LIANG Dan

Aboutthe DAN Conservation Lab

Dan Liang is an Associate Professor in the School of Ecology at Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China. Trained as an animal ecologist and conservation scientist, he has broad interests in ecology, evolution, and biodiversity conservation. Before joining Sun Yat-sen University, Dan was an Associate Research Scholar at the Princeton School of International and Public Affairs, Princeton University. He received my PhD in Zoology from Sun Yat-sen University (2018) in Guangzhou, and earned his master’s degree in Zoology (2015) and bachelor’s degree in Wildlife and Nature Reserve Management (2012) from Southwest Forestry University in Kunming, China.

The members of the DAN (Diversity And Nature) Conservation Lab combine fieldwork, modeling, and data mining to understand how human-induced disturbances affect biodiversity and to identify solutions for more effective conservation.In recent years, we have focused primarily on (1) impacts of human disturbance on biodiversity, (2)ecology and conservation of migratory species, (3) biodiversity and conservation in montane ecosystems, and (4)human dimensions of biodiversity conservation.

The DAN Conservation Lab is a young and growing group. We welcome Master’s and PhD students with a strong interest in animal ecology and conservation science to join us. Undergraduates at SYSU are also encouraged to collaborate with the lab on senior dissertations.We currently have two open postdoctoral positions (see details here: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/0-hDmT4Yc1Dnd047jJ9JMQ). Highly motivated candidates with a strong background in animal ecology and conservation science are also encouraged to reach out to discuss other potential postdoctoral projects.

Education and Employment

2025 – present, Associate Professor, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University

2022 – 2025, Associate Research Scholar, Princeton University

2019 – 2022, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Princeton University

2015 – 2018, Ph.D. in Zoology, Sun Yat-sen University

2012 – 2015, M.Sc. in Zoology, Sun Yat-sen University

2008 – 2012, B.Sc. in Wildlife and Nature Reserve Management, Southwest Forestry University

Editorial Board Membership and Reviewing Service

Editorial Board Member: Diversity and Distributions, Avian Research, Biodiversity Science

Reviewer for: Current Biology, Conservation Biology, Biological Conservation, Journal of Animal Ecology, Diversity and Distributions, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Conservation Science and Practice, Ecosystem Health and Sustainability, Global Ecology and Conservation, Ecology and Evolution, The Condor: Ornithological Applications, Forktail

