Research Area: Molecular & Evolutionary Ecology in Aquatic Ecosystems

Research interest: Aquatic ecosystems are the lifeblood of our planet, yet they are

increasingly threatened by intensifying anthropogenic disturbances and global

environmental change. My research focuses on interactions between biological

community and environmental stress across two contrasting scenarios: water

pollution as a major driver of native species decline while invasive species

proliferation in harsh environments. Through these complementary perspectives,

I investigate the ecological and evolutionary processes and mechanisms

governing the responses of both native and non-native taxa to environmental

challenges. By integrating multidisciplinary approaches, including multi-omics

technologies, ecological and evolutionary modeling, field-based observations,

and controlled laboratory simulations, I develop a full-chain research

framework that links methodological innovation, mechanistic understanding, and

management-oriented applications. My research interests broadly include:

(1) Methodological development: advancing

multi-omics tools, environmental DNA/RNA technologies, and

ecological-evolutionary modeling to improve the detection, quantification, and

prediction of ecosystem structure and functioning under multiple stressors.

(2) Mechanistic investigation: elucidating

dispersal pathways, colonization dynamics, and invasion processes of aquatic

invasive species; understanding rapid microevolution and local adaptation to

environmental stressors; and assessing interactive effects of pollutants,

biological invasions, and climate extremes on biodiversity and ecosystem

functioning.

(3) Management solutions: developing

sustainable techniques, policy-relevant tools, and resilience-based management

frameworks for early detection, risk assessment, and early warning of aquatic

invasive species, as well as mitigating pollution impacts to support long-term

biodiversity conservation and ecosystem resilience.

B.Sc. in Marine Biotechnology    09/1999 - 07/2003

Department of Marine Biotechnology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China

Ph.D.in Genetics    09/2003 - 07/2007

Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China

PDF & Research Associate in Molecular and Evolutionary Ecology 09/2007 - 10/2012

Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada

South Centers, Ohio State University, Piketon, USA

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada

06/2016 - present  Vice Director

Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

10/2015 - present  Professor

School of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

01/2015 - present  Adjunct Professor

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER), University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada

10/2012 - present  Professor

Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

10/2009 - 10/2014  Adjunct Professor

Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China

Peer-reviewed publications (a total of 204)

Selected publications in biological invasions

1.      X. Huang, A. Unger, N. Shenkar, A. Zhan*. Evolving gene expression

plasticity under climate change: a case study of thermal adaptation in the

invasive tunicate Herdmania momus. Molecular Ecology, 2026, 35: e70236. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70236

Significance: We found gene expression plasticity could evolve rapidly following recent

colonization. Interestingly, front-loading, characterized by elevated baseline

gene expression but reduced plasticity, was the predominant strategy for genes

involved in stress responses. All these findings illustrate that the evolution

of plasticity is function-dependent during rapid adaptation to changing

climates.

2.      X. Huang, R. Platin, A. Unger, N. Shenkar, A. Zhan*. Interplay of

multilayered transcriptomic plasticity in response to temperature extremes in

marine invasive species. Molecular Ecology, 2025, 34: e70013.

https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70013

Significance: We dissected how multilayered transcriptomic plasticity, including gene

expression, alternative splicing, and polyadenylation, enables rapid responses

to environmental challenges, thereby facilitating invasion success in the early

stages of biological invasions.

3.      W. Yan, R. Fu, X. Huang, A. Zhan*. Dynamic and functional miRNA-mediated

gene regulations in response to recurrent environmental challenges during

biological invasions. Molecular Ecology, 2025, 34: e17749. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.17749

Significance: By integrating miRNAomic and transcriptomic data, we demonstrated how microRNAs

enabled invasive species to rapidly and flexibly regulate gene expression under

recurrent environmental stress, including the “stress memory” effect, thus

highlighting the importance of miRNA-mediated regulatory networks in shaping

short-term phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental changes.

