CHEN Xi: Pioneer in the Study of Central Asian Ecological Environment
For CHEN Xi, awards are now a part of history. What really counts is his continued dedication as he continues to traverse grasslands, deserts and mountainous terrain. He persists in the journey of scientific research, paving the way step by step and enduring hardships.
CHEN Xi examines unmanned remote sensing drones.
Over the course of two decades, CHEN Xi's presence has scarred every inch of land in Xinjiang and Central Asia, from the northern to the southern Tianshan Mountains and the shores of the Aral Sea. His journey has taken him across grasslands, deserts and mountains. During this time, CHEN Xi has stood on many stages and received awards ranging from the National Science and Technology Progress Award and the He Liang He Li Award to the Wang Kuancheng Outstanding Western Scholar Contribution Award and the Xinjiang Special Award for Scientific and Technological Progress. CHEN Xi, Director of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), a leader in the study of resources and environmental conditions in Central Asia's drylands, is not only proud of his personal achievements, but is also working with colleagues to take the XIEG from Xinjiang to Central Asia.
A decade and a half ago, the XIEG focused mainly on field studies and technical demonstrations. There was a lack of basic research and innovative development. It lacked projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation, hadn't published internationally indexed SCI articles, and lacked a national research infrastructure. This placed it in a predicament often referred to as the "triple deficit", resulting in a relatively low level of recognition in both national and international academic circles.
Under the leadership of three successive directors - SONG Yudong, ZHANG Xiaolei and CHEN Xi - the institute's researchers have worked tirelessly for more than a decade. As a result, the XIEG has become a renowned institution throughout China and Central Asia. The Institute has taken on responsibilities that include projects such as the national '973' and '863' programmes, technology support initiatives, key international collaborations, the establishment of nationally significant laboratories, engineering technology research centres and field stations. These efforts have solidified the Institute's pre-eminent position in the fields of national and international basic research, applied research, and especially research related to the arid regions of Central Asia.
Devotion to Researching Ecological Environments in Arid Regions
In 1988, CHEN Xi, fresh from his postgraduate studies, entered the XIEG with a sense of eager anticipation. Assigned to the Hydrology and Water Resources Research Unit, he plunged into collaborative research with scientists from the former Soviet Union, focusing on hydrology and water resources. During these early years, he worked side by side with Soviet colleagues, surveying hydrological conditions across the vast expanse of Central Asia. Through his research on the hydrology of the Tianshan Mountains during the former Soviet era, as well as the desiccation problems of Lake Balkhash and the Aral Sea, he accumulated pertinent knowledge on the effects of climate change and human activities on lakes, water resources and the ecological environment in the arid regions of Central Asia. This formed the basis for his later research on sites such as the Tarim River, Lake Aibi, Lake Bosten and the Ili River in Xinjiang.
In 1993, CHEN Xi's journey took him to Japan, where he honed his expertise in computer software development. It was during this time that he learned the intricacies of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing technology. Upon his return to China in 1995, he seized the opportunity presented by his expertise in water resources research to blaze a trail in the application of the emerging triumvirate of "3S" technologies: Satellite Positioning, Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing. These technological innovations not only added excitement to his scientific pursuits, but also opened up the vast horizons of research. At the same time, he spearheaded the establishment of Xinjiang's first provincial-level key laboratory within the Institute - the Xinjiang Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems Application Laboratory, a pioneering addition to Xinjiang's array of key research facilities.
On his return from Japan, CHEN Xi found himself at a crossroads with many options, but he was determined to stay in Xinjiang. At the heart of this choice was the Western Light project initiated by CAS. CHEN Xi believed that for researchers, a favourable confluence of interest, acumen, a supportive platform, adequate funding and a cohesive team creates a fertile ground for their endeavours. The Western Light project, alongside Xinjiang's key laboratory, provided just such a great platform for his pursuits.
Using an integrated approach that combines telemetry, remote sensing, satellite technology and microwave communication within the Internet of Things, CHENXi introduced groundbreaking concepts for real-time monitoring and management of ecological water consumption and use in the Tarim River Basin, China's largest inland river. This pioneering effort led to the establishment of a dynamic real-time monitoring and management system covering various water uses - ecological, industrial and domestic - within the Tarim River Basin, achieving remarkable results in water management and conservation.
