Jingjing Liang

Jingjing Liang, Ph.D.

Associate Professor & Global Forest Informatics Fellow

University Faculty Scholar

Dr. Jingjing Liang is an expert in quantitative forest ecology, artificial intelligence–driven environmental research, and international scientific collaboration. He is an Associate Professor and Global Forest Informatics Fellow at Purdue University, a leadership role focused on advancing global forestry and environmental data science. He is also named University Faculty Scholar, in recognition of his outstanding research, academic excellence, and international leadership in forest ecology, biodiversity science, and AI-driven environmental modeling​.

Dr. Liang is the Founder of Science-i and Coordinator of the Global Forest Biodiversity Initiative (GFBI), leading a network of more than 500 researchers across 55 countries. Recognized among the Top 2% of Scientists Worldwide by Stanford University and Elsevier for six consecutive years (2020–2025), he has published extensively in Science, Nature, PNAS, and other leading journals on forest dynamics, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.

His work informs international conservation and climate policy, including contributions to FAO initiatives such as AIM4Forests and For-Growth, advancing global forest monitoring and carbon accounting. A committed mentor and advocate for inclusive, data-driven science, Dr. Liang has supported more than 2,800 researchers worldwide and serves on the Forests Remaining Forests Committee under the REDD+ Environmental Excellence Standard, helping shape next-generation forest carbon crediting frameworks.

 

 Contact Information

• Email: jjliang@purdue.edu 
• Personal webpage: https://science-i.org/jingjingliang/ 
• Tel: 001-765-496-0254
• Mailing address: Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, 715 W. State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907

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Education

• 2005, Ph.D. (Forestry), University of Wisconsin-Madison
• 2001, B.S. (Ecology- Environmental Sciences), Peking University

Professional experience

• 2022 – present                Associate Professor (with Tenure), Purdue University 

• 2024 – 2025                     International Consultant, United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

• 2018 – 2022                       Assistant Professor of Quantitative Forest Ecology, Purdue University

• 2017 – 2024                       Professeur associé, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada

• 2017 – 2024                       Associate member, Centre d'étude de la forêt (CEF), Canada

• 2011 – 2018                       Associate Professor of Forest Ecology, West Virginia University

• 2007 – 2011                       Assistant Professor of Forest Management, University of Alaska Fairbanks

• 2006 – 2007                       Postdoctoral Research Fellow, USDA Rocky Mountain Research Station

• 2001 – 2005                       Graduate Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Editorship

• Since 2019, Senior member of the Editorial Team, Scientific Data
• Since 2018, Senior member of the Editorial Team, Forest Ecosystems

Featured Publications

Liang, J.*, J. G. P. Gamarra, N. Picard, M. Zhou, B. Pijanowski, D. F. Jacobs, P. B. Reich, T. W. Crowther, G.-J. Nabuurs, S. de-Miguel, J. Fang, C. W. Woodall, J.-C. Svenning, T. Jucker, J.-F. Bastin, S. K. Wiser, F. Slik, B. Hérault, G. Alberti, G. Keppel, G. M. Hengeveld, P. L. Ibisch, C. A. Silva, H. ter Steege, P. L. Peri, D. A. Coomes, E. B. Searle, K. von Gadow, B. Jaroszewicz, GFBI Consortium, and C. Hui*. 2022. Co-limitation towards lower latitudes shapes global forest diversity gradients. Nature ecology & evolution: s41559-022-01831-x.

Details and downloads

Cazzolla Gatti, R., P. B. Reich*, J. G. P. Gamarra, T. Crowther, C. Hui, GFBI Consortium, and J. Liang*. 2022. The number of tree species on Earth. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119:e2115329119.

Details and downloads

(Co-first author) Steidinger, B. S., T. W. Crowther, J. Liang, M. E. Van Nuland, G. D. A. Werner, P. B. Reich, G. Nabuurs, S. de-Miguel, M. Zhou, N. Picard, B. Herault, X. Zhao, C. Zhang, D. Routh, K. G. Peay, and GFBI consortium. 2019. Climatic controls of decomposition drive the global biogeography of forest-tree symbioses. Nature 569:404-408.

Details and downloads

Liang, J, T. W. Crowther, N. Picard, S. Wiser, M. Zhou, G. Alberti, E.-D. Schulze, A. D. McGuire, F. Bozzato, H. Pretzsch, S. de-Miguel, A. Paquette, B. Hérault, M. Scherer-Lorenzen, C. B. Barrett, H. B. Glick, G. M. Hengeveld, G.-J. Nabuurs, S. Pfautsch, H. Viana, A. C. Vibrans, C. Ammer, P. Schall, D. Verbyla, N. Tchebakova, M. Fischer, J. V. Watson, H. Y. H. Chen, X. Lei, M.-J. Schelhaas, H. Lu, D. Gianelle, E. I. Parfenova, C. Salas, E. Lee, B. Lee, H. S. Kim, H. Bruelheide, D. A. Coomes, D. Piotto, T. Sunderland, B. Schmid, S. Gourlet-Fleury, B. Sonké, R. Tavani, J. Zhu, S. Brandl, J. Vayreda, F. Kitahara, E. B. Searle, V. J. Neldner, M. R. Ngugi, C. Baraloto, L. Frizzera, R. Bałazy, J. Oleksyn, T. Zawiła-Niedźwiecki, O. Bouriaud, F. Bussotti, L. Finér, B. Jaroszewicz, T. Jucker, F. Valladares, A. M. Jagodzinski, P. L. Peri, C. Gonmadje, W. Marthy, T. O’Brien, E. H. Martin, A. R. Marshall, F. Rovero, R. Bitariho, P. A. Niklaus, P. Alvarez-Loayza, N. Chamuya, R. Valencia, F. Mortier, V. Wortel, N. L. Engone-Obiang, L. V. Ferreira, D. E. Odeke, R. M. Vasquez, S. L. Lewis, and P. B. Reich. 2016. Positive biodiversity-productivity relationship predominant in global forests. Science 354.
Details and downloads

Liang J, Zhou M, Tobin PC, McGuire AD, & Reich PB (2015) Biodiversity influences plant productivity through niche-efficiency. PNAS 112(18):5738-5743.
Details and Downloads

​Liang, J. (2012) Mapping large-scale forest dynamics: a geospatial approach. Landscape Ecology 27(8): 1091-1108.
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