By Department of Science and Technology | Updated: 2024-12-13

Recently, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) has announced the results of its 2024 project evaluations. After document review and on-site defence evaluations, a research project titled “Study on Evolution of Ecosystem Functions and Regional Environmental Effects in the Tumen River Basin” led by Professor Zhu Weihong, Vice‐President of Yanbian University, has been awarded funding from the NSFC Regional Innovation and Development Joint Fund. The project will receive direct grant of 2.6 million yuan, marking Yanbian University’s first-ever approval under this prestigious funding program, a historic breakthrough for the institution.

Co-funded by the NSFC and local governments, the Regional Innovation and Development Joint Fund aims to leverage the NSFC’s strategic guidance, attract leading research teams nationwide, and address major scientific questions arising from regional economic and social development needs. By fostering cross-regional and cross-sector collaboration on fundamental and applied research, the scheme seeks to enhance China’s autonomous innovation capacity at the regional level.

Professor Zhu’s project tackles the current lack of understanding around ecosystem evolution and its effects in the Tumen River Basin. The research will quantitatively disentangle the impacts of human activities and climate change on biodiversity within this complex watershed; characterize multi-pathway coupling and transport of carbon and nitrogen in representative ecosystem types; unveil river-to-estuary sedimentation patterns under eco-hydrological processes; and assess the land-sea integrated environmental effects across the Tumen region. The findings promise to inform sustainable development strategies both within the basin and across Northeast Asia.

Further Reading
Zhu Weihong,Vice President of Yanbian University, is a Second-Class Professor and doctoral supervisor honored as Yanbian University’s “Tumen River Scholar”. She leads the national “Wetlands and Ecology” teaching team modelled on National Huang Dah-nian-style Teacher Team, directs the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park Research Institute, and heads the Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory for Changbai Mountain Wetland Ecosystem Function and Ecological Security. As the lead for the university’s Geography first-level discipline, she has focused on the Tumen River Basin—Northeast Asia’s core area—conducting ongoing research into wetland protection, ecosystem function and security, and regional sustainable development. Professor Zhu has led Key Project of National Natural Science Foundation: “Simulation Study on Wetland Degradation and Environmental Effects in Tumen River Basin”, four NSFC general and regional science projects, one National Science and Technology Fundamental Resources Investigation Program project, and six provincial/ministerial-level key projects, and has published over 120 research papers. Her awards include the First Prize in Jilin Province Higher Education Teaching Achievements, the Second Prize in Jilin Province Natural Science, and the title of Jilin Province Top Innovative Talent (Second Tier).

First Review: Gao Ziyu | Second Review: Du You | Final Review: Chen Yanling