His research primarily focuses on plant–animal interactions, theories of plant speciation, and patterns of plant distribution and differentiation.​ Taking Lilium (Liliaceae) and Rosa (Rosaceae) as the principal study systems, and proceeding from the taxonomy and distribution patterns of species, the research investigates plant diversity, mechanisms of speciation, and species boundaries in the alpine regions of western China. The findings provide a theoretical foundation and essential support for biodiversity conservation as well as for the utilization and development of plant resources.

   

[1] Yumei Yuan, Yu Feng, Jingbo Wang, Fazal Ulah, Meng Yuan, Yundong Gao. Integrative Taxonomy for Species Delimitation: A Case Study in Two Widely Accepted Yet Morphologically Confounding Rosa Species Within Sect. Pimpinellifoliae (Rosaceae). Molecular Ecology[J]. 2025, 第 6 作者 通讯作者 null(null): e17779, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mec.17779.

[2] Yu Feng, Chaochao Yan, WenQin Tu, YuMei Yuan, JingBo Wang, XiaoJuan Chen, ChangQiu Liu, Yundong Gao. Multi-disciplinary evidence illuminates the speciation history of a monophyletic yet dimorphic lily group. Plant Diversity[J]. 2025, 第 8 作者 通讯作者 47(2): 189-200, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S246826592400204X.

[3] Wang, Ting, Yuan, Yumei, Zhou, TingHong, Gao, Yundong. Lilium huanglongense (Liliaceae): a newly-discovered species in north-western Sichuan, China. PHYTOKEYS[J]. 2025, 第 4 作者 通讯作者 9-24, http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.252.135155.

[4] 王婧博, 高云东. Lilium evansii (Liliaceae), a new species from Yunnan, China, formed by ancient hybridization and subsequent isolation. PHYTOTAXA[J]. 2025, 第 2 作者 通讯作者 693(3): 205-220,

[5] Ting Wang, Xiuying Shen, De Wang, Ying Zhao, Xiaomei Qu, Yundong Gao.  Lilium brunneum ( Liliaceae ): a newly discovered species in north-western Yunnan, China. PHYTOKEYS[J]. 2025, 第 6 作者 通讯作者 254(null): 201-219, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11986428/.

[6] Yuan, Yumei, Gao, Yundong. Lilium liangiae , a new species in the genus Lilium (Liliaceae) that reveals parallel evolution within morphology. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE[J]. 2024, 第 2 作者 通讯作者 15: http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2024.1371237.

[7] 袁俞梅, 高云东. Lilium liangiae, a new species in the genus Lilium (Liliaceae) that reveals parallel evolution within morphology. Frontiers in Plant Science[J]. 2024, 第 2 作者 通讯作者 null(null): https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1371237/full.

[8] Liu, ChangQiu, Niu, Yang, Lu, QingBiao, Chen, Zhe, Cai, Bo, Fang, Ye, Gao, YunDong. Papilio butterfly vs. hawkmoth pollination explains floral syndrome dichotomy in a clade of Lilium. BOTANICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY[J]. 2022, 第 7 作者 通讯作者

[9] Yuan, Yumei, Ju, WenBin, Gao, Yundong. Lilium punctulatum (Liliaceae), a rare and endangered species from northwestern Yunnan, China, elevated from varietal to species status. PHYTOTAXA[J]. 2022, 第 3 作者 通讯作者 558(2): 243-248, http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.558.2.8.

[10] Fazal Ullah, Yundong Gao, dris Sari, RuiFang Jiao, Saddam Saqib, XinFen Gao. Macro-Morphological and Ecological Variation in Rosa sericea Complex. AGRONOMY[J]. 2022, 第 2 作者12(5): https://doaj.org/article/b07cf947430b476d98fc44fd950ae6cb.

[11] Ullah, Fazal, Gao, Yundong, Jiao, RuiFang, Gao, XinFen. Comparative taxonomic variation in fruits and seeds' surface morphology among populations of alpine Rosa sericea complex (Rosaceae). MICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE. 2021, 第 2 作者 通讯作者 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jemt.23788.

[12] Gao, Yundong. (2840) Proposal to conserve the name Lilium dauricum against L. pensylvanicum. TAXON. 2021, 第 1 作者 通讯作者 70(5): 1139-1140,

[13] Ju, Wenbin, Deng, Hengning, Zhu, Dahai, Gao, Yundong, Gao, Xinfen, Xu, B O. Primula dujiangyanensis (Primulaceae) discovered from Sichuan, Southwest China. PHYTOTAXA[J]. 2021, 第 4 作者510(3): 275-280, http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.510.3.7.

[14] Gao, Yundong, Harris, A J, Li, Huaicheng, Gao, Xinfen. Hybrid Speciation and Introgression Both Underlie the Genetic Structures and Evolutionary Relationships of Three Morphologically Distinct Species of Lilium (Liliaceae) Forming a Hybrid Zone Along an Elevational Gradient. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE[J]. 2020, 第 1 作者 通讯作者 11: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7750405/.

