Faculty & Staff Directory

  Xiaoyong Chen

  Full Professor
  708-534-4557 ext. 4557
  Office Location: F1308
  
  College: CAS

  
 
Programs:
Environmental Biology - Master of Science
Biology - Bachelor of Science
Division of Science Mathematics and Technology

  
  

FACULTY PROFILE

Dr. Xiaoyong Chen is a plant ecophysiologist whose research focuses on how environmental changes and human activities affect biodiversity, carbon storage and sequestration, soil CO2 flux, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem services in plant and forest ecosystems. He earned a BSc in Forestry, an MSc in Forest Ecology from Central South University of Forestry and Technology in China, and a PhD in Plant Ecophysiology from Charles Darwin University in Australia in 2001. Following his PhD, Dr. Chen was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia (Okanagan) from 2001 to 2005.

Dr. Chen joined the faculty of Governors State University in 2006 and has been a Full Professor since 2014. His current research topics include: (1) examining the effects of invasive earthworms on soil properties in hardwood forests, (2) identifying and quantifying mechanisms regulating carbon stocks and sequestration in various forest types, including old-growth forests, (3) assessing the responses of ecosystem services to natural disturbances and human activity in terrestrial ecosystems, and (4) investigating approaches to remediating contaminated and degraded environments.

In addition to his research, Dr. Chen teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in the biology program at Governors State University. These include undergraduate courses such as BIOL 1100/1101 (Human Biology/Lab), BIOL 1500/1501 (General Biology/Lab), BIOL 4460/4461 (Plant Physiology/Lab), and BIOL 4990/4992 (Undergraduate Research I/II), as well as graduate courses like BIOL 6536/6537 (Environmental Hydrology Lecture/Lab) and BIOL 8860/8861 (Ecosystem Ecology Lecture/Lab).

