Traveling in the National Park丨In the Hainan Tropical Rainforest! A small observatory has a great impact

Scientific methods + smart means, the small scientific observatory releases "big energy"!

This is a national scientific observatory "hidden" in my country's first "tropical rainforest" type national park, rarely seen by the public.

Thanks to the persistence and inheritance of several generations of forestry science and technology workers, this small scientific observatory has made extraordinary contributions to the exploration of my country's tropical rainforest ecosystems, biodiversity surveys, ecological protection and restoration, and green development.

This is the Hainan Jianfengling Forest Ecosystem National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, also known as the Jianfengling Station.

Special identity "hiding in the wild"

Tropical rainforest resources are extremely scarce in my country, and Hainan is the only province in my country where tropical rainforests are distributed throughout the province. It is home to a variety of rare species of plants and animals that are unique to the tropics, China, and Hainan. It is not only one of the 34 biodiversity hotspots in the world, but also a key area for tropical biodiversity conservation in my country, and an important global germplasm resource gene bank, and its protection and research are of extraordinary value.

Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park.

Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park covers a large area, with a total area of ​​4,269 square kilometers, accounting for about 1/7 of the land area of ​​Hainan Island. Famous mountains such as Jianfengling, Wuzhishan, Yinggeling, Houmiling, Bawangling, Limushan, and Diaoluoshan are all within its scope.

The Jianfengling Station is located in the Jianfengling forest area with a maximum altitude of more than 1,400 meters. It is the most typical tropical forest ecosystem ecological monitoring and research platform in my country.

It is called "small" because the minimum number of people in the site is only 2; the maximum number of people is always around 30. However, in terms of work space, time span and research depth, the small site has played a "big" role.

In terms of workspace, the monitoring area of ​​Jianfengling Station reaches 600km², and nearly 200 long-term dynamic forest monitoring plots have been established, including the two largest tropical forest vegetation dynamic monitoring plots in the world (60 hectares of primary forest and 64 hectares of secondary forest), forming the Jianfengling tropical rainforest ecological quality monitoring system, ecosystem carbon sequestration capacity monitoring system, biodiversity monitoring network system, forest hydrology, microclimate and soil monitoring facilities.

Monitoring equipment deployed at the peak station in the primeval forest.

In terms of time span, Jianfengling Station was officially established in 1986 and was approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 1999 to become one of the first nine national field stations in my country. In fact, the work of Jianfengling Station can be traced back to 1957.

At present, its scientific research and monitoring data have not only become the basic reference data at the beginning of the establishment of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park, but also supported the frontiers of forestry science research such as the formation mechanism of tropical rainforest carbon sinks, the changing pattern of biodiversity, the protection and restoration of tropical rainforest ecosystems, the conservation of rare tropical animals and plants, and the corresponding mechanism of tropical rainforests responding to global climate change. It has provided data sharing and support services for more than 60 scientific research, teaching, and government management departments at home and abroad.

"Through the deployment of the main station and auxiliary station system, the long-term monitoring and research on the structure and function of tropical forest ecosystems, and the long-term field monitoring data accumulated by the stations have provided active and effective scientific and technological support for the country's response to climate change." said Chen Dexiang, researcher at the Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry and stationmaster of Jianfengling Station.

Technology supports the “ecological ledger”

204.513 billion yuan, this is the total amount of GEP (Gross Ecosystem Product) of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park in 2019, which was recently released by the Information Office of the Hainan Provincial Government. Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park became the first national park to publish GEP accounting results. This accounting is considered to have built a bridge between "green waters and green mountains" and "gold and silver mountains".

"Monitoring - Research - Application - Demonstration - Service" is the chain of scientific and technological work of the ecological station. Behind this "hard core" data, it is inseparable from the basic research results of Jianfengling Station.

"By studying the composition of woody plant communities in a 60-hectare plot of tropical mountain rainforest in Jianfengling, we found that there were 391,686 independent trees and shrubs with a breast diameter of 1.0 cm or more in the plot. We used infrared cameras to survey birds and mammals in the plot. In the past 2.5 years of investigation, we photographed 46 species of wild animals, including the Hainan peacock pheasant, Hainan mountain partridge and Chinese pangolin, which are all first-class protected wild animals in the country..."

Recently, under the guidance of the staff of Jianfengling Station and professional explanations along the way, the reporter traveled through the depths of the rainforest and came to the field observation complex building of Jianfengling Station. From the neatly organized file cabinet in the office, the reporter found a handwritten meteorological observation record book from 1959. On the yellowed, hard and brittle paper with ink smudges, the meteorological fluctuation curve outlined with time as the coordinate is still clearly visible, and the image of forestry scientific researchers who are conscientious, meticulous, responsible and dedicated is vividly portrayed on the paper.

"In the beginning, we conducted manual observation and sampling, and we walked up the mountain. A pen and a tape measure were standard equipment every time we went into the mountains, plus dry food and tents. The conditions were very difficult. Now we can say that we have upgraded our muskets to cannons." said Li Yide, the third stationmaster of Jianfengling Station, who has been engaged in Hainan tropical rainforest research for nearly 40 years, has won the National Science and Technology Progress First Prize, and was named "National Advanced Individual of Field Science and Technology Workers" by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Li Yide (second from right) leads students to replenish energy and exchange experiences during breaks from work in the rainforest.

Today, the field survey data collection system developed by Jianfengling Station based on sample plots and species information has realized efficient, high-quality collection and rapid storage of the station's real-time field monitoring data, as well as secondary processing of data products.

Inheriting and writing an "ecological chapter"

"The Hainan gibbon population has grown from two groups of less than 10 individuals 40 years ago to five groups of 35 individuals today. It is the only gibbon population that has achieved stability and growth." "The forest's water conservation capacity has been greatly improved, and its carbon fixation and oxygen release capacity has been significantly improved. The tropical rainforest ecotourism and forest health care environment are getting better and better."

Dr. Li Yanpeng from Jianfengling Station always mentions the latest developments in tropical rainforest protection when he gives science classes in communities and schools.

Screenshot of the 24-hour observation data system of Jianfeng Station.

Li Yanpeng said that the popular science work of Jianfengling Station not only encourages the general public to take practical actions to protect rare and endangered wild animals and plants and tells the story of the perseverance and dedication of the older generation of scientists, but also actively popularizes the characteristics of long-term, systematic and comprehensive scientific research and monitoring of Hainan's tropical rainforest ecosystem.

Jianfengling Station is located in a tropical virgin forest area. The long-term monitoring and research work of scientific researchers here requires the spirit of rooting in the grassroots, enduring hardships and selfless dedication. For a long time, batches of ecological station staff have overcome various difficulties, written papers on the land, and spread the scientific spirit and dedication to the scientific and technological community and the general public, passing it on from generation to generation.

"Jianfengling Station has become a base for training and cultivating the pioneering, dedication, unity and innovative spirit of scientific and technological workers. It plays an important demonstration and leading role in promoting scientific ethics and purifying the scientific research environment." Chen Dexiang said.

In Chen Dexiang's work plan, Jianfengling Station will undertake important tasks in the construction of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park in the future. It is necessary not only to establish an integrated monitoring system of "sky, earth and air", but also to further strengthen major scientific research and transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements such as the protection of tropical rainforests and Hainan gibbon biodiversity. At the same time, increasing investment in popular science has also been listed as a work priority of Jianfengling Station.

◎ Science and Technology Daily reporter Wang Zhuhua

Source: Science and Technology Daily. The pictures in this article are provided by Hainan Jianfengling Forest Ecosystem National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station.

Editor: Wang Yu

Review: Julie

Final review: Liu Haiying