Resume:

Dr. Zheng focuses on research of biogeochemistry of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) coupling in forest ecosystem. By far, his research team have 1) revealed the important role of microbial N fixation in forest ecosystems and quantified its contribution to forest N pools; 2) developed a driving model of microbial N fixation by incorporating C and N resources and proposed a theoretical hypothesis that N-rich forests could sustain high rates of N fixation as driven by C inputs; and 3) revealed the temporal pattern of soil C emission in forests under N deposition and the mechanisms underlying the responses and adaptation of forest ecosystem to chronic N deposition. Dr. Zheng has published 48 research papers, among which 28 papers were published as first or corresponding author in Nature Geoscience, Global Change Biology, Ecology Letters, Ecology, etc.. He was awarded the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars, the member of Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program of Ecological Society of China, the fellowship of China National Postdoctoral Program for Innovative Talents, and the Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of CAS.

Education and working experience:

2025.01 - now，South China Botanical Garden, CAS; Professor

2020.04 - 2024.12，South China Botanical Garden, CAS; Associate Professor

2018.07 - 2020.03，South China Botanical Garden, CAS; Postdoctor

2015.09 - 2018.06，South China Botanical Garden, CAS; Doctor of Philosophy in Ecology

2017.08 - 2017.12，Northern Arizona University, USA; Visiting Student

2016.12 - 2017.08，University of Oklahoma, USA; Visiting Student

2012.09 - 2015.06，South China Botanical Garden, CAS; Master of Philosophy in Ecology

2008.09 - 2012.06，South China Agricultural University; Bachelor of Philosophy in Ecology

Research areas:

Forest ecology

Carbon- and nitrogen-biogeochemistry

Global change ecology

1)Zheng M.H., Zhang T., Luo Y.Q., Liu J.X., Lu X.K., Ye Q., Wang S.H., Huang J., Mao Q.G., Mo J.M., Zhang W.. 2022. Temporal patterns of soil carbon emission in tropical forests under long-term nitrogen deposition. Nature Geoscience, 15, 1002-1010.

2)Zheng, M.H., Mo J.M.. 2022. Phased variation of soil respiration in tropical forests in response to nitrogen deposition. Nature Geoscience, 15, 965-966.

3)Zheng M.H., Chen H., Li D.J., Luo Y.Q., Mo J.M.. 2020. Substrate stoichiometry determines nitrogen fixation throughout succession in southern Chinese forests. Ecology Letters, 23, 336-347.

4)Zheng M.H., Zhou Z.H., Zhao P., Luo Y.Q., Ye Q., Zhang K.R., Song L., Mo J.M.. 2020. Effects of human disturbance activities and environmental change factors on terrestrial nitrogen fixation. Global Change Biology, 26, 6203-6217.

5)Zheng M.H., Zhou Z.H., Luo Y.Q., Zhao P., Mo J.M.. 2019. Global pattern and controls of biological nitrogen fixation under nutrient enrichment: A meta-analysis. Global Change Biology, 25, 3018-3030.

6)Mao J.H., Mao Q.G., Gundersen P., Gurmesa G.A., Zhang W., Huang J., Wang S.H., Li A.D., Wang Y.F., Guo Y.B., Liu R.Z., Mo J.M.*, Zheng M.H.*. 2022. Unexpected high retention of 15N-labeled nitrogen in a tropical legume forest under long-term nitrogen enrichment. Global Change Biology, 28, 1529-1543.

7)Fan L.J., Xue Y.W., Wu D.H., Xu M.C., Li A.D., Zhang B.X., Mo J.M., Zheng M.H.*. 2024. Long-term nitrogen and phosphorus addition have stronger negative effects on microbial residual carbon in subsoils than topsoils in subtropical forests. Global Change Biology, 30, e17210.

8)Zheng M.H., Zhang W., Luo Y.Q., Li D.J., Wang S.H., Huang J., Lu X.K., Mo J.M.. 2018. Stoichiometry controls asymbiotic nitrogen fixation and its response to nitrogen inputs in a nitrogen-saturated forest. Ecology, 99, 2037-2046.

