From September 15 to 17, 2023, the 3rd Biogeography Conference and Southwest Biodiversity Conservation Forum was held in Kunming, which was hosted by the Chinese Geographical Society (CGS) and Yunnan University, and co-sponsored by the Biogeography Committee of the CGS, the School of Ecology and Environment, and the Institute of International Rivers and Ecological Security of Yunnan University. Focusing on the theme of "Biogeography Patterns and Processes under Global Changes", the conference mainly exchanged the new achievements in international biogeography theories, methods, technologies and applications in recent years, and sorted out the important roles of China's biogeography research on biodiversity conservation, utilization of bioresources and environmental management under the background of global changes. The conference provided a platform for information exchange to consolidate the research characteristics of Chinese biogeography, to promote the development of Chinese biogeography, and to cultivate down-to-earth and innovative young talents in biogeography. More than 1,000 experts, scholars and postgraduates from 206 universities and research institutes attended this conference.

In this meeting, the College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, as one of the main convening units, organized a session on "Global Change and Vegetation Response", inviting teachers and students from 11 universities and research institutes, including Beijing Normal University, Fudan University, Hebei Normal University, Inner Mongolia University, Xi'an Botanical Garden of Shaanxi Province, Shaanxi Normal University,Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research,Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tibetan Plateau Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Subtropical agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, to conduct academic exchanges, the Institute of Professor Wei Liang and Zhang Junzhou young researcher successively presided over the session of the report. In the session, Professor Wei Liang made a special report entitled "Simulation of forest conditions in drought using process-based models". Zhang Junzhou gave a presentation entitled "Interaction between exogenous factors (climatic factors) and endogenous factors (tree age) on intra-annual radial growth of Qilian cypress in cold and arid regions". Associate Researcher Gao Linlin gave a presentation entitled "Temporal and spatial characteristics of secondary growth phenology of trees in the Northern Hemisphere and its influencing factors". Doctor Yang Haijiang, Postdoctoral Fellow of Cuiying, gave a lecture entitled "Changes in Ecosystem Service Functions of Qilian Mountains and Mountain Development Strategies". Doctoral student Liu Lanya gave a lecture entitled "Multi-scale impacts of climate extremes on vegetation in arid and semi-arid mountainous regions of China: A case study of Qilian Mountains". Master's degree student Liu Jie gave a presentation entitled "Characteristics of C, N and P distribution of coniferous forests in the Gannan Plateau and their influencing factors". Wei Yuxin, a Master's degree student, gave a presentation entitled "Synergy of ecosystem service trade-offs and their driving factors in loess hills and gullies". During the conference, participants listened to several academic reports and had in-depth communication with many experts and scholars, which provided a more open vision for future research.

The organizing committee announced at the closing ceremony of the conference that our university was qualified to host the 4th Chinese Biogeography Conference. Professor Wei Liang delivered a speech on behalf of the organizer, thanking the organizers and volunteers for a memorable congress, Lanzhou University has taken the baton for the next congress from Yunnan University, and on behalf of the next organizers, the College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University and the Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems, Ministry of Education, he warmly welcomes all delegates to gather in Lanzhou again in 2025!

Tree Wheel of the Year team participants from the College of Earth and Environmental Sciences give a presentation and pose for a group photo