The Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of CAS – 中国科学院应用生态研究所, formerly known as the CAS Forestry and Soil Institute, was founded in 1954. In 2001, IAE was approved as one of the pilot institutes under the National Knowledge Innovation Program. The institute focuses on terrestrial ecosystems and covers diverse areas of modern ecology, including macroecology, systems ecology, experimental ecology, bioengineering, and biotechnology.
IAE’s research is organized into three major areas:
- Forest Ecology and Forestry Ecological Engineering
- Soil Ecology and Agro-Ecological Engineering
- Pollution Ecology and Environmental Ecological Engineering
The institute has five research centers:
- Forest Ecology and Forestry Ecological Engineering Research Center
- Soil Ecology and Agro-Ecological Engineering Research Center
- Pollution Ecology and Environmental Ecological Engineering Research Center
- Landscape Ecology and Regional Planning Research Center
- Bio-resource and Biotechnology Research Center
IAE is affiliated with several key laboratories:
- National Engineering Laboratory for Soil Nutrient Management (co-founded by IAE)
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Contaminated Soil Bio-Physicochemical Remediation Techniques
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering
- CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Terrestrial Ecological Process and Regional Ecological Safety
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Ecological Public Welfare Forest
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Utilization
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Quality and Agricultural Product Safety
- Liaoning Provincial Fertilizer Engineering and Technology Center
IAE operates eight field research stations across the country, including:
- National Research Station of Changbai Mountain Forest Ecosystems (Jilin Province)
- National Research Station of Shenyang Agriculture Ecosystems (Liaoning Province)
- National Research Station of Huitong Forest Ecosystems (Hunan Province) – all part of the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN)
- Qingyuan Forest Ecosystem Research Station (Liaoning Province) – also part of CERN
- Wulan’aodu Desertification Research Station (Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region) – co-sponsored by the State Forestry Administration
- Daqinggou Sandland Ecological Research Station (Liaoning Province)
- Shenyang Arboretum (Urban Research Station)
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station (Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region)
IAE, in collaboration with the State Forestry Administration, has also established the Changbai Mountain West-Slope Research Station and Erguna Wetland Research Station.
The institute holds the largest collection of bio-specimens in Northeast China, with over 290,000 vascular plant collections, 130,000 moss collections, 30,000 lichen collections, 40,000 higher fungus collections, 72,000 insect collections, 10,000 plant disease collections, 1,000 wood collections, 20,000 microorganism collections, and 20,000 soil collections.
As of 2023, IAE employs 463 staff members.
More information: http://english.iae.cas.cn/About2017/Brief/.