Selected Publications

1. Liang, D.(#), Giam, X. Hu, S., Ma, L., Wilcove, D. 2023. Assessing the illegal hunting of native wildlife within China. Nature. 623, 100–105（Featured in NatureNews and Views；ChinaDaily, South China Morning Post, The Paper）
2. Liang, D. (#), Mu, T., Yang, Z., Giam, X., Wang, Y., Li, J., Cai, S., Zhang, X., Wang, Y., Liu, Y., Wilcove, D. 2024. Assessing shorebird mortalities due to razor-clam aquaculture at key migratory stopover sites in Southeastern China. Conservation Biology, 38: e14185（Featured in ChinaDaily，Guangming Daily，Southern Weekly）
3. Liang, D., Pan, X.(#), Luo, X., Cheng, W., Hu, Y., Robinson, S., Liu, Y. 2021. Seasonal variation in community composition and distributional ranges of birds along a subtropical elevation gradient in China. Diversity and Distributions, 27: 2527–2541.
4. Zheng, K.(*), Liang, D.(*), Wang, X., Han, Y., Griesser, M., Liu, Y.(#), Fan, P.(#) Conspicuously contrasting color of the ventral wing is associated with collision avoidance in birds. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 289(1978), p.20220678. 
5. Liang, D.(*), Yang, S.(*), Pagani-Núñez, E.(*)(#), He, C., Liu, Y., Goodale, E., Liao, W.(#), Hu J.(#). 2020. How to Become a Generalist Species? Individual Niche Variation Across Habitat Transformation Gradients. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 8:597450. 
6. Liang, D., He, C., Luo, X., Liu, Y., Goodale, E., Pagani‐Núñez, E.(#), 2018. Breath rate of passerines across an urbanization gradient supports the pace‐of‐life hypothesis and suggests diet‐mediated responses to handling stress. Ecology and Evolution, 8(18), pp.9526-9535. 
7. Zhan, X., Huang, X., Pagani-Núñez, E., Tang, Q., Ho, H., Zhou, W., Liu, Y. and Liang, D.(#), 2024. The impacts of host traits on parasite infection of montane birds in southwestern China. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 12, p.1305305. 
8. Liang, D., Gao, G., Liu, Y., Luo, Xu (#). 2020. Breeding biology of a high altitudinal Aethopyga sunbird in southwestern China. Journal of Natural History. 54(37-38), pp.2381-2390. 
9. Liang, D., Gao, G., Pagani-Núñez, E., Pang, H., Liu, Y. (#), Luo, X. (#), & Robinson, S. K. (2018). Incubation behaviour of a high-altitude species: The Fire-tailed Sunbird Aethopyga ignicauda. Bird Study, 1-5. 
10. Liang, D., Gao, G., Han, L. X., & Luo, X (#). 2017. Breeding biology of Fire-tailed Myzornis (Myzornis pyrrhoura) in an alpine environment in Southwestern China. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 129(3), 568-575. 
11. Pagani-Núñez, E.(*), Liang, D.(*), He, C., Liu, Y., Luo, X., & Goodale, E. (2022). Dynamic trait-niche relationships shape niche partitioning across habitat transformation gradients. Basic and Applied Ecology. 59, 59-69. 
12. Pagani‐Núñez, E., Liang, D., He, C., Zhou, X., Luo, X., Liu, Y., Goodale, E.(#), 2019. Niches in the Anthropocene: passerine assemblages show niche expansion from natural to urban habitats. Ecography, 42, 1360–1369. 
13. Pan, X., Liang, D., Zeng, W., Hu, Y., Liang, J., Wang, X., Robinson, S.K., Luo, X.(#), Liu, Y(#). 2019. Climate, human disturbance and geometric constraints drive the elevational richness pattern of birds in a biodiversity hotspot in southwest China. Global Ecology and Conservation, 18, e00630. 
14. Zhan, X., Liang, D., Lin, X., Li, L., Wei, C., Dingle, C.(#), Liu, Y(#). 2021. Noise Levels but not Urbanization Increased Song Frequencies in an Urban Songbird in the Pearl River Delta, Southern China. Global Ecology and Conservation. p.eO1695. 
15. Hu, S., Liang, Z., Liang, D., Liu, Y., Zhong, J., Wei, Q. and Lee, T.M., 2024. Quantifying species biases among multidata sources on illegal wildlife trade and its implications for conservation. Conservation Biology, 38(5), p.e14351. 
16. Bibi, N., Gao, G., Liang, D. and Luo, X., 2024. High Incubation Attendance and Nesting Site Constraints of the Sclater's Monal in an Alpine Environment in Southwestern China. Ecology and Evolution, 14(12), p.e70665. 
17. Dayananda, S. K., Mammides, C., Liang, D., Kotagama, S. W., Goodale, E(#). 2021. A review of avian experimental translocations that measure movement through human- modified landscapes. Global Ecology and Conservation, p.e01876. 

Books

Sweet, P. Extraordinary Birds. Translated by Liang, D. 2017. Chongqing: Chongqing University Press.

Lederer, R. J. Latin for Birdwatchers. Translated by Liang, D. 2021. Chongqing: Chongqing University Press.

Liu Y., Chen S. The CNG Field Guide to the Birds of China. Translated and edited by Cai, S., Yang, Z., Liang, D., Mu, T., & Holt, P. Princeton Field Guides: Birds of China. 2023. Princeton University Press.