4.      M. Zhang, S. Li, F. Wang, J. Zhu, Y. Zhang, A. Zhan*. Multi-dimensional

tolerance of mussel gills to low temperatures for high-latitude invasion

success. Journal of Animal Ecology, 2025, 94: 1720-1738. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70078

Significance: We revealed how invasive mussels integrate behavioral, morphological,

biochemical, and molecular strategies to withstand low temperatures,

facilitating their rapid, successful invasions into high-latitude (colder)

regions.

5.      S. Li, J. Zhu, M. Zhang, Y. Zhang, A. Zhan*. Managing freshwater

biofouling: insights into byssal adhesion of invasive mussels on underwater

surfaces. Journal of Environmental Management, 2025, 380: 124965.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.124965

Significance: We identified key proteins and metabolic pathways driving byssal biofouling and

their interactions with material properties (metal content, surface charge, and

hydrophobicity). These findings inform the development of effective

anti-invasion and antifouling strategies.

6.      Y. Chen, Y. Gao, X. Huang, S. Li, Z. Zhang, A. Zhan*. Incorporating

adaptive genomic variation into predictive models for invasion risk assessment.

Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, 2024, 18: 100299.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ese.2023.100299

Significance: We developed a framework integrating adaptive genomic variation with habitat

suitability models to improve the accuracy of predicting species invasion risks

under climate change scenarios.

7.      H. Li, X. Huang, A. Zhan*. Context‑dependent antioxidant defense

system (ADS)‑based stress memory in response to recurrent environmental

challenges in congeneric invasive species. Marine Life Science &

Technology, 2024, 6: 315-330. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42995-024-00228-y

Significance: The study provides evidence for the "context-dependent stress memory

hypothesis", showing that species-specific memory can emerge at different

regulatory levels. These results enhance our understanding of how invasive

species utilize phenotypic plasticity to maintain homeostasis and achieve

invasion success in rapidly changing environments.

8.      Y. Chen, Y. Gao, Z. Zhang, A. Zhan*. Multi-omics inform invasion risks

under global climate change. Global Change Biology, 2024, 30: e17588.

https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17588

Significance: For the first time, we developed an integrated genome-epigenome index framework

to enhance predictions of invasion risks under global climate change, further

revealing that native populations pose greater risks in future climates.

9.      X. Li, S. Li, J. Cheng, Y. Zhang, A. Zhan*. Deciphering protein-mediated

underwater adhesion in an invasive biofouling ascidian: Discovery, validation,

and functional mechanism of an interfacial protein. Acta Biomaterialia,

2024, 181: 146-160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2024.04.036

Significance: We found that Ascidian Adhesive Protein 1 (AAP1) mediated permanent underwater

adhesion in invasive tunicates through electrostatic, hydrophobic, and

VWFA-domain interactions, providing insights for biomimetic adhesives and

antifouling strategies.

10.   Z. Xia, J. Gu, Y. Wen, X. Cao, Y. Gao, S. Li, G.D. Haffner, H.J. MacIsaac, A.

Zhan*. eDNA-based detection reveals invasion risks of a biofouling bivalve

in the world’s largest water diversion project. Ecological Applications,

2024, 34: e2826. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2826

Significance: We developed an eDNA-based approach to monitor and assess invasion risks of

invasive species in the world’s largest water diversion project, offering a

powerful tool for rapid response to invasive species (EDRR).

11.   Y. Chen, P. Ni, R. Fu, K.J. Murphy, R.C. Wyeth, C.D. Bishop, X. Huang, S. Li, A.

Zhan*. (Epi)genomic adaptation driven by fine geographical scale

environmental heterogeneity after recent biological invasions. Ecological

Applications, 2024, 34: e2772. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2772

Significance: We found complementary interplay of genomic and epigenomic variation involved

in local adaptation at fine geographical scales after recent biological

invasions, informing predictions of invasion risk and management strategies.

12.   J. Cheng, S. Li, X. Li, A. Zhan*. Influence of calcium concentration on

larval adhesion in a highly invasive fouling ascidian: from morphological

changes to molecular mechanisms. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2024, 200:

116119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116119

Significance: This study reveals that both low and high environmental Ca²⁺ levels impair larval

adhesion in invasive Ciona robusta by altering adhesive structures, gene

expression, and energy allocation, providing mechanistic insights that can

inform the development of targeted antifouling strategies.

