Im an animal ecologist with a focus on wild mammal ecology and conservation in one of the biodiversity hotspots of China - the Tibetan Plateau.Among all wildlife, large mammals probably present the greatest challenge to conservation. Because of their large home ranges and space needs, there is widespread debate on whether the conservation of large mammals should rely on spatially separating them from humans through protected areas, or on facilitating their long-term existence in human-dominated landscapes. Answers to this debate and an understanding of their particular contexts are urgently needed, given the projected increase in human resource needs in the coming decades and the resultant further increase in the threats facing wildlife. My research started from the impact of human pastoral land use activities on an iconic large carnivore, the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and its natural prey species. Currently my interest developed into several aspects: 1) Why some species survived better to dominant human land use activities while some failed? 2) The complex interactions (trophic, spatial and temporal) among wild ungulates and carnivores under the context of human land use. 3) Based on the interactions, what is the ecological function of large carnivores and herbivores? Especially for the less adaptive species, does it matter if they go extinct? 4) The impact of national laws, policies and local social-economic context on conservation issues.Please check my personal website for more details: https://connect.xjtlu.edu.cn/user/lingyun-xiao

Conservation biology

Human-wildlife conflict and co-existence

Species interaction

Ecological function

Community-based conservation and wildlife monitoring

Wildlife trade

Postdoctoral researcher. Center for Nature and Society, Peking University. 2017-2020

Visiting Scholar. Montana University, US. 2015-2016

Scientific consultant. Shanshui Conservation Center (Snow leopard project, community-based conservation). 2012-now

Co-established and maintained community-based camera-trap monitoring network with Shanshui Conservation Center on the Tibetan Plateau. Lead the establishment of camera-trap database covering over 8 000 km2 of snow leopard habitat on the Tibetan Plateau, with >2.5 million photos collected through 264 local Tibetan herders. 2015-2018

Lead the collaboration of Snow Leopard Network in China to produce the joint report “Snow Leopard Survey and Conservation Status in China”. 2017-2018

ENV117 Foundational Research Skills for Environmental Scientists

ENV201 Research design

ENV101 Research and GIS skills

ENV117 Foundational Research Skills for Environmental Scientists

ENV201 Research design

ENV101 Research and GIS skills

2023: Best Research Award for 2022-2023, Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, School of Science, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

2022: National Geographic Explorer Award

2019: Conservation Biology Research Team of Peking University as the “Innovative Team 2019” awarded by the “Thousand Talents Program of the Qinghai Province”, key group member.

2017: Representative PhD graduates for Peking University

2013: Conservation Leadership Programme Future Conservationst Award

2013: May 4th award for outstanding PhD candidates in Peking University.