Lush forests envelop the stunning scenery in the Baishanzu National Park in Lishui. [Photo/Tide News]
In the lush mountains of the Baishanzu National Park, located in Lishui, East China's Zhejiang province, a groundbreaking biodiversity project is underway, aiming to attach number tags to 210,000 trees.
The effort, part of a decades-long scientific initiative, involves detailed monitoring and documentation to unlock the secrets of forest ecosystems.
At an altitude of 1,550 meters above sea level, the 25-hectare Baishanzu Plot is a key site within the global ForestGEO network, or the Forest Global Earth Observatory network. Established in 2015 by East China Normal University and other institutions, the tract of land serves as a hub for biodiversity research.
Liu Yu, a professor at East China Normal University, leads a team tagging every woody plant with a diameter of at least 1 centimeter, including trees, vines, and shrubs, to record their growth and geographical data.
The Baishanzu area, located at the intersection of tropical and warm temperate zones, is a prime example of an evergreen broadleaf forest ecosystem. Since the discovery of the Baishanzu fir in 1963, the area has attracted researchers worldwide.
In 2017, a joint lab for biodiversity was established to focus on subtropical forest ecosystems, studying tree species diversity, soil microbes, and the impact of climate change.
The project not only involves tagging trees, but also includes extensive research on the ecosystem's dynamics. Moreover, the lab is equipped with advanced tools for studying plant-insect interactions and other ecological processes.
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