My research primarily focuses on biodiversity conservation, particularly in the management of endangered species and their habitats within protected areas and national parks. I am interested in landscape-scale conservation strategies, aiming to balance environmental protection with the needs of wildlife and local communities. My work explores how human activities (such as land-use changes) affect species distribution and ecosystem health, with a focus on promoting coexistence between humans and wildlife.

Key research areas include:

• Human-wildlife interactions, studying the impact of human activities on wildlife populations, exploring strategies to reduce human-wildlife conflicts, and attempting to understand the relationship between humans and nature while enhancing cooperative conservation. Spatial ecology of species, including the role of habitat connectivity, landscape corridors, and how to plan conservation efforts at the landscape scale to maintain biodiversity.
• Global biodiversity patterns, and the development of effective conservation strategies to address both environmental sustainability and human welfare challenges.
• Conservation of endangered species, such as the giant panda, snow leopard, and other wildlife in China.

2005-2009        Ph. D, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

1997-2000        MA. Sc, Department of Biology, Beijing Normal University

1992-1997        B.S., Biochemistry, Department of Biology, Beijing Normal University

2021-                Professor of Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2006-2020        Associate professor of Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2010-2011        Visiting scholar of Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia

2003-2006        Research associate of Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

1. Zhang, J., D. Zhang, X. Xu, Y. Zhang, Q. Dai*. 2026. A Method for Preparing Morphologically Preserved Wildlife Fecal Specimens for Long-Term Ecological Studies. Ecology and Evolution 16, no. 1: e72931. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.72931.

2. Xia, C, P. Liu, X. Ping, Y. Zeng, X. Shang, Q. Dai, L. Zhang. 2025. Ivory trade bans and elephant poaching: A temporal analysis using PIKE data and policy interventions . Global Ecology and Conservation: 61, e03658. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03658.

3. Zhang, Z, M. Zhou, Y. Zhang, J. Zhang, J. Yang, J. Li, D. Sonam, Q. Chen, Q. Xiong* and Q. Dai*. 2026. Comparative Effectiveness of Grassland Restoration at Fine Spatial Scales in the Ruoergai Alpine Grassland, China. Sustainability: 18(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18010018.

4. Pang, D., Y. Wan, Y. Chen, Y. Li, L. Wang, G. Chen, F. Pu, J. Ding, J. Li, Q. Dai*, B. Zhang*. 2025. Climate change and conservation strategies for the Anhui musk deer: habitat suitability and climate refuges in the Dabie Mountains. Landscape Ecology 40, 94.

5. Qiu, L., Dai, Q.*, Wang, Y., Zhang, Z., Yang, Z., Qi, D., Gu, H., Gu, X., Yang, X., & Wei, W*. 2024. Association between attitudes toward wildlife and patterns of risk of human–wildlife conflict near Giant Panda National Park. Conservation Biology, e14428. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.14428

6. Zhang, C., Y. Wang, J. Chang , J. Li, S.Pan, B.Yang, X. Zhan, Q. Dai*. 2024. Global patterns of human-wildlife spatial associations and implications for differentiating conservation strategies. Conservation Biology, e14279. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.14279

7. Wang, Y., C. Zhang, L. Qiu, B. Yang, Q. Dai*. 2023. Gaps in mammal conservation in China: An analysis with a framework based on minimum area requirements. Global Change Biology, 29, 5224–5239.

8. Yang ,B., Q. Dai (co-first) , Y. Xu, C. D. Buesching, X. Gu, Z. Yang, Z. Zhang, F. Wei. 2023. Need of a paradigm shift to conserve endangered species in China’s national park system. The Innovation 4(4): 100462

9. Lu, S., Y. Yue, Y. Wang, D. Zhang, B. Yang, Z. Yu, H. Lin*, Q. Dai *. 2023. The Factors Influencing Wildlife to Use Existing Bridges and Culverts in Giant Panda National Park. Diversity, 15, 487. https://doi.org/10.3390/d15040487

10. Xu, S., Q. Dai, Y. Zheng*. 2023. Male spiny frogs enter the underwater battlefield with loose skin exhibiting enhanced penetration of capillaries into the epidermis. Zoological Letters 9:19.

11. Xu, Y., B. Yang*, Q. Dai (co-first), H. Pan, X. Zhong, J. Ran, X. Yang, X. Gu, Z. Yang, D. Qi, R. Hou, and Z. Zhang. 2022. Landscape-scale giant panda conservation based on metapopulations within China’s national park system. Science Advances 8:eabl8637. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abl8637

12. Wang, Z., G. Huang, M. Huang, Q. Dai, Y. Hu, J. Zhou, and F. Wei*. 2022. Global patterns of phylogenetic diversity and transmission of bat coronavirus. Science China Life Sciences, Nov 11:1–14. doi: 10.1007/s11427-022-2221-5. 

13. Zhang, C., J. Li, B. Yang, and Q. Dai*. 2022. habCluster: identifying the geographical boundary among intraspecific units using community detection algorithms in R. Frontiers in Conservation Science,3: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.908012.

14. Yang, C., P. Zhang, Y. Wu, Q. Dai, G. Luo, H. Zhou, D. Zhao, and J. Ran*. 2021. Livestock limits snow leopard’s space use by suppressing its prey, blue sheep, at Gongga Mountain, China. Global Ecology and Conservation 29:e01728.

15. Hu T., Q. Dai, H. Chen, Z. Zhang, Q. Dai, X. Gu, X. Yang, Z. Yang, L. Zhu*. 2021. Geographic pattern of antibiotic resistance genes in the metagenomes of the giant panda. Microbial Biotechnology, 14( 1), 186-197.

1. Wang, Q., Dai, Q. (2025). Illustrated Guide to the Major Vascular Plants of the Shimian Area in the Giant Panda National Park, Volume 1 (Chinese-English Bilingual Edition). Beijing: China Forestry Publishing House.

2. State Forestry Administration. (2021). National Fourth Giant Panda Survey Report. Beijing: Science Press. (Editorial Board)

3. Sichuan Provincial Forestry Department. (2016). The Giant Pandas of Sichuan: The Fourth Giant Panda Survey Report of Sichuan Province. Chengdu: Sichuan Science and Technology Publishing House. (Editorial Board)

已指导学生

岳颖  硕士研究生  086000-生物与医药  

范怡畅  硕士研究生  071002-动物学  

张振阳  硕士研究生  086000-生物与医药  

现指导学生

张家豪  硕士研究生  086001-生物技术与工程  

张云巧  硕士研究生  071002-动物学  

吴歆婕  硕士研究生  071002-动物学  

张振阳  博士研究生  071300-生态学  

Sichuan Science and Technology Progress Award(Second Prize, 2015)