To address the challenge of sparse vegetation and conifer structure in arid regions, he formulated geometric structure models and a hierarchical vegetation cover model. As a result of these innovations, the accuracy of international remote sensing monitoring products in arid regions was improved by 30% to 50%. This work not only established a theoretical foundation for remote sensing monitoring in arid regions, but also received high recognition from peers in the international community.
He pioneered the concept of seamless integration of multi-scale and multi-temporal data, especially across different platforms in arid areas, and established a comprehensive technological framework for remote sensing monitoring of Central Asian ecosystems. Focusing on critical ecological management issues in the arid ecosystems of Central Asia, he established four operational systems for management and decision making that have had a significant impact on relevant government agencies as well as practical implementation in the field.
He also introduced a theoretical framework for understanding the distinctive ecological processes in the arid regions of Central Asia and broadened the scope of research to include carbon processes in saline-alkali soils and global change. A review in the prestigious journal SCIENCES praised this work for opening up new avenues in carbon cycling and offering innovative ways of using saline-alkali soils, with the potential to bring significant environmental and economic benefits.
Amidst all the accolades, CHEN Xi's unwavering dedication remains the most compelling evidence of his efforts. But those laurels are now in the past. What matters now is his continued commitment to forging ahead through grasslands, deserts and mountainous terrain, resolutely following the scientific path amidst the challenges of nature.
Pioneering Arid Zone Research on a National Scale
CHEN Xi's achievements in a range of cutting-edge technologies have firmly established his position as a pioneer in China's arid zone resource and environmental research discipline. His evolution from research student to institute director is a testament to his journey. CHEN Xi's clear scientific focus for the XIEG has always revolved around "serving Xinjiang's economic and social progress, engaging with Central Asia, and addressing key scientific challenges in arid regions".
The XIEG was established on July 7, 1998, following the merger of the Xinjiang Institute of Desert Biology and Soil, founded in the 1960s, and the Xinjiang Institute of Geography.
The establishment of the Institute coincided with the launch of the CAS Knowledge Innovation Pilot Project. The academy's emphasis on research at the international scientific frontier and addressing important national needs has had a profound impact on the scientific community. CHEN Xi noted that this marked a turning point for Xinjiang Eco-Geo, leading to a realisation of its previous limitations and insularity.
The Institute adopted a progressive three-step strategy, moving from "anchoring in the frontier and moving forward together" to "attracting talent, funding and land" and finally to "where there is desert, there is XIEG". Through relentless efforts, a cohort of outstanding national and international talents joined XIEG and brought their expertise to the fertile scientific research terrain of Xinjiang.
During this period, the XIEG took the lead in national initiatives such as "973" and "863", as well as in National Key Fund projects, major national engineering undertakings and major programmes of CAS. These initiatives addressed critical scientific and technological issues in the field of Northwestern arid zone resource and environmental studies, covering topics such as desertification, water resources, ecological security and environmental evolution. These research results have won awards such as the National Science and Technology Progress Award, China's Top Ten Scientific Progress of the Year and the Xinjiang Science and Technology Progress Award.
Prominent institutions such as the National Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, the National Desert-Oasis Ecosystem Construction Engineering Research Center, the CAS Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresources in Arid Land, the CAS Center for Ecological and Environmental Sciences in Central Asia, and the Sino-US Center for Arid Environment and Sustainable Development have all found a haven within Xinjiang Eco-Geo. In addition, partnerships with countries such as Germany, Australia, five Central Asian countries, as well as Mauritania and Rwanda, culminated in the establishment of the Centre for Arid Water and Ecology Research, fostering a network of six international research bases.
At the Sino-US Center for Arid Environment and Sustainable Development, researchers conducted comparative analyses of arid regions in Xinjiang and the United States, revealing the processes by which plants, water resources and other elements respond to climate change. XIEG collaborated with countries including Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and the CAS Centre for Ecological & Environmental Sciences in Central Asia was established. This initiative also led to the establishment of three overseas-based centres, including joint laboratories and the Central Asia Ecological System Field Observation and Research Station Network, which provides a continuous ecosystem observation network covering Central Asia; and the Center for Arid Environment and Sustainable Development in Central Africa, which has dedicated over a decade of collaborative research to combating desertification and sand stabilisation. Efforts such as agricultural technology training, the application of 3S systems and the dissemination of related research technologies have had a positive impact in countries such as Libya, Kenya and Rwanda.
