Professor LI Airong----Kunming Institute of Botany,CAS

Airong LI Ph.D.

Professor of Conservation Biology

Tel (office): +86-871-65223613

Email: airongli@mail.kib.ac.cn

Address: 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China 650201

Research interests

My research interests cover two different aspects of plant conservation biology.

1. Rhizosphere processes of root hemiparasitic plants

Root hemiparasitic plants have significant influence on plant community structure and biodiversity in the ecosystems where they occur. Our research focuses on the ecological roles of root hemiparasitic plants and their interactions with biotic and abiotic environmental factors. Most of our current work focuses on understanding the rhizosphere processes of Pedicularis (Orobanchaceae) species.

2. Conservation of begonia germplasm

Our research focuses on the investigations of underlying mechanisms for the endangerment of Begonia (Begoniaceae) species and effective conservation strategies. Currently we focus on studies of begonia traits that can be commercially used as ornamental plants, which will contribute to long term conservation of begonia germplasm.

For a more detailed description of my research interests, please see the overview given on the Conservation Biology lab page.

Education

2007.07	Ph.D. Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Botany)
2004.07	M.Sc. College of Plant Protection, Northwest Science & Technology University of Agriculture & Forestry (Plant Virology)
2000.07	B.Sc. He’nan College of Science & Technology (Plant Pathology)

Appointments

2014.01-present	Professor, PI and leader of Conservation Biology Group, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
2013.01-2013.12	Associate Professor, PI and leader of Conservation Biology Group, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
2010.01-2012.12	Associate Professor, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
2010.02-2011.02	Visiting Scholar, Soils group, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Australia
2007.07-2009.12	Research Associate, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)

Selected publications

1) Sui Xiao-Lin, Li Ai-Rong*, Chen Yan, Guan Kai-Yun, Zhou Lu, Liu Yan-Yan. 2014. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: potential biocontrol agents against the damaging root hemiparasite Pedicularis kansuensis? Mycorrhiza 24: 187–195.

2) Li Ai-Rong, Guan Kai-Yun, Rebecca Stonor, Smith Sally E., and Smith F. Andrew. 2013. Direct and indirect influences of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on phosphorus uptake by two root hemiparasitic Pedicularis species: do the fungal partners matter at low colonisation levels? Annals of Botany 112: 1089–1098.

3) Li Ai-Rong, Li Yun-Ju, Smith Sally E., Smith F. Andrew, and Guan Kai-Yun. 2013. Nutrient requirements differ in two Pedicularis species in the absence of a host plant: implication for driving forces in the evolution of host preference of root hemiparasitic plants. Annals of Botany 112: 1099–1106.

4) Li Ai-Rong, Smith F. Andrew, Smith Sally E., and Guan Kai-Yun. 2012. Two sympatric root-hemiparasitic Pedicularis species differ in host dependency and selectivity under phosphorus limitation. Functional Plant Biology 39: 784–794.

5) Li Ai-Rong, Smith Sally E., Smith F. Andrew, and Guan Kai-Yun. 2012. Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi suppresses initiation of haustoria in the root hemiparasite Pedicularis tricolor. Annals of Botany 109: 1075–1080.

6) Ren Yong-Quan., Guan Kai-Yun, Li Ai-Rong, Hu Xiao-Jian, Zhang Le. 2010. Host dependence and preference of a root hemiparasite, Pedicularis cephalantha Franch. (Orabanchaceae). Folia Geobotanica 45: 443–455.

7) Li Ai-Rong, Guan Kai-Yun. 2008. Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi may serve as another nutrient strategy for some hemiparasitic species of Pedicularis (Orobanchaceae). Mycorrhiza 18:429–436.

8) Li Ai-Rong, Guan Kai-Yun. 2007. Mycorrhizal and dark septate endophytic fungi of Pedicularis species from northwest of Yunnan Province, China. Mycorrhiza, 17:103–109.

Projects

2014.01-2017.12 “Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on haustorium formation in Pedicularis tricolor under different nitrogen and phosphorus conditions” (grant No. 31370512), supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of P. R. China. Project leader

2012.12-2015.12 Chemical mechanisms for the suppresion of haustorium formation in root hemiparasitic Pedicularis tricolor by AM fungi (No. P2012-KF03), supported by the Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Project leader

2011.01-2014.12 Talent Program supported by Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. 2011312D11011). Project leader

2011.01-2013.12 Taxonomic studies, assessment and conservation of Chinese begonias (KSCX2-EW-J-24), supported by Chinese Academy of Sciences. Project leader

2010.01-2012.12 Nutrient interactions between two Pedicualris species and AMF and multitrophic strategies of the root hemiparasitic plants (No. 30970288), supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of P. R. China. Project leader

2009.12-2012.12 Study on nutrient strategies of two hemiparasitic species of the genus Pedicularis L. (No.2009CD114), supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan Province, P. R. China. Project leader

2008.01-2011.06 The bottleneck problems in cultivation of Pedicularis tricolor Handel-Mazzetti (No. 2908026513W1), supported by “Western Light” Talent Training Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Project leader

2007.1-2009.12 Study on the limiting factors to cultivation of Pedicularis L. (No.30670207), supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of P. R. China. Principal co-investigator