This ministerial key Laboratory is co-organized by Chongqing University and Southwestern University, and conducts applied fundamental research, concentrating on the research fields of water environment, natural and urban ecosystem. To provide scientific and technical support for the water environment, human settlement environment and ecological construction of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA), the lab has carried out systematic, continuous and in-depth research on the evolution and development law, integrated control theory and key technologies of the reservoir ecological environment during the operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir. The related outcomes are able to guarantee the safe and stable operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir and the healthy development of the urban construction and social economy.

The Laboratory takes advantage of its unique geographical advantages to train outstanding research talents and undertake national and local research projects. According to the research direction and needs, the laboratory sets up open subjects to introduce mobile researchers to carry out research work, strengthens international and domestic cooperation, and strengthens personnel flow and carries out research through cooperative research. The lab is gradually optimize the  management, in line with international standards, perfect the construction of laboratory equipment, give full play to the equipment and talent advantage, and tried to build the three gorges reservoir area ecological environment education laboratory into both for the local social and economic development as well as the country's western development strategic services, and to higher scientific research and innovation of the domestic and foreign first-class key laboratory.

the laboratory now has 9,700 square meters of experimental and working rooms, including phyto-PAM chlorophyll fluorescence analyzer, AA800 atomic absorption spectrometer, Li-6400 photosynthesis measurement system, QC8500 nutrient automatic analyzer, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR instrument and other advanced instruments, with a total value of 40.8 million yuan. In addition, there are 8,000 square meters of ecological experimental site, 400 square meters of laboratory, experimental forest, experimental pool and more than 30,000 square meters of field experimental research base. It can ensure the smooth development of laboratory research in various research fields and research directions, such as aquatic ecosystem and water environment, structure and function of terrestrial ecosystem, system evolution and restoration and reconstruction, environmental impact of biodiversity, characteristics and protection of biodiversity, mechanism and control of karst rocky desertification.

The lab has four main research direction as follows:

1.Theory and technology of water environmental quality security in the TGRA

§  Evolution process and mechanism of water quality

§  Water environment security theory and policy

§  Engineering technology of water environment safety assurance

2.Terrestrial ecosystem and biodiversity conservation in the TGRA

§  Structure, stability and restoration of forest ecosystem

§  Terrestrial biology and biodiversity

§  Karst ecology, mechanism and control of rocky desertification

3. Aquatic biology and ecosystem in the TGRA

§  Ecological adaptation mechanisms of freshwater ecosystems and aquatic organisms

§  Theories and techniques related to fishery biology

4. Urban ecosystem and built environment in the TGRA

§  Theory and planning of urban ecological construction

§  Urban living environment and ecological environment quality assurance system

§  Theory and technology of urban solid waste resource recovery

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