Today, the XIEG has made significant progress in terms of research and development. It has gone from receiving no funding from the National Natural Science Foundation to receiving several dozen funded projects each year. It has also increased its publication output, with more than 300 SCI articles published each year. In addition, it has established a number of national key laboratories and national engineering research centres that did not exist before. These developments have greatly enhanced the Institute's comprehensive research capabilities and brought it closer to its goal of "being based in Xinjiang, facing Central Asia and having a global perspective on drylands".
Serve the economic and social development of Xinjiang
One of CHEN Xi's proudest achievements is the establishment of the Tarim River Basin Water Allocation and Management System. This system allows real-time monitoring of water inflows and outflows in the Tarim River Basin, which covers an area of nearly 300,000 km2. It dynamically monitors land use, ecological and environmental conditions, and the ecological impact of water allocation in the Tarim River Basin. Through water forecasting and water use assessment, it formulates annual water allocation plans to ensure scientific and reasonable water distribution in the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Tarim River.
In fact, the research projects conducted by the XIEG have always been focused on serving local economic development. The institute closely follows the strategic layout of Xinjiang and conducts relevant research for major projects implemented in the region.
To increase cotton yields, researchers conducted high-density cotton planting in Cele County, Hotan Prefecture, to improve cotton yield per unit area. As the technology matured, it was promoted throughout Xinjiang, resulting in the highest cotton yield in the world for four consecutive years. In response to the cotton bollworm infestation and environmental damage caused by excessive pesticide use, researchers discovered a biocontrol technique. They planted strips of alfalfa alongside cotton fields to attract seven-spotted ladybugs, which feed on cotton bollworms. This simple and environmentally friendly approach significantly reduced pest damage in Xinjiang's 30 million mu (2 million hectares) of cotton fields.
The Taklamakan Highway has gained worldwide recognition as the longest road across a contiguous moving desert. At 562 km, it not only supports the exploration and development of oil and gas resources in the Tarim Basin, but also serves as a vital transport route for the people of southern Xinjiang, lifting them out of poverty.
The Tarim Desert Highway Research Team of XIEG has made significant contributions to the planning, construction and maintenance of this desert highway. Their efforts include the establishment of protective afforestation, the use of biotechnologies to control sand, and the use of saline water to irrigate salt-tolerant plants. These advances have not only ensured the safe operation of the desert highway, but have completely transformed the once desolate ecological landscape along its route. In addition, mature technologies for afforestation, desertification prevention and control, and restoration and rehabilitation of desert ecosystems in arid regions have been widely applied, even in Central Asia and Africa, bringing enormous environmental, economic and social benefits.
In the important oil and petrochemical base of Karamay City, XIEG has developed relevant technologies for oilfield wastewater treatment, soil salinisation control, oilfield development and desertification control. These technologies provide a scientific basis for the sustainable development of local industry, agriculture and ecology.
CHEN Xi said that climate change has had a significant impact on glaciers in Xinjiang and Central Asia. Over the past 30 years, glaciers in the Tianshan region have retreated by 15-30%, and meltwater from Xinjiang's glaciers accounts for 25-30% of surface runoff. CHEN Xi expressed concern that if Xinjiang's glaciers continue to retreat, there will be a crisis of diminishing water resources in the next 15 to 20 years, which will significantly affect Xinjiang and the Central Asian region.
XIEG's current research project, "Research on Xinjiang Water Resources Security Guarantee System", aims to study the impact of changes in water resources on local agriculture, ecology and major projects over a three-year period. The project also aims to propose measures to adapt the local economy and social structure to changes in water resources. Over the next five years, XIEG will continue to work closely with the CAS Leading Action Plan. The focus will be on addressing resource and environmental issues in Central Asia and Xinjiang in the context of building the national Silk Road Economic Belt. Through joint efforts, the Institute aims to achieve significant breakthroughs in three key areas: technology innovation, integration and demonstration; fundamental scientific issues related to resources and environment in arid regions; and industrial application of technology.
