DR. JUNPENG MU
EDUCATION
Ph. D. Botany, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (2010)
M.Sc. Plant Genetic Breeding, Gansu Agriculture University (2005)
B.Sc. Soil Chemistry, Gansu Agriculture University (1999)
EXPERIENCE
Postdoctoral Scholar, School of Life Science, Nanjing University (2010-2012)
Associate Professor, Mianyang Normal University (2012- current)
Visiting Scholar, Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University (2016-2017)
RESEARCH INTERESTS
My research interest focus on plant ecology, global change biology, and pollination ecology.
Bee population declines are linked to reduction of nutritional resources due to abiotic and biotic agents. I worked with collaborators to investigate whether global climate change, apicultural practices, land-use intensification and herbivores influence on the nectar quality and quantity in in alpine Tibetan grassland. My research program uses the most nectariferous plant (Saussurea nigrescens) in the eastern Tibetan Plateau to examine these questions in further detail. In alpine Tibetan, nectar production decreased by 90% in asymmetric warming and by 30% in apicultural practices, but nectar yield increased by 17.0 % in low intensity of seed predators and by 80% in moderate grazing intensity.
Currently, I am working on a project trying to testing the effects of soil quality (Change N/P ratios) on the quality and quantity of food resource (Nectar and Pollen), thereby on the bumble bee foraging behavior.
PUBLICATIONS
Junpeng Mu, Yuling Zeng, Qinggui Wu, Karl J. Niklas, Kechang Niu (2016) Traditional grazing regimes promote biodiversity and increase nectar production in Tibetan alpine meadows. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 233: 336-342.
Junpeng Mu, Yan Chen, Yulian Yang, Ronghua Fu, Hui Wang, Stephen G. Compton (2016) Seed predators can increase nectar volumes in an alpine daisy: but do the insects benefit? Plant Ecology. 217: 1195-1205.
Xinqiang Xi, Junpeng Mu, Youhong Peng, Nico Eisenhauer, Shucun Sun (2016) Capitulum density-dependent effects generate peak seed yield at an intermediate density of a Tibetan lotus. Journal of Plant Ecology. 9:100-106.
Junpeng Mu, Youhong Peng, Xinqiang Xi, Xinwei Wu, Guoyong Li, Karl J. Niklas, Shucun Sun (2015) Artificial asymmetric warming dramatically reduces nectar production in a Tibetan lotus. Annals of Botany. 116:899-906.
Junpeng Mu, Youhong Peng, Karl J. Niklas, and Shucun Sun (2014) The optimization of seed production across the flowering time of Gentiana leucomelaena (Gentianaceae), an herbaceous Tibetan annual. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research. 46:548-557.
Junpeng Mu, Youhong Peng, Xinqiang Xi, Xinwei Wu, John N. Griffin, Karl J. Niklas, Shucun Sun (2014) Domesticated honeybees evolutionarily reduce flower nectar volume in a Tibetan lotus. Ecology. 95:3161-3172.
Junpeng Mu, Youhong Peng, and Kechang Niu (2013) Divergent seed production responses of white and blue flowers of Gentiana leucomelaena (Gentianaceae) to warming and watering. Plant Ecology and Diversity. 6:495-501.
Yinzhan Liu, Junpeng Mu, Guoyong Li, Shucun Sun (2012) Global Warming May Reduce Plant Reproductive Effort for Temperate Multi-flowered Species. New Phytologist. 195(2): 427-436.
Junpeng Mu, Guoyong Li, Karl J. Niklas，Shucun Sun (2011) Difference in floral traits, pollination and reproductive success between white and blue flowers of Gentiana leucomelaena (Gentianaceae) in an alpine meadow. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research. 43(3):410-416.
Junpeng Mu, Guoyong Li, Shucun Sun (2010) Petal color, flower temperature and behavior in an alpine annual herb, Gentiana leucomelaena (Gentianaceae). Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research. 42(2):219-226.