9)Yu G.C., Chen J., Yu M.X., Li A.D., Wang Y.P., He X.H., Tang X.L., Liu H., Jiang J., Mo J.M., Zhang S., Yan J.H.*, Zheng M.H.*. 2023. Eighteen-year nitrogen addition does not increase plant phosphorus demand in a nitrogen-saturated tropical forest. Journal of Ecology, 111, 1545-1560.

10)Zheng M.H., Zhang W., Luo Y.Q., Wan S.Q., Fu S.L., Wang S.H., Liu N., Ye Q., Yan J.H., Zou B., Fang C.L., Ju Y.X., Ha D.L., Zhu L.W., Mo J.M.. 2019. The inhibitory effects of nitrogen deposition on asymbiotic nitrogen fixation are divergent between a tropical and a temperate forest. Ecosystems, 22, 955-967.

11)Zheng M.H.*, Xu M.C., Zhang J., Liu Z.F., Mo J.M.. 2024. Soil diazotrophs sustain nitrogen fixation under high nitrogen enrichment via adjustment of community composition. mSystems, 9, e00547-00524.

12)Xu M.C., Fan L.J., Li A.D., Liu Q.Y., Yu G.C., Wang S.H., Zhang B.X., Ye Q., Mo J.M., Zheng M.H.*. 2024. Plant and Microbial Carbon Are Important Drivers of Free-Living Nitrogen Fixation in Tropical Forest Soils: A New Discovery of Carbon-Driven Nitrogen Input. Geophysical Research Letters, 51, e2024GL111238.

13)Yu G.C., Wang Y.F., Li A.D., Wang S.H., Chen J., Mo J.M., Zheng M.H.*. 2025.Root functional traits are important predictors for plant resource acquisition strategies in subtropical forests, Ecological Applications, https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.3082.

14)Yu G.C., Zheng M.H.*. 2025. Root and Foliar Traits: Plant Responses to Nutrient Additions in Subtropical Forests. The Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, https:// doi.org/10.1002/bes2.2225.

15)Dai H.X., Liu Z.K., Bahadur A., Zheng M.H.*, Wu J.H.*. 2024. Climate and Substrate Stoichiometry Co-Regulate Free-Living Nitrogen Fixation at Regional and Global Scales. Earth's Future, 12:e2024EF005093.

16)Zheng M.H., Zhang T., Liu L., Zhu W.X., Zhang W., Mo J.M.. 2016. Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus additions on nitrous oxide emission in a nitrogen-rich and two nitrogen-limited tropical forests. Biogeosciences, 13, 3503-3517.

17)Zheng M.H., Zhang T., Liu L., Zhang W., Lu X.K., Mo J.M.. 2016. Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus additions on soil methane uptake in disturbed forests. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 121, 3089-3100.

18)Zheng, M.H., Xu M.C., Li D.J., Deng Q., Mo J.M.. 2023. Negative responses of terrestrial nitrogen fixation to nitrogen addition weaken across increased soil organic carbon levels. Science of the Total Environment, 877, 162965.

19)Zheng M.H., Zhang W., Luo Y.Q., Mori T., Mao Q.G., Wang S.H., Huang J., Lu X.K., Mo J.M.. 2017. Different responses of asymbiotic nitrogen fixation to nitrogen addition between disturbed and rehabilitated subtropical forests. Science of the Total Environment, 601, 1505-1512.

20)Zheng M.H., Chen H., Li D.J., Zhu X.M., Zhang W., Fu S.L., Mo J.M.. 2016. Biological nitrogen fixation and its response to nitrogen input in two mature tropical plantations with and without legume trees. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 52, 1-10.

21)Zheng M.H., Li D.J., Lu X., Zhu X.M., Zhang W., Huang J., Fu S.L., Lu X.K., Mo J.M.. 2016. Effects of phosphorus addition with and without nitrogen addition on biological nitrogen fixation in tropical legume and non-legume tree plantations. Biogeochemistry, 131, 65-76.

