Research Area

At present, my research interests generally lie in population and community dynamics, and ecological networks. (1) By integrating data from field survey, online database and many other resources, we apply statistical and simulation modeling method to understand population dynamics and biodiversity under the impact of climate change and human disturbance. (2) Another interest is exploring, theoretically and empirically, how the structure of ecological networks affects the dynamics and functionality of ecosystems.

Contact Information

E-mail: yanchuan@lzu.edu.cn

Education

2010.09-2013.07    Ph.D. (Ecology), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

2007.09-2010.07    M.Sc. (Zoology), Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China

2003.09-2007.07    B.Sc.(Biosciences), Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China

Work Experience

  2019.10-present    Professor, Institute of Innovation Ecology, Lanzhou University, China

  2017.01-2019.09    Associate Researcher, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences，China

  2015.09-2016.09    Visiting scholar, University of Zurich, Switzerland

  2013.07-2016.12    Assistant Researcher, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences,China

Main Publications in Recent 5 Years 

*means corresponding author，^# means co-first author
Wan, X.#, Jiang, G.#, Yan, C.#, He, F., Wen, R., Gu, J., Li, X., Ma, J., Stenseth, N. C. and Zhang, Z. (2019). "Historical records reveal the distinctive associations of human disturbance and extreme climate change with local extinction of mammals." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116(38): 19001-19008.

Wang, Z., Wang, B., Yi, X., Yan, C., Zhang, Z. and Cao, L. (2019). "Re-caching behaviour of rodents improves seed dispersal effectiveness: Evidence from seedling establishment." Forest Ecology and Management 444: 207-213.

Yan, C. and Zhang, Z. (2019). "Impacts of consumer–resource interaction transitions on persistence and long‐term interaction outcomes of random ecological networks." Oikos 128: 1147-1157.

Yan, C. and Zhang, Z. (2019). "Meta-community selection favours reciprocal cooperation but depresses exploitation between competitors." Ecological Complexity 37: 55-62.

Li, N., Wang, Z., Li, X.-H., Yi, X.-F., Yan, C., Lu, C.-H. and Chen, S.-C. (2019). "Effects of Bird Traits on Seed Dispersal of Endangered Taxus chinensis (Pilger) Rehd. with Ex-Situ and In-Situ Conservation." Forests 10(9): 790.

Yang, X., Yan, C., Gu, H. and Zhang, Z. (2019). "Interspecific synchrony of seed rain shapes rodent‐mediated indirect seed–seed interactions of sympatric tree species in a subtropical forest." Ecology Letters. Online.

Li, N., Wang, Z., Zhang, S., Yan, C., Li, X. and Lu, C. (2019). "Importance of bird traits for seed dispersal patterns of co-fruiting trees in a patchy forest." Integrative Zoology 14(5): 470-478.

Cao, L., Wang, B., Yan, C., Wang, Z., Zhang, H., Geng, Y., Chen, J. and Zhang, Z. (2018). "Risk of cache pilferage determines hoarding behavior of rodents and seed fate." Behavioral ecology 29(4): 984-991.

Cao, L., Yan, C. and Wang, B. (2018). "Differential seed mass selection on hoarding decisions among three sympatric rodents." Behavioral ecology and sociobiology 72(10): 161.

He, J., Yan, C., Holyoak, M., Wan, X., Ren, G., Hou, Y., Xie, Y. and Zhang, Z. (2018). "Quantifying the effects of climate and anthropogenic change on regional species loss in China." PloS one 13(7): e0199735.

Wang, Z., Wang, B., Yi, X., Yan, C., Cao, L. and Zhang, Z. (2018). "Scatter-hoarding rodents are better pilferers than larder-hoarders." Animal behaviour 141: 151-159.

Yan, C. and Zhang, Z. (2018). "Dome-shaped transition between positive and negative interactions maintains higher persistence and biomass in more complex ecological networks." Ecological Modelling 370: 14-21.

Yan, C. and Zhang, Z. (2018). "Combined effects of intra-and inter-specific non-monotonic functions on the stability of a two-species system." Ecological complexity 33: 49-56.

Yang, X., Yan, C.*, Zhao, Q., Holyoak, M., Fortuna, M. A., Bascompte, J., Jansen, P. A. and Zhang, Z.* (2018). "Ecological succession drives the structural change of seed-rodent interaction networks in fragmented forests." Forest Ecology and Management 419: 42-50.

Yang, Y., Wang, Z., Yan, C., Zhang, Y., Zhang, D. and Yi, X. (2018). "Selective predation on acorn weevils by seed-caching Siberian chipmunk Tamias sibiricus in a tripartite interaction." Oecologia 188(1): 149-158.

Tian, H.#, Yan, C.#, Xu, L., Büntgen, U., Stenseth, N. C. and Zhang, Z. (2017). "Scale-dependent climatic drivers of human epidemics in ancient China." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114(49): 12970-12975.

Cao, L., Wang, Z., Yan, C., Chen, J., Guo, C. and Zhang, Z. (2016). "Differential foraging preferences on seed size by rodents result in higher dispersal success of medium‐sized seeds." Ecology 97(11): 3070-3078.

Yan, C., Xie, Y., Li, X., Holyoak, M. and Zhang, Z. (2016). "Species co‐occurrence and phylogenetic structure of terrestrial vertebrates at regional scales." Global ecology and biogeography 25(4): 455-463.

Yan, C. and Zhang, Z. (2016). "Interspecific interaction strength influences population density more than carrying capacity in more complex ecological networks." Ecological modelling 332: 1-7.

Zhang, H., Yan, C., Chang, G. and Zhang, Z. (2016). "Seed trait-mediated selection by rodents affects mutualistic interactions and seedling recruitment of co-occurring tree species." Oecologia 180(2): 475-484.

Zhang, Z., Wang, Z., Chang, G., Yi, X., Lu, J., Xiao, Z., Zhang, H., Cao, L., Wang, F., Li, H. and Yan, C. (2016). "Trade-off between seed defensive traits and impacts on interaction patterns between seeds and rodents in forest ecosystems." Plant ecology 217(3): 253-265.