The 2024 Advanced Field Course in Ecology and Conservation - Xishuangbanna (AFEC-X 2024) and the Conservation Research Capacity Building Training Course , the 16th of its kind, came to a successful end on November 28, with participants presenting their 6 interesting research projects to a panel of judges.
From October 14 to November 28, the 24 trainees from 15 institutions in 12 countries successfully completed all the courses in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG).
The two training courses, spanning a total of 6 weeks, are independent in terms of course content but also complement each other. The courses combined theoretical learning and research practice, covering subjects like tropical biology, ecology, botany, climate change science, conservation biology, as well as practical components like fieldwork skills and independent project research.
The students were divided into 6 groups to carry out research projects. They presented their projects as following:
1. Topographical Tactics: Uneven Predation Pressure Across Forest Habitats
2.Stream Invertebrate Communities within Natural Forest vs. Rubber Plantation
3.Eyespots as a Defense Mechanism in Tropical Asian Butterflies
4.Stress and Distance-Dependent Herbivory of Parashorea chinensis Seedlings
5.Leaf Variegation as an Adaptive Trait and Its Effects on Herbivory Defense
6. Comparative Analysis of Ecosystem Level Water Use Efficiency in Tropical Rainforest and Dry Dipterocarp Forest
This year, the best research awards went to the projects titled “Topography and vertical positions generate uneven predation pressure on forest insects” and “Eyespots as a Defense Mechanism in Tropical Asian Butterflies”.
At the closing ceremony, Prof. Yang Yongping and Prof. Chen Jin congratulated the participants on successfully completing the course and encouraged them to forge ahead in their future careers.
The training course was partly funded by the International Cooperation Bureau and Personnel Bureau of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Science and Technology Department of Yunnan Province.
Prof. Yang Yongping poses a photo with best research award winners.
Prof. Chen Jin poses a photo with best research award winners.
Field investigation.
Participants pose a group photo.
