CAO Jianhua, a leader of technology field from Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences

CAO Jianhua received Bachelor’s degree of Stratigraphy and Palaeontology from Department of Earth Sciences, Nanjing University in June 1987and PhD in Soil Science from College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University in September, 2001.

Dr CAO is dedicated to study of karst geology and resource environmental effect.

He has accomplished 36 research projects at national and provincial or ministerial level.

Dr CAO is currently working on a key national research planning project “Revolution of Rocky Desertification in Karst Fault Basins and Its Treatment Technologies and Demonstration” and has achieved much progress.

He has published over 200 papers, among which more than 40 are SCI papers.

As the major Chinese partner and the first respondent, Dr CAO recommended American Professor Chris Groves and helped him win China’s International Science and Technology Cooperation Award in 2016.

Dr CAO won twicefirst prize and once second prize at provincial or ministerial level.

He has supervised 46 masters and doctors.

Dr CAO was awarded “Outstanding Talents of China Geological Survey”in 2016 and “Innovative Leaders of Ministry of Natural Resources” in 2018.

Dr CAO is selected as “Level-B Innovative High-level Talents of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region”.

Dr CAO’s major achievements are as follows:

First, he published the first research monograph in China—Biokarst, revealing the promotion of biological action on dissolution and weathering of carbonate rocks, which builds a bridge between karst geological processes and terrestrial ecological processes. The book won the third prize of Science and Technology of the former Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources.

Second, he proposed the theory of “Karst Carbon Cycle and Carbon Sink Effect at Watershed-scale”and its research methods, which answers the question of the academic community that the carbon cycle produced by the dissolution and weathering of carbonate rockscannot be used as a short-term carbon sink. Related results were reported as academic progress ofKarst Professional Committee of International Geographical Union (IGU), which promoted the publishment of China’s achievement on karst carbon cycle and carbon sink effect study on Science. It also won the first prize of Guangxi Natural Science Award.

Third, he published the first monograph on karst ecosystemThe Karst Ecosystem of Southwest China Restricted by Geological Conditions. Results of the study from the bookprovide geological theory, related treatment measures and classification for the compilation of China’s Planning Outline for Comprehensive Treatment of Rocky Desertification in Karst Areas (2006-2015). The monograph won the second prize of Science and Technology of the former Ministry of Land and Resources. Dr CAO participated in writing the briefing of the Ministry of Science and Technology “China’sKarst Rocky Desertification Control Has Made Significant Progress (2018.10)”.

Fourth, he operates the International Research Centre on Karst of UNESCO and has successfully held ten international training programmes and carried out six international cooperation projects. He has sent eight young people to study abroad, who later returned to China with their academic achievement; he has also introducedone outstanding young foreign scholar to work in China, which underpins international cooperation on karst geological environment along the “Belt and Road” countries.

The international cooperation has passed its first evaluation and been renewed. The National Joint Research Centre “Karst Dynamic and Global Change” was recognized by Ministry of Science and Technology in 2013. The International Science Planning “Resource Environmental Effect of Global Karst Dynamic” was launched in November, 2016. Dr CAO received congratulatory letters from Mr JIANG Daming, the then Ministerof Land and Resources and Ms Irina Bokova, the then Director-General of UNESCO.

                                                                                                                                       Translated from Official wechat of China natural resources daily