On December 7th, Taizhou University held a grand opening ceremony for the “Taizhou University Biodiversity Exhibition Hall” on the sixth floor of the library, with the theme of “Coexisting with Nature and Walking with Biology.” It was attended by the officials from the Taizhou municipal government and our university, including Cai Haijiang, Member of the TU CPC Standing Committee and Director of TU’s Publicity Department, Shen Tuhua, Director of the Natural Ecology Protection Department of Taizhou Ecological Environment Bureau, Wu Qing, Deputy Director of Jiaojiang District of Taizhou Ecological Environment Bureau, Chen Haitang, President of Taizhou Ecological Environment Research Institute, Zhao Kai, Dean of TU’s School of Life Sciences, Zheng Xiaoli, Secretary of the Party Committee of TU’s School of Life Sciences, Zong Enmin, Vice Dean of TU’s School of Life Sciences, and teacher and student representatives. Qi Xin, Vice Dean of TU’s School of Life Sciences, presided over the ceremony.
Leaders, guests, and alumni representatives attending the ceremony take a group photo to commemorate the event
Cai Haijiang, on behalf of the university, expressed gratitude to the Taizhou Ecological Environment Bureau, Jiaojiang District Ecological Environment Bureau, and Taizhou Ecological Environment Research Institute for their support in the establishment of the exhibition hall. He pointed out that biodiversity is the foundation of life on Earth and the most precious asset bestowed upon us by nature. Taizhou’s unique geographical location and climate type have nurtured rich biodiversity and endemic species. As a local university, TU has the responsibility and obligation to contribute to biodiversity conservation. The TU Biodiversity Exhibition Hall is a small, exquisite and beautiful hall that integrates the results of years of biodiversity surveys by TU and local characteristic animal and plant specimens in Taizhou City. The completion of the exhibition hall will not only provide teaching and research services for the cultivation of undergraduate and master’s talents in the field of biology at our university, but also provide science popularization services to the society. It is an important window to showcase the unique biological resources of Taizhou.
Wu Qing congratulated the opening of the Biodiversity Exhibition Hall, pointing out that the construction of the Taizhou University Biodiversity Exhibition Hall has enriched the achievements of ecological civilization in Taizhou City and supported the construction of a beautiful Taizhou. He hopes to strengthen cooperation with TU and jointly promote the development of biodiversity conservation.
Under the witness of on-site guests and teachers and students, Zhao Kai and Chen Haitang unveiled the plaque for the TU Biodiversity Exhibition Hall.
The TU Biodiversity Exhibition Hall unveiled
After the ceremony, all teachers and students watched the biodiversity promotional video and visited the exhibition hall together. The exhibition hall displays representative animal and plant specimens from multiple groups, including rare and endangered plants, amphibians and reptiles, birds, mammals, and mollusks, that the university has accumulated over the years.
Venue tour
It is reported that TU has long been committed to research on biodiversity conservation and utilization, integrating into the construction of a beautiful Zhejiang, and striving to practice the “Two Mountains Theory” and “Ecological Civilization Thought.” It has been selected as a biodiversity experience site in Taizhou City. Relying on the School of Life Sciences, the university has leveraged platforms such as the first-class discipline of ecology in Zhejiang Province and the Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation in Zhejiang Province, and its talent and technology advantages to jointly establish the Taizhou Ecological Environment Science Research Institute, the Xianju National Park & TU Biodiversity Joint Laboratory, the Taizhou Human Settlements Ecological Environment Engineering Research Center, and the Taizhou Biodiversity Experience Area with local enterprises and institutions. It has undertaken 27 national level projects and 34 provincial and ministerial level projects related to biodiversity research, published more than 300 academic papers, published 9 monographs, obtained 50 patents, won 16 awards, participated in and undertook the monitoring and investigation of biodiversity in 9 counties (cities, districts) of Taizhou City, and discovered more than 40 new species such as the Chinese binary chironomid mosquito, Xianju Manoa chironomid mosquito, Kuocang small jumping locust, Taizhou pseudo layered hole fungus, Taizhou pseudo money fungus, as well as a series of national protected animals such as white pheasant and Chinese snail salamander. The related achievements have been reported by national mainstream media such as CCTV, Xuexi.cn, and China News Network.
