23rd New Phytologist Symposium: Carbon cycling in tropical ecosystems was held in Guangzhou from 17th to 20th November, 2009. This symposium was co-organized by South China Botanical Garden (SCBG) of Chinese Academy of Sciences, New Phytologist Trust, and Guangzhou Association for Science and Technology. Bureau of International Cooperation, CAS, and National Natural Science Foundation of China sponsored this symposium. 150 delegates from United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia, France, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Argentina, China and other nations attended in this meeting.

19 invited speakers from UK, USA, Australia, France, Argentina, and China made oral presentation on carbon cycling in tropical ecosystems. 23 delegates also shared their experience on ecological research in tropical ecosystems via poster presentation. Topic in this symposium including biogeography, biogeochemistry, global change biology, land cover and land use change, physiology, and long-term ecological research in tropical ecosystems, etc. Professor ZHOU Guoyi from SCBG made an oral presentation with the title “Excessive Nitrogen Supply Accelerate the Decline and Fluctuation of Old-growth Forest by Actuating Phosphorus Limitation”, causing great interest by all delegates. After oral and poster presentations, all participants were involved in discussion on carbon cycling in tropical ecosystems and global change biology. Delegates visited SCBG on the afternoon of the 19th, and the Dinghushan forest ecosystem research station on the 20th. During the field trip, delegates showed great interest on long-term ecological observation, monitoring, and experiments carried out by Dinghushan station. Some delegates also discussed future international cooperation with SCBG’s scientists. 

The New Phytologist Symposium is a regular symposia organized by New Phytologist Trust, twice per year. The 23rd New Phytologist Symposium is the first symposia held outside of Europe and North America regions. The purpose of this symposium is to provide a platform for international communication and cooperation on biogeochemistry and ecosystem processes acclimation to global climate change in tropical ecosystems. This symposium is also an opportunity to present ecological research in tropical and subtropical regions in China to delegates from all over the world. The great success of the 23rd New Phytologist Symposium: Carbon cycling in tropical ecosystem provides a sound base for international cooperation on tropical ecosystems, and enhances China’s position in global change ecology research.

The rostrum of the workshop

Prof. ZHOU Guoyi makes a report entitled “excessive nitrogen supply accelerate the decline and fluctuation of old-growth forest by actuating phosphorus limitation”

Group photo for all participates

Delegates visit Dinghushan forest ecosystem research station