22)Zheng M.H., Huang J., Chen H., Wang H., Mo J.M.. 2015. Responses of soil acid phosphatase and beta-glucosidase to nitrogen and phosphorus addition in two subtropical forests in southern China. European Journal of Soil Biology, 68, 77-84.

23)Huang J., Zhang W., Li Y.L., Wang S.H., Mao J.H., Mo J.M.*, Zheng M.H.*. 2021. Long-term nitrogen deposition does not exacerbate soil acidification in tropical broadleaf plantations. Environmental Research Letters, 16:114042.

24)Huang J., Wang X., Zheng M.H.*, Mo J.M.. 2020. 13-year nitrogen addition increases nonstructural carbon pools in subtropical forest trees in southern China. Forest Ecology and Management, 118748.

25)Huang J., Liu J.X., Zhang W., Cai X.A., Liu L., Zheng M.H.*, Mo J.M.*. 2019. Effects of urbanization on plant phosphorus availability in broadleaf and needleleaf subtropical forests. Science of the Total Environment, 684, 50-57.

26)Huang, J., Liu L., Liu J.X., Zhang W., Wang S.H., Ye Q., Mo J.M., Zheng M.H.*. 2023. Seven years phosphorus addition has no effect on soil acidity in two tropical plantations. Forest Ecology and Management, 532:120822.

27)Mao J.H., Mo J.M., Zhang W., Huang J., Mao Q.G.*, Zheng M.H.*. 2024. Different indicative roles of stable nitrogen isotope in soil N dynamics of tropical leguminous and non-leguminous forests following nutrient addition. Plant and Soil, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-024-06523-y.

28)Mao J.H., Mao Q.G., Zheng M.H.*, Mo J.M.*. 2020, Responses of foliar nutrient status and stoichiometry to nitrogen addition in different ecosystems: a meta-analysis. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 125, e2019JG005347.

Co-authors：

1)Zhou J.N., Fang Y.T., Zheng M.H., Ma J.M., Li D.J.. 2023. Microbial controls on symbiotic and free-living N2 fixation in subtropical Pueraria lobata communities, southwest China. Biogeochemistry, 163, 85-97.

2)Liu Y., Zhang G.H., Luo X.Z., Hou E.Q., Zheng M.H., Zhang L.L., He X.J., Shen W.J., Wen D.Z.. 2021. Mycorrhizal fungi and phosphatase involvement in rhizosphere phosphorus transformations improves plant nutrition during subtropical forest succession. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 153, 108099.

3)Zhang J., Zheng M.H., Zhang Y.J., Wang J., Shen H., Lin Y.B., Tang X.L., Hui D.F., Lambers H., Sardans J., Peñuelas J., Liu Z.F.. 2021. Soil phosphorus availability affects diazotroph communities during vegetation succession in lowland subtropical forests. Applied Soil Ecology, 166, 104009.

4)Mori T., Wang S., Wang C., Chen J., Peng C., Zheng M.H., Huang J., Wang F., Liu Z., Mo J., Zhang W.. 2022. Effects of long-term phosphorus addition on soil ratios of phosphomonoesterase to phosphodiesterase in three tropical forests. Journal of Plant Ecology, 16, rtac091.

5)Mori T., Wang S., Peng C., Wang C., Mo J., Zheng M.H., Zhang W.. 2023. Importance of Considering Enzyme Degradation for Interpreting the Response of Soil Enzyme Activity to Nutrient Addition: Insights from a Field and Laboratory Study. Forests, 14, 1206.

6)Wu T., Tissue D.T., Li X., L S.Z., Chu G.W., Zhou G.Y., Li Y.L., Zheng M.H., Meng Z., Liu J.X.. 2020. Long-term effects of 7-year warming experiment in the field on leaf hydraulic and economic traits of subtropical tree species. Global Change Biology, 26, 7144-7157.

7)Wu T., Liu S.Z., Lie Z.Y., Zheng M.H., Duan H.L., Chu, G.W., Meng Z., Zhou G.Y., Liu J.X.. 2020. Divergent effects of a 6-year warming experiment on the nutrient productivities of subtropical tree species. Forest Ecology and Management, 461, 117952.

