Introduction to the Professional Degree of Master of Ecology
Ecology was approved as a second level master's degree in 2006, and got the first level master's degree in 2011. In 2006 and 2012, it was approved as key and characteristic disciplines of Hubei Province, respectively. Based on the platforms of "Engineering Research Center of Eco‑environment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministryof Education" and "Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Center of Ecological Conservation and Management in Three Gorges Area", the discipline has formed four distinctive research directions. Focusing on the ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation of degraded ecosystems in the two ecological "hot spots" of the Three Gorges Reservoir area and Shennongjia forest area, the research on them has achieved outstanding results in personnel training, scientific and technological innovation and social service.
Orientation and goal of discipline.To findthe measuresof regional ecological environment protection and management by focusing on the restoration of degraded ecosystem and conservation of biodiversity.Training ecological professionals in line with the requirements of local economic and social development and strengthening regional and industrial characteristics were taken as the goals. Moreover, the discipline promotes the cross integration of ecology, forestry, environment, water conservancy engineering and other subjects, aiming at building it into a discipline with distinctive characteristics and popularity in China.
Advantages and features. For more than 10 years, the discipline has vigorously promoted the cross integration with chemistry, forestry, water conservancy and environmental engineering and highlighted the cutting-edge and innovation.Ateam of experts with distinctive talent advantages were gathered, including "State Council subsidy recipients" and "Chu Tianscholars" who are focused on solving regional ecological problems. At the same time, Three Gorges area and Shennongjia forest area are two ecological "hot spots" in China with rich biodiversity while ecological vulnerability. This subject has formed distinct characteristics in research area content, which focuses on the ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation of degraded ecosystems in these two regions, and carries out personnel training and scientific research.
(1) Study on the mechanism and technology of vegetation restoration in the water-level fluctuation zone. To address the vegetation degradation in the fluctuating zone caused by hydropower projects, we studied on the mechanism of flooding tolerance, physiological responses and ecological characteristics to anti-seasonal fluctuation rhythm of water level in reservoir riparian area, and the characteristics of the root system's soil resistance and seed of pioneer plants in the fluctuating zone. The researches have selected a group of pioneer plants and carried out experimental demonstration research, which improved the ecological management of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region. Study on this field has received support from 10 National Natural Science Foundations and 4National key research and development projects. It has published nearly 20 high-level papers and won anaward at provincial and ministerial-level about this part.
(2) Study on synthesis and screening of green catalysts and their mechanism of pollutant degradation in the reservoir area. Researches on the source and transport mechanism of typical organic pollutants in important tributaries of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region were carried out. Wepreparedand screenedgreen in situ catalysts with high catalytic activity, and applied them to the study of degradation mechanism of various microcystins.We first reportedtheoretical research and technology to remove natural toxins by hydrolysis process, and also made great breakthroughs in research on new green catalyst synthesis technology and active screening.7 national natural science funds, 2 national science and technology sub-projects, and 1 country Supported by Key R & D Project Sub-projects were obtained, and we published nearly 30 papers, including 8 high-level papers and won a provincial award.
(3) Biodiversity protection in hydropower project areas. Aimed at the mitigating the impact of hydropower project disturbances on the regional ecological environment and endangered species, a systematic study on the protection of important species such as Myricaria laxiflora, the Distylium chinense, and the schizothoracids was carried out.Meanwhile we studied on the mechanism of endangered species and their response to environmental disturbances and discussedmeasures for ecological protection.Seven national natural science funds and one national science and technology subproject were obtained. One monograph and nearly 30 related papers were published.
(4) Construction plans for ecological counties and cities. To carry out research on the principles and methods of ecological county construction and planning, wediscussed the ecological planning and ecological development of mountainous counties with rich mineral resources and prominent agricultural development with Yichang Environmental Protection Research Institute and Hubei Zhengtian Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd.. We have undertaken the planning tasks of 4 counties and cities and more than 30 towns, which achieved good social effects.
Talent training goals. We aim at cultivatinghigh-level specialized ecological talents that meet the needs of national and local economic and social development. He or she has strong political qualities, actively implements the core values of socialism, good physical health and psychological qualities, possesses noble academic ethics and teamwork spirit, and has the courage to explore and innovate. Postgraduate Student will master the basic theories, professional knowledge and experimental skills of systematic ecology, have the creative consciousness of scientific research and the level of specialized skills to engage in practical work independently, have the ability to engage in management and professional work in the environment, forestry, education and other industries.
Subject direction. (1) Restoration of ecology. This direction focuses on the reasonsand mechanisms of ecosystem degradation.Combined the needs of society with principles and methods of ecosystem restoration and reconstruction, wepracticed and demonstratedthe restoration experiments of degraded ecosystems in the region; (2) Protection biology. This direction study on the ecological and biological characteristics of the endangered species in the study area. We carried out conservation research on key species combined with the planning and construction of Shennongjia Nature Reserve and Dalaoling National Nature Reserve. (3) Pollution ecology. The direction focuses on the researches aboutregular pattern of the formation of non-point source pollution, the methods and technologies for biological reduction of water eutrophication, and the mechanism and technology of visible light catalytic degradation of toxic organic pollutants in the Xiangxi River Basin of the Three Gorges Reservoir area. (4) Ecological risk assessment and management. We conductedecological risk assessment and management research centering on environmental assessment, and serving the local economy and industry developmentby cooperating with Yichang Environmental Science Research Institute.
The Domestic and Foreign influence of our discipline.(1) We Builtacademic alliances with the institute of botany, the Chinese academy of sciences, Beijing Forestry University, the University of Florida, Meijo University and other domestic and foreign research institutions. We have invited world famous professors Binhe Gu, Yuncong Li, and Hiroto TamuraAMURA, as the adjunct professors, hired Shi Lei, David M. Johnson, and Yinghua Huang as ChuTian Scholar, and cooperated withSilvana Munzi, Hiroto Tamura, and Wang Guangxi in projectsfor expanding the influence of our discipline. (2)This discipline has served as the governing unit of Hubei Ecological Society, plant society, plant physiology society and the governing member of the society, makinggreat contributions to the development of related disciplines. (3)Members of the discipline workas the reviewer and editorial committee member of Ecological Engineering, Journal of Plant Ecology, Plant and Soil and other magazines, as well as the communication evaluation expert of the national natural science foundation of China, which promoted the development of this discipline. (4) By hosting ecology academic exchange conference, we expanded academic influence of our subject. (5) We actively participated in the annual meeting of China ecological society and other domestic and foreign academic conferences to promote the academic achievements of the discipline. (6) We also actively participate in the construction of local ecological county and the follow-up work planning of the Three Gorges Reservoir Regionto expand the influence of this discipline in the surrounding areas of Yichang city, the whole Hubei province and the whole country.
