In response to the spirit of the National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection, and to implement the requirements outlined in theOpinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Fully Promoting the Construction of a Beautiful Chinaand theNational Ecological Quality Supervision and Monitoring Work Plan (2023–2025), the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) has initiated the establishment of a national ecological quality monitoring network and organized the selection of comprehensive monitoring stations for ecological quality.
Recently, the MEE issued theNotice on the Second Batch of Comprehensive Monitoring Stations for Ecological Quality(Environmental Office Monitoring Letter [2024] No. 463). The Shiyang River Station Comprehensive Monitoring Station for Ecological Quality, led by Professor Cao Bo of Lanzhou University, was officially approved. This marks the first time Lanzhou University has been awarded a comprehensive monitoring station for ecological quality by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.
Image of Shiyang River Glacier
The comprehensive ecological quality monitoring stations are a critical component of the national ecological quality monitoring network, playing a "control role" in the supervision, monitoring, and evaluation of regional ecological quality. Their primary tasks include: "monitoring sample plots and accumulating data; integrating satellite-ground observations and ground validation; identifying problems and supporting regulatory efforts; conducting thematic research and training talents."
The research team at Lanzhou University’s Shiyang River Station is highly experienced, with strong academic credentials and extensive fieldwork expertise. Since 2006, the team has conducted continuous observations of meteorological, glacial, and ecological environmental changes in the Qilian Mountains. The team has established four glacier observation sites, accumulating nearly two decades of valuable data on glacier area, movement, mass balance, and meltwater. It has also undertaken numerous national-level research projects, including the National Key R&D Program’s Young Scientist Project, directly related to glacier monitoring. Several scientific achievements from the team have received high-level recognition from key leaders, providing critical support for local ecological civilization efforts.
The approval of the Shiyang River Comprehensive Monitoring Station for Ecological Quality by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment will significantly enhance the long-term and stable ecological quality monitoring of the Qilian Mountains' glacier ecosystems. It will enable in-depth research on how past, present, and future changes in the Qilian Mountain glaciers impact water resources and the ecological environment. This effort is of great significance for comprehensively and accurately understanding the ecological and environmental quality of the Qilian Mountains, safeguarding ecological security, and supporting the construction of ecological civilization and a Beautiful China.