[15] 邓亨宁, 鞠文彬, 高云东, 张君议, 李诗琦, 高信芬, 徐波. 新建川藏铁路（雅安–昌都段）沿线外来入侵植物种类及分布特征. 生物多样性[J]. 2020, 第 3 作者28(10): 1174-1181, https://nxgp.cnki.net/kcms/detail?v=3uoqIhG8C46NmWw7YpEsKMypi3qVj28LEUDxQXHYyS3fbyEOrIfBzOlC7YhbNCNNr0WA5jFQ3O4fJuPlU9jKFeej4m7FtEcd&uniplatform=NZKPT.

[16] Gao, Yundong, Gao, Xinfen. Lilium sealyi YDGao, a new name for Lilium farreri (WEEvans) YDGao. PHYTOTAXA. 2020, 第 1 作者 通讯作者 449(3): 299-300, http://ir.imde.ac.cn/handle/131551/35124, http://www.irgrid.ac.cn/handle/1471x/6923118, http://ir.imde.ac.cn/handle/131551/35125, http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000547485500009&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=3a85505900f77cc629623c3f2907beab.

[17] XinFen Gao. Restore the name Lilium tenii H.Lév. (Liliaceae), which has priority over the later synonym L. lijiangense L.J.Peng. PHYTOTAXA. 2020,

[18] Gao, YunDong, Gao, XinFen, Harris, Aj. Species Boundaries and Parapatric Speciation in the Complex of Alpine Shrubs, Rosa sericea (Rosaceae), Based on Population Genetics and Ecological Tolerances. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE[J]. 2019, 第 1 作者 通讯作者 10: https://doaj.org/article/fc616aa9a2f44f48bf35e6779c9360fc.

[19] Liu, ChangQiu, Gao, YunDong, Niu, Yang, Xiong, YingZe, Sun, Hang. Floral adaptations of two lilies: implications for the evolution and pollination ecology of huge trumpet-shaped flowers. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY[J]. 2019, 第 2 作者106(5): 622-632, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.1275.

[20] Pathak, Mitra Lal, Idrees, Muhammad, Gao, Yundong, Gao, XinFen. A Taxonomic Revision of Photinia integrifolia (Rosaceae). PHYTOTAXA[J]. 2019, 第 3 作者401(3): 179-189, http://210.75.237.14/handle/351003/29662.

[21] Gao, YunDong, Gao, XinFen. Lectotypification of the name Lilium lancifolium (Liliaceae). TAXON[J]. 2017, 第 1 作者66(1): 172-174,

[22] Li, Meng, OhiToma, Tetsuo, Gao, YunDong, Xu, Bo, Zhu, ZhangMing, Ju, WenBin, Gao, XinFen. Molecular phylogenetics and historical biogeography of Sorbus sensu stricto (Rosaceae). MOLECULARPHYLOGENETICSANDEVOLUTION[J]. 2017, 第 3 作者111: 76-86, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2017.03.018.

[23] Gao, YunDong, Zhang, Yu, Gao, XinFen, Zhu, ZhangMing. Pleistocene glaciations, demographic expansion and subsequent isolation promoted morphological heterogeneity: A phylogeographic study of the alpine Rosa sericea complex (Rosaceae). SCIENTIFIC REPORTS[J]. 2015, 第 1 作者5: http://210.75.237.14/handle/351003/27519.

[24] Peng, YuLan, Ju, WenBin, Gao, XinFen, Gao, YunDong. Youngia purpimea (Asteraceae), a new species from Sichuan, China. PHYTOTAXA[J]. 2015, 第 4 作者236(2): 191-195, http://210.75.237.14/handle/351003/27484.

[25] Harris, A J, Papes, Monica, Gao, YunDong, Watson, Linda. Estimating paleoenvironments using ecological niche models of nearest living relatives: A case study of Eocene Aesculus L.. JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION. 2014, 第 3 作者52(1): 16-34, http://lib.cqvip.com/Qikan/Article/Detail?id=WD908770768866504849524849484850.

[26] Gao, YunDong, Gao, XinFen. Taxonomic notes on Chinese Lilium L. (Liliaceae) with proposal of three nomenclatural revisions. PHYTOTAXA[J]. 2014, 第 1 作者172(2): 101-108, http://210.75.237.14/handle/351003/26523.

[27] 高云东, 张羽, 高信芬, 朱章明. 绢毛蔷薇复合体的谱系地理研究. 生态文明建设中的植物学：现在与未来——中国植物学会第十五届会员代表大会暨八十周年学术年会. 2013, 第 1 作者http://210.75.237.14/handle/351003/24367.

已指导学生

袁俞梅  硕士研究生  071001-植物学  

王婧博  硕士研究生  086000-生物与医药  

王婷  硕士研究生  086001-生物技术与工程  

现指导学生

袁梦  硕士研究生  071001-植物学  

张作栋  硕士研究生  086001-生物技术与工程  

李俊扬  硕士研究生  086001-生物技术与工程