GCE-LTER scientists visit China
GCE LTER PIs and students visited China for two weeks in August 2011 to explore potential collaborations with well-known wetland research groups in three Chinese cities. Traveling were Dr. Chris Craft, Ellen Herbert and John Marton from Indiana University, and Drs. Steven Pennings and HongyuGuo from the University of Houston. They were hosted by leading Chinese scientists, including Drs. Yihui Zhang (Xiamen University), Guanghui Lin (Tsinghua University), Baoshan Cui, JunhongBai and Xiaowen Li (Beijing Normal University), Xiuzhen Li (East China Normal University) and Bo Li (Fudan University).Chinese graduate students YanlongHe (East China Normal University) and Qiang He (Shanghai Jiao Tong University) also played a major role as local guides.
At each location, the GCE scientists gave scientific and career development lectures, and interacted with Chinese faculty and graduate students about their research projects.
The U.S. visitors traveled to mangrove forests in the Zhangjiang Estuary near Xiamen, and tidal marshes ofthe YellowRiverdelta near Dong Ying (southeast of Beijing) and on Chongming Island (near Shanghai), gaining an appreciation for variation in coastal wetlands across a wide range of the Chinese coast. Of particular interest to the U.S. visitors were the stands of exotic Spartinaalterniflora (native to the United States) at all three locations, the rapidly growing deltaic wetlands at the mouths of the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, the high levels of aquaculture and fishing affecting Chinese estuaries and wetlands, and efforts to restore wetlands in these regions.
The Chinese hosts provided extraordinary hospitality to the U.S. visitors. The trip was very productive, and researchers from both countries are eager to pursue additional steps to expand the initial contacts into full-fledged research collaborations.
The U.S. travelers thank the National Science Foundation for funding an international travel supplement to the GCE-LTER program, and their Chinese hosts for covering many expenses within China.
Dr. Christopher Craft (Indiana University) in mangrove stands in Zhangjiang Estuary, southern China.
Dr. Christopher Craft (Indiana University) in tidal freshwater marsh near DongYing, on the Yellow River Delta, northern China.
Dr. Steven Pennings (University of Houston) in stands of invasive Spartinaalterniflora with scattered mangroves in Zhangjiang Estuary, southern China.
Drs. Craft (Indiana University) and Pennings (University of Houston) with Chinese colleagues, overlooking salt marshes near Dong Ying, China.