The 6-week Advanced Field Course in Ecology and Conservation-Xihuangbanna 2017 (AFEC-X 2017) came to a successful end on November 23, with 29 students from 8 countries presented their research to an 11-person panel of judges. 

From October 12 to November 13, the 29 trainees from 8 countries learned such topics: history, status quo and future of conservation biology; factors threating tropical Asian biodiversity; criteria and methods for assessing the threat status of ecosystem; climate change biology; biodiversity science (including methods of investigating insects, vegetation, birds, and bats); molecular ecology,  G.I.S. and spatial modelling, experimental design and R statistics; paper writing, camera trapping, presentation skills, etc. 

The trainees also had field studies at the 20-ha tropical forest dynamics plot and canopy crane at Bubeng. 

Afterwards, the 29 students were divided into 6 groups to carry out research project in and around XTBG. 

On November 23, the students presented their group work to the judges. The 6 projects were as following: 

1.    Plant plasticity and herbivory of invasive Piper aduncum in XTBG; 

2.    Niche differentiation by nest site selection of sympatric scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata) and white-rumped Munia (L.striata) in XTBG; 

3.    Effectiveness of using dummy caterpillars and real baits to evaluate the predation rate in tropical rainforests; 

4.    Effects of morphology and roost microclimate of bats in Xishuangbanna, southern China;  

5.    Ant community dissimilarity explain high predation pressure on dummy caterpillars during early night; 

6.    Pattern and process of artificial fruit consumption across different habitats in XTBG. 

The best research project award went to “Ant community dissimilarity explain high predation pressure on dummy caterpillars during early night” completed by Liu Xiang, Wang Zhenghong, Huang Chenyu, Li Manru, and FarkhandaBibi. 

Prof. Chen Jin, director of XTBG, conferred certificates to the winners of best research project award. 

 One of the award winners will be funded to present at the Annual Meeting 2018 of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC) Asia-Pacific Chapter in Malaysia.  

Trainees have study at 20-ha plot 

Trainees conducts group work in the field 

Prof. Chen Jin poses a photo with winners of best research project award 

Trainees and teachers pose a photo