13.   X. Huang, H. Li, A. Zhan*. Multidimensional initial plastic changes jointly

contribute to rapid acclimation to environmental challenges during biological

invasions. RNA, 2023, 29: 675-690.

https://doi.org/10.1261/rna.079319.122

Significance: Gene expression, alternative splicing (AS), and alternative polyadenylation

(APA) regulations independently acted on different gene sets and corresponding

biological functions, thus highlighting their nonredundant roles in molecular

phenotypic plasticity during biological invasions.

14.   Y. Gao, Y. Chen, S. Li, X. Huang, J. Hu, D.G. Bock, H.J. MacIsaac, A. Zhan*.

Complementary genomic and epigenomic adaptation to environmental heterogeneity.

Molecular Ecology, 2022, 31: 3598-3612.

https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16500

Significance: For the first time, we demonstrated that complementary yet independent genetic

and epigenetic mechanisms enabled invasive populations to adapt to local

environmental heterogeneity, providing insights into their persistence and

success in novel environments.

15.   S. Li, X. Li, J. Cheng, A. Zhan*. Effectiveness and mechanisms of

recoverable magnetic nanoparticles on mitigating golden mussel biofouling. Environmental

Science & Technology, 2021, 55: 2500-2510.

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c08014

Significance: We developed a recoverable, magnetic nanoparticle-based antifouling strategy

that effectively mitigates biofouling by invasive mussels, thus offering a

promising approach for controlling biofouling in aquatic ecosystems.

Selected publications in water pollution

1.      S. Meng, W. Xiong, X. Jin, R. Stoks, A. Zhan*. Pesticide-induced hormesis

counteracts negative effects of heat spike within and across generations in

zooplankton. Environmental Science & Technology, 2025, 59:

17403-17415. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c03006

Significance: Both the main and interactive effects of heat spikes and chlorpyrifos

transmitted to unexposed offspring and grand-offspring, providing the first

evidence of transgenerational pesticide-climate interactions and highlighting

the importance of hormetic and transgenerational effects in evaluating

pollutant impacts under warming.

2.      S. Meng, X. Jin, W. Xiong, R. Stoks, Aibin Zhan*. Adaptive

transgenerational effects offset the increased toxicity of the pesticide

chlorpyrifos under heat stress. Environmental Science & Technology,

2025, 59: 27267-27278. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c09369

Significance: This study demonstrates that transgenerational effects can both amplify and

mitigate combined pesticide-heat stress impacts, highlighting their critical

role in shaping toxicant-warming interactions and the need to include

multi-stressor, cross-generational dynamics in ecological risk assessments.

3.      L. Hou, W. Xiong, M. Chen, J. Xu, A.C. Johnson, A. Zhan*, X. Jin. Pesticide

pollution reduces the functional diversity of macroinvertebrates in urban

aquatic ecosystems. Environmental Science & Technology, 2025, 59,

8568-8577. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c01093

Significance: Pesticides are a critical global threat to biodiversity, with a megacity case

study here showing that they disproportionately erode the functional diversity

of biological communities.

4.      W. Xiong, T. Chen, X. Du, L. Hou, Y. Chen, J. Han, A. Zhan*. Ecological

impacts of treated effluent on multitrophic biodiversity and their

interactions. Environmental Research, 2025, 277, 121585.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.121585

Significance: This study elucidates how wastewater treatment plant effluent differentially

affects multi-trophic communities and their interaction networks in rivers with

contrasting nutrient regimes, providing critical insights for predicting

ecological consequences and guiding sustainable management of urban aquatic

ecosystems.

