• Department: School of Earth Sciences and Resources
• Gender: male
• BirthDate: 1982-01-28
• Career: Associate professor
• Degree: Ph.D
• Academic Credentials: Doctor
• Graduate School: Lanzhou University
• Tel:
• Email: lixch05@chd.edu.cn
• Address School: No. 126 Yanta Road, Xi’an City
• PostCode School: 710054
• Fax School:
• Office Location: Office 212, Resource Building
• Education experience:

  • Ph.D., Lanzhou University, China, 09/2005-06/2010, Palaeontology and stratigraphy.

  • B.Sc., Lanzhou University, China, 09/2001-/062005, Geology.

  
  

Ph.D., Associate Professor, Master's Supervisor, Visiting Scholar at the University of Florida (UF, USA). He holds the following academic positions: Deputy Secretary-General of the Education and Teaching Committee of the Palaeontological Society of China, Member of the Shaanxi Provincial Palaeontological Fossil Expert Committee, Director of the Shaanxi Provincial Palaeontological Society, Member of the International Organization of Palaeobotany (IOP), Member of the Botanical Society of China (BSC), Member of the Geographical Society of China (GSC), Member of the Botanical Society of America (BSA), and Member of the National Palaeontological Fossil Expert Database (2022). He is also a member of the Editorial Board of Plant.

He has long been engaged in research in the fields of palaeobotany and palaeoclimatology, stratigraphy, biological classification and geographical simulation based on artificial intelligence/deep learning, sedimentary minerals, and geological heritage protection. He has presided over 1 National Natural Science Foundation Project, 2 Shaanxi Provincial Natural Science Foundation Projects, 2 Open Fund Projects of State Key Laboratories, 1 Project of the China Geological Survey, and 1 AI Intelligent Curriculum Construction Project. He has also participated in more than 10 projects including National Natural Science Foundation Projects. He has published over 60 papers in CSCD and SCI-indexed journals. His key research outcomes are as follows: ① Reconstructed the characteristics of the early Miocene flora and fauna communities in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, established parameters of the regional palaeovegetation, palaeoclimate, and palaeoaltitude, and revealed that the East Asian climate transition and regional tectonic uplift at the Oligocene-Miocene boundary drove the vegetation succession from forest to grassland in the northeastern Plateau; ② Uncovered the late Miocene forest landscape and vertical zonality in Zhejiang Province, and proposed that the modern subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in East China originated in the Miocene; ③ Clarified the formation age and emplacement stages of the Jinfosi rock mass in the western section of the North Qilian Mountains, and revealed the genetic mechanism of iron-tungsten-molybdenum-lead-zinc polymetallic deposits in the region. He has won the Second Prize of Gansu Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award (2010), the Outstanding Supervisor Award at the 7th National College Students' Geological Skills Competition (2024), and the First Prize of Higher Education (Undergraduate) Teaching Achievement Award of Chang'an University (2025).

He provides peer review services for journals such as Journal of Earth Science, Journal of Palaeogeography, Historical Biology, Plant Diversity, and Brittonia.

As the first supervisor, he has guided 8 graduate students: Wang Qin (enrolled in 2018, now working at the Exploration and Development Technology Research Center of Yanchang Oilfield Co., Ltd.), Hu Yi (enrolled in 2020, won the Excellent Postgraduate Oral Presentation Award at the 2021 Annual Academic Conference of the Palaeobotany Branch of the Palaeontological Society of China, now working at the Qinghai Corps of China National Building Materials Industry Geological Exploration Center), Liang Lina (enrolled in 2021, now working at Maoming Development Group), Liu Ying (enrolled in 2022, transferred to the doctoral program in 2024, won the Excellent Postgraduate Oral Presentation Award at the 2023 Annual Academic Conference of the Palaeobotany Branch of the Palaeontological Society of China), Yang Zimo (enrolled in 2023, won the Excellent Postgraduate Oral Presentation Award at the 2025 Annual Academic Conference of the Palaeobotany Branch of the Palaeontological Society of China), Lin Zhebin (enrolled in 2023), Zhang Ruizhi (enrolled in 2024), and Zhang Sicheng (enrolled in 2025).