RECENT PUBLICATIONS IN PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS

  • Fang, J.; Feng, X.; Peng, Y.; Wang, J.; Wu, X.; Yan, W.; *Chen, X. 2025. Variation Patterns of Fine Root Biomass, Production, and Turnover Rates in Four Subtropical Forests of China. Forests 2025, 16, 220.
  • Chen, X.; Gsell, T.; Yunger, J.; Randa, L.; Peng, Y.; Carrington, M. 2025. Soil Aggregation, Aggregate Stability, and Associated Soil Organic Carbon in Huron Mountains Forests, Michigan, USA. Forests 2025, 16, 219.
  • Gu, Y.; Jiao, J.; Xu, H.; Chen, Y.; He, X.; Wu, X.; Wang, J.; Chen, X.; He, H.; Yan, W. 2025. Intercropping improves the yield by increasing nutrient metabolism capacity and crucial microbial abundance in root of Camellia oleifera in purple soil. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 219, 109318, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109318
  • Liu, Y.; Zhang, L.; Yan, W.; Peng, Y.; Sun, H.; *Chen, X. 2024. Drought-induced carbon and water dynamics alterations of Chinese fir plantations at the trunk wood stage. Plants, 13, 2937. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13202937
  • Tang, Y.; Yang, H.; Hu, Y.; Zeng, Y.; Wang, Y.; Zhao, Y.; Chen, X.; Wu, Y.; Wang, G. 2024. Effects of fertilization and planting modes on soil organic carbon and microbial community formation of tree seedlings. Plants, 13, 2665. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13182665
  • Yan, T.; Liu, X.; Yan, W.; Lei, J.; Peng, Y.; Wang, J.; Zhang, X.; *Chen, X. 2024. Effects of litter removal and biochar application on soil properties in urban forests of southern China. Forests, 15, 1745. https://doi.org/10.3390/f15101745
  • Li, Z.; Mao, C.; Wu, Q.; Peng, Y.; Wang, J.; Zhang, B.; Zhang, S.; Liang, X.; Yan, W.; *Chen, X. 2024. Temporal variations in aboveground biomass, nutrient content, and ecological stoichiometry in young and middle-aged stands of Chinese Fir forests. Plants. 13, 1877.
  • Zhang, Y.; Lei, J.; Peng, Y.; Chen, X.; Li, B.; Chen, Y.; Xu, Y.; Farooq, T.H.; Wu X.; Wang, J. & Yan, W. 2024. Impact of Intercropping on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Nutrient Loss in Camellia oleifera Forests on Entisol Soil. Forests 2024, 15, 461.
  • Li, Z.; Wu, Q.; Peng, Y.; Lei, J.; Liu, S.; Mao, C.; Liu, X.; Wang, J.; Yan, W. & Chen, X. 2024. Diurnal, Seasonal, and Vertical Changes in Photosynthetic Rates in Cinamomum camphora Forests in Subtropical China. Forests, 15, 183.
  • Wang, J.; Zhao, J.; Yang, R.; Liu, X.; Zhang, X.; Zhang, W.; Chen, X.; Yan, W. & Wang, K. 2024. Interplanting leguminous shrubs boosts the trophic interactions of soil micro-food web in a karst grassland. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 188, 109224.
  • Wang, J.; Zhang, X.; Wang, H.; Liu, T.; Fayyaz, A.; Gonzalez, N.; Wang, J.; Chen, X.; Zhao, J. & Yan, W. 2024. Leguminous crop restores the carbon flow attenuation from nitrogen loading within soil nematode food web in a Camellia oleifera plantation. Journal of Environmental Management, 349, 119580.
  • Cao, J., Yan,W., Farooq, T.H., Chen, X., Wang, J., Yuan, C., Qi, Y. & Khan, K.A. 2023. Ecological Stoichiometry of N and P across a Chronosequence of Chinese Fir Plantation Forests. Forests. 2023, 14, 1685.
  • Zou, D., Wu, Y., Peng, Y., Lei, J., Wang, G., Wang, J., Pan, Y., Yan, W. & Chen, X. 2023. Characterization and application of Fe-modified biochar alleviating Cr(VI) stress in pak choi seedling cultivated in Cr-polluted hydroponics. Chemosphere. 340 (2023) 139793.
  • Lei, J., Cao, Y., Wang, J., Chen, Y., Peng, Y., Shao, Q., Dan, Q., Xu, Y., Chen, X., Dang, P. & Yan, W. 2023. Soil nutrients, enzyme activities, and microbial communities along a chronosequence of Chinese fir plantations in subtropical China. Plants. 2023, 12, 1931. https:// doi.org/10.3390/plants12101931.
  • Wang, Z., Yan, W., Peng, Y., Wan, M., Farooq, T.H., Fan, W., Lei, J., Yuan, C., Wang, W., Qi, Y. & Chen, X. 2023. Biomass production and carbon stocks in poplar-crop agroforestry chronosequence in subtropical central China. Plants. 2023, 12, 2451. https://doi.org/10.3390/ plants12132451.
  • Wang, W., Peng, Y., Chen, Y., Lei, S., Wang, X., Farooq, T.H., Liang, X., Zhang, C., Yan, W. & Chen, X. 2023. Ecological stoichiometry and stock distribution of C, N, and P in three forest types in a Karst region of China. Plants. 2023, 12, 2503. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12132503.
  • Zhang, X., Sun, W., Chen, X., Chen, L., Lv, Z., He, H. & Yan, W. 2023. Integrated physiological and transcriptomic analysis reveals mechanism of leaf in Phellodendron Chinense Schneid seedlings response to drought stress. Industrial Crops and Products. 198 (2023), 116679, ISSN 0926-6690.
  • Lei, J., Peng, Y., Cao, J., Li, R., Jia, Q., Shi, X., Zhou, T., Yan, W. & Chen, X. 2023. Changes in soil phosphorus fractions following the conversion of Chinese fir plantations to evergreen broad-leaved forests in subtropical China. Eur J Forest Res (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-023-01561-0.
  • Jiang, M., Chen, Z., Wu, Y., Luo, J., Zhang, A., Chen, X., Zeng, Y., Wang, G., Wang, Y. & Zhao Y. 2023. Novel PbMoO4 loaded N-biochar composites with enhanced adsorption-photocatalytic removal of tetracycline. Optical Materials. 137 (2023) 113540.
  • Zhang, X., Li, Y., Lei, J., Li, Z., Tan, Q., Xie, L., Xiao, Y., Liu, T., Chen, X., Wen, Y., Xiang, W., Kuzyakov, Y. & Yan, W. 2023. Time-dependent effects of microplastics on soil bacteriome. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 447, 130762. 137 (2023) 113540.
  • Zheng, W., Wu, Q., Rao, C., Chen, X., Wang, E., Liang, X. & Yan, W. 2023. Characteristics and interactions of soil bacteria, phytocommunity and soil properties in rocky desertification ecosystems of Southwest China. Catena. 220 (2023) 106731.