5.      W. Xiong, Y. Chen, A. Zhan*. Dominance of species sorting over dispersal at

microgeographical scales in polluted lotic ecosystems. Environmental

Pollution, 2023, 33: 122093. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122093

Significance: Building on our earlier work on fine-scale species sorting (see publication

10), for the first time, we proposed and validated the microspatial species

sorting hypothesis, showing that species sorting dominates over dispersal in

shaping zooplankton communities at ~1.2 km scales. The findings advance our

understanding of local community assembly under anthropogenic disturbances.

6.      W. Xiong, P. Ni, Y. Chen, Y. Gao, B. Shan, A. Zhan*. Zooplankton community

structure along a pollution gradient at fine geographical scales in river

ecosystems: the importance of species sorting over dispersal. Molecular

Ecology, 2017, 26: 4351-4360. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.14199

Significance: We proposed and validated the fine geographical scale species sorting

hypothesis, demonstrating that species sorting predominates over dispersal in

shaping zooplankton community structure at fine scales (~200 km). The results

highlight the need to manage pollution to preserve biodiversity at even fine

geographical scales.

7.      Y. Yang, S. Li, Y. Gao, Y. Chen, A. Zhan*. Environment-driven geographical

distribution of bacterial communities and identification of indicator taxa in

Songhua River. Ecological Indicators, 2019, 101: 62-70.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.12.047

Significance: This study offers insights into the ecological patterns and processes that

shape microbial communities across different regions of the Songhua River

Basin. Accordingly, river-specific indicator species were proposed to monitor

the restoration of river ecosystems.

8.      Y. Yang, Y. Gao, Y. Chen, S. Li, A. Zhan*. Interactome-based abiotic and

biotic impacts on biodiversity of plankton communities in disturbed wetlands. Diversity

and Distributions, 2019, 25: 1416-1428. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12949

Significance: This study demonstrates how the interplay between abiotic and biotic factors

influences plankton biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems, highlighting the

need for integrated approaches in ecological studies and conservation efforts.

9.      Y. Yang, Y. Gao, X. Huang, P. Ni, Y. Wu, Y. Deng, A. Zhan*. Adaptive shifts

of bacterioplankton communities in response to nitrogen enrichment in a highly

polluted river. Environmental Pollution, 2019, 245: 290-299.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.11.002

Significance: This study elucidates how biological communities respond to nutrient pollution

in freshwater ecosystems, informing strategies for effective water quality

management.

10.   W. Xiong, P. Ni, Y. Chen, Y. Gao, S. Li, A. Zhan*. Biological consequences

of environmental pollution in running water ecosystems: a case study in

zooplankton. Environmental Pollution, 2019, 252: 1483-1490.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.06.055

Significance: This study shows that anthropogenic water pollution profoundly alters

biological communities, emphasizing the importance of incorporating these

insights into monitoring and ecosystem management for effective conservation

and restoration.

Selected publications in method development

1.      F. Wang, W. Xiong, X. Huang, S. Li, A. Zhan*. Residual eDNA in eRNA extracts

skews eRNA-based biodiversity assessment: call for optimised DNase treatment. Molecular

Ecology Resources, 2026, 26: e70102. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.70102

Significance: This study shows that residual eDNA in eRNA extracts can inflate species

richness, generate false positives, and distort community composition in

eRNA-based biodiversity assessments. Our results highlight residual eDNA as a

major source of bias and underscore the necessity of optimized DNase treatment

for accurate inference of contemporary biodiversity.

2.      F. Wang, W. Xiong, X. Huang, A. Zhan*. Selecting competent reverse

transcription strategies to maximise biodiversity recovery with eRNA

metabarcoding. Molecular Ecology Resources, 2025, 25: e14092.

https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.14092

Significance: We evaluated and recommended optimal reverse transcription strategies for eRNA

metabarcoding, underscoring the critical role in accurate biodiversity

monitoring and effective conservation in ecological, environmental, and

evolutionary studies.

3.      D. Sun, S. Li, W. Xiong, X. Du, K. Qiao, A. Zhan*. Monitoring bloom-forming

Aphanizomenon using environmental DNA-metabarcoding: method development,

validation, and field application. Journal of Environmental Sciences,

2025, 150: 477-489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2024.02.007

Significance: We developed an eDNA-based, high-throughput quantitative PCR strategy for

accurate, rapid, and real-time monitoring of bloom-forming algae, enabling

effective detection and prevention of harmful algal blooms.

