EcoSteering Lab
Welcome
Our research focuses on investigating the complex interactions between plants and microbes under stressed conditions, such as exposure to pollutants and physical stress. We use a variety of research approaches, including ecological monitoring of sites with controlled treatments, well-controlled pot trials and petri dish experiments, and numerical modeling. The ultimate goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the complex systems underlying plant-microbe interactions and to extract general principles that can be applied to advance ecological restoration and sustainable development.
News
2026
- 28 Sept. 2026. A new collaboration work published by Plant and Soil: Li M, Leung AK, Chen XW, 2026, Effects of plant roots on the erodibility of compacted soils can be explained by a biological indicator derived from Wilson’s model. link
- Aug. 2026. A new collaborative project working on plant root response under extreme conditions funded by Hong Kong UGC.
- 12-17 July 2026. Attended the 13th International Conference on Mycorrhiza (ICOM2026) in Cairns, Australia. link
- 21st April. 2026. A new paper accepted by The ISME Journal. Li HH, Chen XW, et al. 2026, Nanoplastics interfere with plant-mycorrhizal communication and limit plant growth. link
- 3rd Feb. 2026. Our book "Hand Book on Sustainable Management of Biodiversity: Strategies for a Thriving Planet" (CRC) have been submitted to publisher. Editors: Ming Hung Wong, Xun Wen Chen, and Masayuki Ushio. Thank all contributors from institutes of more than 10 countries.
- 9th Jan. 2026. A new paper accepted by Plant and Soil: Kamchoom K, ..., Chen XW, 2026, Combining compost and biochar facilitates moisture improvements and plant growth under field conditions. link
2025
- 20th Oct. 2025. A new paper accepted by New Phytologist: Luo XB, Chen XW, ..., 2025, Enhanced chromium detoxification mediated by an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus via arbutin-derived hydroquinone. link
- 9th Sept. 2025. Our Patent granted: Zhang Q, Chen XW, Liu D, Wang J, Wu J, Li H. Automated Processing for Stress–Strain Data of Plant Roots Subject to Pulling. Patent No.: ZL 2023 1 1341596.7. Grant Publication No.: CN 117332189 B. Granted Date: 9th Sept. 2025.
- 14th Mar 2025. All book chapter titles fixed for "Handbook of Sustainable Management of Biodiversity: Strategies for a Thriving Planet". Thank all contributors.
- 2nd Jan 2025. The proposal of the new book "Sustainable Management of Biodiversity: Strategies for a Thriving Planet" has been approved by CRC Press/Taylor & Francis. Editors: Ming Hung Wong, Xun Wen Chen, and Masayuki Ushio. We are welcoming chapter contributions!