  • Luo, J., Wu, Y., Jiang, M., Zhang, A., Chen, X., Zeng, Y., Wang, Y., Zhao, Y. & Wang, G. 2023. Novel ZnFe2O4/BC/ZnO photocatalyst for high-efficiency degradation of tetracycline under visible light irradiation. Chemosphere. 311(1), 2023, 137041.
  • Zheng, W., Hu, L., Chen, Z., Tang, J., Pan, Y., Yan, W., Chen, X., Peng, Y. & Chen, L. 2023. Effects of perfluorinated compounds homologues on chemical property, microbial composition, richness and diversity of urban forest soil. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 249 (2023) 114458.
  • Wang, J., Wang, H., Lin, Q., Wu, Y., He, X., Chen, X., Yan, W. & Zhao, J. 2023. Legume biological nitrogen fixation improves but chemical nitrogen fertilizer suppresses soil nematode communities in a Camellia oleifera plantation. Land Degradation & Development. 34(5), 1403-1414.
  • Yang, H., He, T., Wu, Y. Luo,J., Zhang, A., Chen, X., Zeng, Y., Wang, Y., Zhao, Y. & Wang G. 2022. Magnetically recyclable PbMoO4/BC/Fe3O4 composite for tetracycline removal: fabrication, performance, and mechanism. Journal of Materials Science. 57, 21853–21868.
  • Farooq, T.H., Chen, X., Shakoor, A., Rashid, M.H.U., Kumar, U., Alhomrani, M., Alamri, A.S., Ravindran, B. & Yan, W. 2022. Unraveling the importance of forest structure and composition driving soil microbial and enzymatic responses in the subtropical forest soils. Forests, 13, 1535. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13101535.
  • Hu, X., Chen, X., Tang, Y., Xu, Z., Zeng, Y., Wang, Y., Zhao, Y., Wu, Y. & Wang, G. 2022. Effects of g-C3N4 on bacterial community and tetracycline resistance genes in two typical sediments in tetracycline pollution remediation. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13:964401. doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.964401.
  • Liu, T., Wu, X., Li, H., Ning, C., Li, Y., Zhang, X., He, J., Filimonenko, E., Chen, S., Chen, X., Gibson, D., Kuzyakov, Y. & Yan, W. 2022. Soil quality and r – K fungal communities in plantations after conversion from subtropical forest. Catena, 219:106584. doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2022.106584.
  • Yan, W., Farooq, T.H., Chen, Y., Wang, W., Shabbir, R., Kumar, U., Riaz, M.U., Alotaibi, S.S., Peng, Y. & Chen, X. 2022. Soil nitrogen transformation process influenced by litterfall manipulation in two subtropical forest types. Front. Plant Sci. 13:923410. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.923410.
  • Yan, W., Farooq, T.H., Chen, Y., Wang, W., Shabbir, R., Kumar, U., Riaz, M.U., Alotaibi, S.S., Peng, Y. & Chen, X. 2022. Soil nitrogen transformation process influenced by litterfall manipulation in two subtropical forest types. Front. Plant Sci. 13:923410. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.923410.
  • Luo, J., Wu, Y., Chen, X., He, T., Zeng, Y., Wang, G., Wang, Y., Zhao, Y. & Chen, Z. 2022. Synergistic adsorption-photocatalytic activity using Z-scheme based magnetic ZnFe2O4/CuWO4 heterojunction for tetracycline removal. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 910, 164954, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2022.164954.
  • Tang, Y., Hu, X., Xu, Z., Chen, X., Zeng, Y., Wang, G., Wang, Y., Liu, G., Zhao, Y. & Wu, Y. 2022. The effects of g-C3N4/biochar and g-C3N4 on bacterial community in riverbed sediment. Environ Sci Pollut Res. (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-21884-6.
  • Wang, Y., Chen, X., Zou, D., Lei, J., Wu, X., Wang, J. Yan, W. & Liang, X. 2022. Biomass, carbon storage and nutrient content of coarse woody debris in secondary-growth forests in southern Hunan. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 42(8): 3441-3448.
  • Farooq, T., Li, Z., Yan, W., Shakoor, A., Kumar, U., Shabbir, R., Peng, Y., Alotaibi, S., Wrobel, J., Kalaji, H. & Chen, X. 2022. Variations in litterfall dynamics, C:N:P stoichiometry and associated nutrient return in pure and mixed stands of Camphor tree and Masson pine forests in Subtropical China. Front. Environ. Sci. doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2022.903039.
  • Farooq, T., Li, Z., Yan, W., Shakoor, A., Kumar, U., Shabbir, R., Peng, Y., Alotaibi, S., Wrobel, J., Kalaji, H. & Chen, X. 2022. Variations in litterfall dynamics, C:N:P stoichiometry and associated nutrient return in pure and mixed stands of Camphor tree and Masson pine forests in Subtropical China. Front. Environ. Sci. doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2022.903039.
  • Li, Z., Yan, W., Liu, Y., Liang, X. & Chen, X. 2022. Simulation of soil CO2 efflux under different hydrothermal conditions based on general regression neural network. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 316 (2022) 108847.
  • Hu, X., Peng, K., Chen, Y., Chen, X., Liu, S., Zhao, Y., Wu, Y. & Xu, Z. 2022. Effect of g-C3N4 on biodiversity and structure of bacterial community in sediment of Xiangjiang River under tetracycline pressure. Ecotoxicology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-022-02525-7.
  • Xiao, Y., Li, Y., Shi, Y., Li, Z., Zhang, X., Liu, T., Farooq, T., Pan, Y., Chen, X. & Yan, W. 2022. Combined toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles and cadmium inducing root damage in Phytolacca Americana L. Science of the Total Environment, 806(3), 151211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151211/.
  • Yan, W., Wang, W., Peng, Y. and Chen, X. 2022. Evaluation of biomass and carbon stocks in three pine forest types in karst area of southwestern China. Journal of Sustainable Forestry, 41(1):18-32.

Curriculum Vitae