4.      F. Wang, W. Xiong, Y. Liu, X. Zhai, J. Zhou, H. Li, X. Huang, Y. Chen, K. Zhou, A.

Zhan*. Exploring technical improvements for environmental nucleic acids-based

biodiversity assessment and management in coastal ecosystems. Journal of

Environmental Management, 2025, 377: 124724. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.124724

Significance:

This study shows that eRNA metabarcoding reduces false positives (caused by

eDNA contamination derived from human activities) compared with eDNA in highly

disturbed aquatic ecosystems, providing crucial guidance for biodiversity

assessment and management for aquatic ecosystems under anthropogenic pressure.

5.      

W.

Xiong, H.J. MacIsaac, A. Zhan*. An overlooked source of false positives

in eDNA-based biodiversity assessment and management. Journal of

Environmental Management, 2024, 35: 120949.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120949

Significance: We identified eDNA contamination from human activities as a previously

overlooked source of false positives in highly disturbed aquatic ecosystems,

providing critical insights for improving the accuracy and reliability of

eDNA-based biodiversity assessments.

6.      X. Du, W. Xiong, S. Li, A. Zhan*. Conventional net tow versus environmental

DNA for metabarcoding-based analysis of plankton-environment interactions in

polluted aquatic ecosystems. Ecological Indicators, 2024, 158: 111356.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.111356

Significance: This study demonstrates that eDNA metabarcoding outperforms traditional net tow

methods in assessing freshwater zooplankton biodiversity and geographical

distribution, providing a more comprehensive tool for biodiversity assessment

and ecosystem health monitoring.

7.      W. Xiong, A. Zhan*. Testing clustering strategies for metabarcoding-based

investigation of community-environment interactions. Molecular Ecology

Resources, 2018, 18: 1326-1338. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.12922

Significance: We evaluated and recommended optimal clustering strategies for analyzing

community-environment interactions from metabarcoding big data, providing a

fast, reliable, and computationally efficient approach for big data processing.

50) A. Zhan. Ecological mechanisms of spatio-temporal succession of zooplankton communities driven by water pollution. Invited Seminar Talk by College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University. November 13, 2020, Tianjin, China.

49) A. Zhan. Biological Invasions in aquatic ecosystems: overlooked issues and research perspectives. Invited Keynote Talk by the 4^th International Conference on Global Change and Biological Invasion. November 16 - 19, 2020, Zhenjiang, China.

48) A. Zhan. Dynamics of rapid microevolution during biological invasions. Invited Seminar Talk by the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. October 30, 2020, Changchun, China.

47) A. Zhan. Early detection of invasive species using environmental DNA. Invited Plenary Talk by the 2^nd National Congress on Environmental DNA and Ecological Integrity Assessment. October 14-16, 2020, Kunming, China.

46) A. Zhan. Evolutionary adaptation during biological invasions in aquatic ecosystems. Invited Seminar Talk by the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. December 05, 2019, Beijing, China.

45) A. Zhan. Long-term and short-term adaptation in marine invasive species. Invited Seminar Talk by the School of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University. November 30, 2019, Shanghai, China.

44) A. Zhan. Molecular mechanisms of rapid local adaptation in aquatic invaders. Invited Plenary Talk by the 18^th Annual Congress of the Ecological Society of China. November 29 – December 01, 2019, Kunming, China.

43) A. Zhan. Biodiversity assessment using environmental DNA in aquatic ecosystems. Invited Plenary Talk by the 1^st National Congress on Environmental DNA and Ecological Integrity Assessment. September 07, 2019, Nanjing, China.

42) A. Zhan. Rapid environmental adaptation during biological invasions: processes and mechanisms. Invited Plenary Talk by the Society of Zoology Biogeography of China. June 15, 2019, Beijing, China.

