Professor LI Songhai from the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was invited to IHB on May 9^th, 2023. (Credit: IHB)

Professor LI Songhai from the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was invited to the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on May 9^th, 2023. He delivered a lecture titled "Observation, Ecology, and Evolutionary Biology of Marine Mammals in the South China Sea".    

China's South China Sea boasts a wealth of cetacean resources, yet our knowledge remains limited. Prior to his talk, Professor Li screened a documentary filmed by his team during their cetacean research in the South China Sea. The footage of rare cetaceans was both enlightening and awe-inspiring.    

His presentation comprehensively elucidated the ecological, conservation, and research significance of marine mammals. Starting with the technical means employed in studying marine mammals, he systematically recounted his team's experiences in overcoming various challenges to obtain biological information (such as behavioral data, acoustic data, and tissue samples) from various South China Sea cetacean species. He further shared the latest research developments in the fields of cetacean ecology, behavior, and evolutionary biology based on this data and information.   

Prof. Li currently serves as a researcher and doctoral supervisor at the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is a recipient of the National Distinguished Young Scientist Fund and the Outstanding Youth Fund. To date, he has published over 100 SCI papers in journals such as Science, PNAS, and JASA.