8)Wu T., Tissue D.T., Su W., Li X., Yang S.M., Liu X.J., Liu Y., Lie Z.Y., Zhou S.Y.D., Meng Z., Yan J.H., Tang X.L., Liu S.Z, Chu G.W, Zheng M.H., Liu J.X.. 2023. Long-term field translocation differentially affects arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal trees in a sub-tropical forest. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 342, 109724.

9)Wu T., Tissue D.T., Zhou G., Yan J., Zheng M.H., Li X., Song Y., Li Y., Tang X., Liu S., Chu G., Meng Z., Ye Q., Liu J.. 2022. Direct and Indirect Effects of Long-Term Field Warming Methods on the Physical Environment and Biological Responses in a Subtropical Forest. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 5, 877025.

10)Zhou Z.H., Wang C.K., Zheng M.H., Jiang L.F., Luo Y.Q.. 2017. Patterns and mechanisms of responses by soil microbial communities to nitrogen addition. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 115, 433-441.

11)Chen H., Zheng M.H., Mao Q.G., Xiao K.C., Wang K.L., Li D.J.. 2019. Cropland conversion changes the status of microbial resource limitation in degraded karst soil. Geoderma, 352, 197-203.

12)Zheng L., Chen H., Wang Y.Q., Mao Q.G., Zheng M.H., Su Y.R., Xiao K.C., Wang K.L., Li D.J.. 2020. Responses of soil microbial resource limitation to multiple fertilization strategies. Soil and Tillage Research, 196, 104474.

13)Wang Z.C., Li D.J., Zheng M.H., Chen H., Sun X.B., Wang K.L.. 2019. Topography modulates effects of nitrogen deposition on asymbiotic N2 fixation in soil but not litter or moss in a secondary karst forest. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 124, 3015-3023.

14)Wang W.J., Meng D.L., Tan X.P., Zheng M.H., Xiao J.J., Li S.Y., Mo Q.F., Li H.S.. 2024. Nitrogen addition accelerates litter decomposition and arsenic release of Pteris vittata in arsenic-contaminated soil from mine. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 271, 115959.

15)Zhou K.J., Lu X.K., Mori T., Mao Q.G., Wang C., Zheng M.H., Mo H., Hou E.Q., Mo J.M.. 2018. Effects of long-term nitrogen deposition on phosphorus leaching dynamics in a mature tropical forest. Biogeochemistry, 138, 215-224.

16)Wang H., Liu S.R., Zhang X., Mao Q.G., Li X.Z., You Y.M., Wang J.X., Zheng M.H., Zhang W., Lu X.K., Mo J.M.. 2018. Nitrogen addition reduces soil bacterial richness, while phosphorus addition alters community composition in an old-growth N-rich tropical forest in southern China. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 127, 22-30.

17)Chen H., Gurmesa G., Zhang W., Zhu X.M., Zheng M.H., Mao Q.G., Zhang T., Mo J.M.. 2015. Nitrogen saturation in humid tropical forests after 6 years of nitrogen and phosphorus addition: Hypothesis testing. Functional Ecology, 30, 305-313.

18)Mori T., Zhou K.J., Wang C., Wang S.H., Wang Y.P., Zheng M.H., Lu X.K., Zhang W., Mo J.M.. 2020. Effects of 14-year continuous nitrogen addition on soil arylsulfatase and phosphodiesterase activities in a mature tropical forest. Global Ecology and Conservation, e00934.

19)Mori T., Lu X., Wang S.H., Wang C., Wang Z.H., Zheng M.H., Mo J.M.. 2024. Lack of P limitation on litter decomposition: a case study from long-term addition of phosphorus and nitrogen in three subtropical forests in southern China. Journal of Forest Research, 1-8.

20)Zhou Z.H., Zheng M.H., Xia J.Y., Wang C.K.. 2022. Nitrogen addition promotes soil microbial beta diversity and the stochastic assembly. Science of the Total Environment, 806:150569.