41) A. Zhan. Mechanisms of rapid environmental adaptation in aquatic invaders. Invited Seminar Talk by College of Biological Sciences, Fudan University. June 13, 2019, Shanghai, China.

40) A. Zhan. Mechanisms of rapid microevolution in marine invaders. Invited Plenary Talk by the 9^th National Symposium of Young Ecologists. January 10 - 13, 2019, Xiamen, China.

39) A. Zhan. Research progress and perspective in aquatic invasions. Invited Plenary Talk by the 8^th China Ecologist Club. November 30-December 3, 2018, Kunming, China.

38) A. Zhan. Molecular mechanisms of rapid environmental adaptation in marine invasive species. Invited Plenary Talk by the 3^rd International Conference on Biological Invasion and Global Change. November 4-8, 2018, Kaifeng, China.

37) A. Zhan. Molecular mechanisms of rapid local adaptation in invasive species. Invited Seminar Talk by the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. November 3, 2018, Beijing, China.

36) A. Zhan. Monitoring and predicting anthropogenic disturbance on aquatic ecosystem using environmental DNA (eDNA): basic principles and applications. Invited Plenary Talk by the 3rd Singapore-Nanjing Eco Hi-Tech Island International Water Environment Management Summit. October 22-23, 2018, Nanjing, China.

35) A. Zhan. Why do we care about invasive species? Opening Ceremony Talk by the Marine and Freshwater Invasive Species (MFIS-China). August 27 - 29, 2018, Beijing, China.

34) A. Zhan. Pollution-driven species sorting at fine geographical scales in rivers. Invited Talk by the RCEES-EAWAG Collaboration Conference. July 04, 2018, Beijing, China.

33) A. Zhan. Detection of rare species using environmental DNA (eDNA) in marine ecosystems. Invited Talk by the Pre-conference of the 18^th Chinese-American Kavli Frontiers of Sciences. April 21 - 22, 2018, Beijing, China.

32) A. Zhan. Molecular mechanisms of rapid environmental adaptation in aquatic invasive species. Invited Talk by the Excellent Young Scientists Forum, College of Life Sciences, Ocean University of China. January 04, 2018, Qingdao, China.

31) A. Zhan. Biological invasions associated with water diversion projects. Invited Talk by the Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University. September 08, 2017, Beijing, China

30) A. Zhan. Early detection of aquatic invaders: perspectives and challenges. Invited Keynote Talk by the workshop on detection and prevention of biological invasions: a major challenge for human societies and biodiversity conservation. August 14-16, 2017, Southampton, UK.

29) A. Zhan. Molecular Mechanisms of Local Adaptation in Marine Invasive Species. Invited Talk by the Gordon Research Conference in Marine Molecular Ecology. July 23-28, 2017, Hong Kong, China.

28) A. Zhan. Pollution-driven spatial distributions of zooplankton communities in running water ecosystems. Invited Talk by the Well-Known Scholar Lecture of the China University of Geosciences. May 3, 2017, Beijing, China.

27) A. Zhan. Genetic mechanisms of rapid local adaptation in marine invasive species. Invited Talk by Marine Invasive Species Workshop. Jun 5 - 8, 2016, Kiel, Germany.

26) A. Zhan. Early detection of marine invasive species using high-throughput sequencing. Marine and Freshwater Invasive Species Conference: Ecology, Impact, and Management. May 2 - 4, 2016, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

25) A. Zhan. Detection of invasive species in marine ecosystems using high-throughput sequencing: research progress and future perspectives. The 9^th International Conference on Marine Bioinvasions. Jan 18 - 21, 2016, Sydney, Australia.

24) A. Zhan. Community structure of zooplankton in polluted river ecosystems: from methods to determinants. Invited Talk by the US-China biodiversity workshop (organized by National Science Foundation USA and National Natural Science Foundation of China), Oct 15 - 18, 2015, Raleigh, NC, USA.

23) A. Zhan. Biological invasions in aquatic ecosystems. Invited Talk by the Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Apr 29, 2015, Seoul, South Korea.

