these forests. Importantly, we assessed the effectiveness of afforestation in sustaining the EMF of savanna along the dry-hot valley of the Jinsha River.

• Forest carbon cycling-vegetation biomass and soil organic carbon stock assessment play an important role in achieving carbon neutrality in China. Prof. Li Shuaifeng's team recent study focuses on carbon sequestration of plantation and primary forests in Yunnan province, including Pinus yunnanesis, Pinus kesisya, and Macadamia integrifolia. They finished forest biomass stock and carbon sink measurement using the tree ring by national invention patent, and finished mixed afforestation of higher carbon stock in south subtropical zone by international invention patent.

• Forest dynamic plot establishmen: Recently, Prof. Li Shuaifeng's team built one 30ha dynamic plot of monsoonal evergreen broad-leaved forest and 41 1ha dynamic plot of primary forest in southwest China. He is similar with plant identification and join in plant and vegetation investigation of nature reserves in Yunnan province.

Key research projects

• Investigation and data construction of forest soil in Yunnan province. 2021.9-2025.8

• Demonstration of afforestation of higher carbon sink plantation in a Pinus kesiya. 2022.1-2024.12

• Dynamic monitoring and community assembly of functional groups of typical forest ecosystems in China. 2020.1-2024.12

Published articles & books

• Chen Yanxuan, Huang Xiaobo, Lang Xuedong, Tang Rong, Zhang Rui, Li Shuaifeng*, Su Jianrong*. 2023. Effects of plant diversity, soil microbial diversity, and network complexity on ecosystem multifunctinality in a tropical rainforest. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14: 1238056.

• Li Shuaifeng, Lang Xuedong, Huang Xiaobo, Wang Yanhong, Tang Rong, Liu Wande, Xu Chonghua, Su Jianrong*. 2023. Effects of plant diversity and big-sized trees on ecosystem function in a tropical montane evergreen broad-leaved forest. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 11:1188161.

• Li Shuaifeng, Huang Xiaobo, Tang Rong, Li Jing, Zhu Biao, Su Jianrong*. 2023. Soil microbial diversity and network complexity sustain ecosystem multifunctionality following afforestation in a dry-hot valley savanna. Catena, 231: 107329.

• Xu Fandi, Li Cong, Chen Yanxuan, Wu Jiangchong, Bai Haidong, Fan Shaoguang, Yang Yuchun, Zhang Yanping, Li Shuaifeng, Su Jianrong*. 2024. Soil microbial community structure and soil fertility jointly regulate soil microbial residue carbon during the conversion from subtropical primary forest to plantations. Geoderma, 441: 116767.

• Xu Fandi, Chen Jianying, Yang Yuchun, Wu Jiangchong, Li Cong, Chen Yanxuan, Wan Xiaoli, Luo Guofa, Zhang Yanping, Li Shuaifeng, Su Jianrong*. 2023. Sowing crop affects soil microbial necromass carbon via altering soil fungal community structure in a macadamia-based agroforestry system. Ecological Indicators, 157: 111262.

• Cindy Q.Tang, Tetsuya Matsui, Haruka Ohashi, Neus Nualart, Sonia Herrando-Moraira, Yi-Fei Dong, Paul J. Grote, Nguyen Van Ngoc, Hoang Van Sam, Shuaifeng Li*, et al. 2022. Identifying long-term stable refugia for dominant Castanopsis species of evergreen broad-leaved forests in East Asia: a tool for ensuring their conservation. Biological Conservation, 273: 109663.

• Li Shuaifeng, Huang Xiaobo, Lang Xuedong, Xu Fandi, Li Hongyun, Zheng Meixiang, Su Jianrong*. 2020. Effect of selective logging on soil microbial communities in a Pinus yunnanensis forest. Land Degradation & Development, 31(16): 2268-2280.

• Li Shuaifeng, Huang Xiaobo, Lang Xuedong, Shen Jiayan, Xu Fandi, Su Jianrong*. 2020. Cumulative effects of multiple biodiversity attributes and abiotic factors on ecosystem multifunctionality in the Jinsha river valley of southwestern China. Forest Ecology and Management, 472: 118281.

• Li Shuaifeng, Huang Xiaobo, Shen Jiayan, Xu Fandi, Su Jianrong*. 2020. Effects of plant diversity and soil properties on soil fungal community structure with secondary succession in the Pinus yunnanensis forest. Geoderma, 379: 114646.

• Li Shuaifeng, Liu Wande, Lang Xuedong, Huang Xiaobo, Su Jianrong*. 2021. Species richness, not abundance, drives ecosystem multifunctionality in a subtropical coniferous forest. Ecological Indicators, 120: 106911.

• Cindy Q. Tang, Haruka Ohashi, Tetsuya Matsui, Sonia Herrando-Moraira, Yifei Dong, Shuaifeng Li*, Pengbin Han, Diaoshun Huang, Shen Liqin, Li Yunfang, Jordi López-Pujol. 2020. Effects of climate change on the potential distribution of the threatened relict Dipentodon sinicus of subtropical forests in East Asia: Recommendations for management and conservation. Global Ecology and Conservation. 23:e01192.

• Cindy.Q. Tang, Liqin Shen, Han Pengbin, Huang Diaoshun, Li Shuaifeng*, Li Yunfang, Song Kun, Zhang Zhiying, Yin Longyun, Yin Ruihe, Xu Huiming. 2020. Forest characteristics, population structure and growth trends of Pinus yunnanensis in Tianchi national reserve of Yunnan, southwestern China. Vegetation Classification and Survey, 1:7-20.

• Li Shuaifeng, Su Jianrong*, Lang Xuedong, Liu Wande, Ou Guanglong. 2018. Positive relationship between species richness and aboveground biomass across forest strata in a primary Pinus kesiya forest. Scientific Reports, 8: 2227.

• Li Shuaifeng, Lang Xuedong, Liu Wande, Ou Guanglong, Xu Hui*, Su Jianrong*. 2018. The relationship between species richness and aboveground biomass in a primary Pinus kesiya forest of Yunnan, southwestern China. PLoS ONE, 13(1): e0191140.