CBER External Seminar
Prof. Dr. Xin Sun - Research Progress on Urban Soil Biodiversity: Implications for Human Health and Sustainable Cities
CBER External Seminar
29 May 2025, 14:00 – 15:00
CBER External Seminar
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Xin Sun - Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Title: ‘Research Progress on Urban Soil Biodiversity: Implications for Human Health and Sustainable Cities'
Date: 29th May 2025
Time: 14:00pm-15:00pm
Venue: Anatomy G04 Gavin de Beer LT, Medical Sciences and Anatomy
For those at UCL East, there will be a live screening of the seminar in 1 Pool Street, People and Nature Lab, Room 219B.
You can also join us remotely via the Teams link below.
Abstract: Biodiversity is widely linked to human health, however, connections between human health and soil biodiversity in urban environments remain poorly understood. While the role of soil biodiversity in driving ecosystem functions in natural habitats is well-documented, its functional importance in urban contexts—particularly in supporting human health—has been largely overlooked. To address these questions, we conducted a continental-scale study spanning 13 cities, examining distribution patterns and main divers of urban soil biodiversity and its implications for human health. We emphasized the critical role of soil biodiversity in urban environments and its potential to contribute to human health. Building on these insights, we propose strategies to promote soil biodiversity with the aim of benefiting ecosystem and human health. Harnessing urban soil biodiversity to promote human health will provide a new perspective on nature-based solutions that helps meet the rising challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change and the growing burden of disease in human populations in cities.
Bio: Dr. Xin Sun is a Professor at the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, where she leads a research group focused on Urban Soil Ecology. She earned her PhD in Biology in 2011 from Nanjing University, China. From 2011 to 2019, Dr. Sun worked at the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. During this time, she was supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and spent four years conducting research at the University of Göttingen, Germany. At the end of 2020, she returned to China and joined the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Currently, Dr. Sun leads a research team investigating how land-use changes and human activities impact urban soil biodiversity and their feedback on ecosystem functioning. She also serves as a Subject Editor for several prestigious soil science journals, including Basic and Applied Ecology, European Journal of Soil Biology, and Pedobiologia.
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Prof. Dr. Xin Sun
Professor at the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Dr. Xin Sun is a Professor at the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, where she leads a research group focused on Urban Soil Ecology. She earned her PhD in Biology in 2011 from Nanjing University, China. From 2011 to 2019, Dr. Sun worked at the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. During this time, she was supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and spent four years conducting research at the University of Göttingen, Germany. At the end of 2020, she returned to China and joined the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Currently, Dr. Sun leads a research team investigating how land-use changes and human activities impact urban soil biodiversity and their feedback on ecosystem functioning. She also serves as a Subject Editor for several prestigious soil science journals, including Basic and Applied Ecology, European Journal of Soil Biology, and Pedobiologia.