22) A. Zhan. Technical issues and solutions on biodiversity assessment in rare biosphere of complex communities using high-throughput sequencing. The national workshop on biodiversity monitoring. Jan 20 - 21, 2015, Beijing, China.

21) A. Zhan. Rare biosphere exploration in complex communities using high-throughput sequencing. 2014 Annual Meeting on Microbial Ecology (AMME 2014). Oct 25 - 27, 2014, Beijing, China.

20) A. Zhan. Biological invasions in marine habitats: from dispersal dynamics to early detection solutions. Invited talk by the Royal Society of Edinburgh, UK for the workshop on marine science with a focus on biodiversity, Oct 20 - 22, 2014, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.

19) A. Zhan. Technical issues of rare species detection using next-generation sequencing. 2014 North America Congress for Conservation Biology, Jul 13 - 16, 2014, Missoula, MT, USA.

18) A. Zhan. Complex plankton community profiling using high-throughput sequencing technology: a technical perspective. 2^nd International Congress on Biological Invasions (ICBI 2013), Oct 23 - 27, 2013, Qingdao, China.

17) A. Zhan. Biological invasions in aquatic habitats: progress and perspectives. Invited Seminar Talk by the Zhejiang University, Sep 26, 2013, Hangzhou, China.

16) A. Zhan. Biological invasions in aquatic habitats: Early detection and risk assessment. Invited Seminar Talk by the South China Sea Environmental Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration, Jul 15, 2013, Guangzhou, China.

15) A. Zhan. Mechanisms of outbreak and spread of aquatic invasive species. Seminar for Summer School of Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Jul 12, 2013, Beijing, China.

14) A. Zhan. Spatial and temporal distributions of biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems. Invited Seminar Talk by Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Mar 19, 2013, Beijing, China.

13) A. Zhan. Mechanisms of outbreak and spread of aquatic harmful species: invasive species as an example. Invited Seminar Talk by Liaoning Ocean and Fisheries Science Research Institute, Dec 05, 2012, Dalian, Liaoning, China.

12) A. Zhan, M. Cristescu, S. Bailey, T. Therriault, C. DiBacco, K. Howland, D. Heath, M. Hulak, E. Briski, V. Vara and H. MacIsaac. A mysterious world underwater: Plankton biodiversity in major Canadian ports as revealed by next generation sequencing. Canadian Aquatic Invasive Species Network (CAISN) Annual Conference, May 2 - 3, 2012, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

11) A. Zhan. Biological invasions in aquatic ecosystems. Invited Seminar Talk by Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dec 19, 2011, Beijing, China.

10) A. Zhan, M.E. Cristescu, H.J. MacIsaac. Invasion genetics of the Ciona intestinalis species complex. 7th International Conference on Marine Bioinvasions, Aug 23 - 25, 2011, Barcelona, Spain.

09) A. Zhan, P. Perepelizin, S. Ghabooli, E. Paolucci, F. Sylvester, P. Sardiña, M.E. Cristescu, H.J. MacIsaac. Jump or creep: Population genetic structure and dispersal dynamics of the introduced golden mussel Limnoperna fortunei in South America. Canadian Aquatic Invasive Species Network (CAISN) Annual Conference, Apr 23 - 26, 2011, Quebec city, Quebec, Canada.

08) A. Zhan, M.E. Cristescu, H.J. MacIsaac. Invasion genetics of the Ciona intestinalis species complex: from regional endemism to global homogeneity. ICES Annual Science Conference, Sep 20 - 24, 2010, Nantes, France.

07) A. Zhan, M.E. Cristescu, H.J. MacIsaac. Invasion genetics of a model species, Ciona intestinalis: Cryptic species diversity and high population connectivity. Canadian Aquatic Invasive Species Network (CAISN) Annual Conference, Apr 23 - 26, 2010, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

06) A. Zhan. Impact of major landscapes on gene flow and population genetic structure. Invited Seminar Talk by the Huazhong Agricultural University, Nov 8 - 9, Wuhan, Hubei, China.

05) A. Zhan, M.E. Cristescu, H.J. MacIsaac. Global genetic analyses suggest recent human-mediated expansion for Ciona intestinalis, a highly invasive tunicate species complex. International Congress on Biological Invasions (ICBI), Nov 2 - 6, 2009, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.

04) A. Zhan, J. Fu. Big mountains but small barriers: Population genetic structure of the Chinese wood frog (Rana chensinensis) in the Tsinling and Daba Mountain region. The Ontario Ecology and Ethology Colloquium 2008 (OEEC 2008), Apr 28 - 30, 2008, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

03) A. Zhan, J. Hu, Z. Bao. Microsatellite genetic variation in wild and reared populations of Zhikong Scallop Chlamys farreri. The IX International Congress on Medical and Applied Malacology, Oct 17 - 20, 2006, Qingdao, Shandong, China.

02) A. Zhan. A new method of isolating microsatellite without subcloning. The Seminar of the Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Aug 18, 2006, Qingdao, Shandong, China.

01) A. Zhan, J. Hu, Z. Bao. Application of microsatellite DNA markers in scallop aquaculture. The National Congress on Sustainable Development in Aquaculture 2005 (NCSDA 2005), Nov 29 - Dec 1, 2005, Zhangzhou, Fujian, China.

Editors of scientific journals

Associate Editor: Environmental Monitoring of China (2021 - present)

Associate Editor: Journal of Lake Science (2020 - present)

Co-Editor-in-Chief: Diversity and Distributions (2019 - present)

Associate Editor: Marine Biology (2019 - present)

Associate Editor: Aquatic Invasions (2017- present)

Editor: World Register of Introduced Marine Species (WRIMS, 2015 - present)

Associate Editor: Biological Invasions (2014 - present)

Associate Editor: Journal of Biosafety (2014 - present)

Associate Editor: Diversity and Distributions (2016 - 2019)

Associate Editor: Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management (2017 - 2020)

Reviewers for international scientific journals (approximately 15 papers/year)

Animal Reproduction Science; Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management; Aquatic Invasions; Aquatic Toxicology; Aquaculture Research; Animal Genetics; Biochemical Engineering Journal; Biochemical Genetics; Biological Invasions; Biological Journal of the Linnean Society; Biology Letters; BMC Evolutionary Biology; BMC Genomics; Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; Chemosphere; Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - Part D: Genomics and Proteomics; Conservation Genetics Resources; Ecology and Evolution; Environmental Pollution; Environmental Science and Ecotechnology; Diversity and Distributions; Fish and Shellfish Immunology; Gene; Global Ecology and Biogeography; Immunobiology; International Journal of Molecular Science; Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology; Journal of Molluscan Studies; Journal of Plankton Research; Hydrobiologia; Marine Biology; Marine Genomics; Molecular Biology Reports; Molecular Ecology; Molecular Ecology Resources; Naturwissenschaften; Oncotarget; PeerJ; PLoS ONE; Science of the Total Environment; Scientific Reports; Thalassas; Turkish Journal of Zoology; Zoological Science.

Reviewers for funding agencies

Swiss National Science Foundation (1 grant);

Austrian Science Fund, Austria (1 grant);

Czech Science Foundation, Czech Republic (2 grants);

Genomics R&D Initiative, Canada (1 grant);

National Fund for Scientific and Technological Research of Chile (1 grant);

National Natural Science Foundation of China, China (286 grants);

French National Research Agency, France (2 grants);

SDE/GWIS National Fellowships Program, USA (2 grants);

Sea grant, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USA (2 grants);

Woods Hole Sea Grant, USA (1 grant);

Ministry of Science & Technology of China, China (81 grants);

Chinese Academy of Sciences, China (85 grants).

Memberships

Council Advisory Member, Animal Biogeography Society of China

Council Advisory Member, Research Association of Bio-security for Entry and Exit in China

Scientific Committee, Regulation on Management of Invasive Species in China

Scientific Committee, Microbiology Ecology Society of China

Member, Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management Society

Member, Ecological Society of China