Warmly welcome domestic and international students majoring in Geology/Resource Exploration Engineering and related disciplines to apply for postgraduate programs! Undergraduate students interested in palaeontology and palaeoclimatology, chemostratigraphy and isotope stratigraphy, stratigraphy and regional geology, and AI-based geological data analysis are welcome to join the research group in advance to conduct scientific research. Sincere cooperation—let us create a bright future with diligence!

• Member of the International Organization of Palaeobotany

• Member of the Botanical Society of America (June 2020 - Present)

• Deputy Secretary-General of the Education and Teaching Committee of the Palaeontological Society of China (July 2021 - Present)

• Member of the Shaanxi Provincial Palaeontological Fossil Expert Committee

• Director of the Shaanxi Provincial Palaeontological Society

• National Palaeontological Fossil Expert of the Ministry of Natural Resources

• Member of the Botanical Society of China (October 2024 - Present)

• Member of the Geographical Society of China (July 2025 - Present)

Research Fields:

1. Palaeontology and Palaeoclimatology, Sedimentary Minerals and Regional Geology, Chemostratigraphy

2. AI, Deep Learning and Plant Morphology

Research Focuses:

• Terrestrial Palaeoecology and Global Change

• Cyclostratigraphy, Chemostratigraphy and Isotope Stratigraphy

• Geology of Sedimentary Minerals such as Coal and Oil-Gas

• Deep Learning and Plant Image Recognition/Geographical Simulation

• Protection of Geological Heritage

1. 1.        Undergraduate Courses: Palaeontology, Historical Geology (Bilingual), Deep-Time Earth and Life, Palaeoecology, Palaeontology and Historical Geology, Palaeontology and Historical Geology, Fundamentals of Stratigraphy and Palaeontology, Introduction to Earth Sciences, Fundamentals of Geology, Quaternary Geology

   2.        Undergraduate Practical Teaching: Xi'an-Qinling Geological Field Reconnaissance Internship, Hanzhong Liangshan Geological Mapping Internship, Graduation Production Internship (conducted in Qinghai, Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Zhejiang, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Henan, Tibet, etc.)

   3.        Postgraduate Courses: Topics in Palaeontology, Frontiers of Geobiology, Frontiers in Palaeoenvironment and Palaeontology Research

   
   

2019-2023 ¥2,290,000-National Natural Science Foundation of China, International (Regional) Cooperation and Exchange Project (Key Project): Latitudinal migration and its environmental background of plants in paleogene Eurasia (No. 41820104002).

2019-2022 ¥660,000-National Natural Science Foundation of China: Reconstruction of ancient atmospheric CO₂ based on fossil leaf stomata and comparative carbon isotopes (No. 41872017).

2019-2022 ¥80,000-State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy (Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS): Paleocene components of the Altay flora and their implication for the paleoenvironment for central Asia (No. 193113).(Principal)

2019-2020  ¥30,000-Natural Science Basic Research Program in Shanxi Province of China: High resolution leaf physiognomic analysis of the Miocene of Songpan and its implication for neotectonic activities in West Qin Mountains (2019JM-401).(Principal)

2018-2020 ¥80,000-State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy (Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS): Study on the Neogene plant fossils and stable isotopes of Zhuozi, Inner Mongolia (No. 183125).

2018-2021 ¥720,000-National Natural Science Foundation of China: The Miocene sedimentary records form the Jianza Basin in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau and its paleoenvironmental significance (No. 41772167).

2017-2018 ¥150,000-Special Fund for Basic Scientific Research of Central College, Chang’an University: The Neogene flora and tectonic uplift in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau (No. 310827172005). (Principal)

2015-2018 ¥110,000-State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy (Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS): The Miocene paleocarpologic study and burial analysis in Zeku, Qinghai Province (No. 153108). (Principal)

2014-2015 ¥50,000-Special Fund for Basic Scientific Research of Central College, Chang’an University: Study on Miocene fruit seed fossils and paleoclimate in Xinchang, Zhejiang Province (No. 2014G1271061). (Principal)

2013-2015 ¥250,000-National Natural Science Foundation of China: The Miocene plant fossils from Zeku, Qinghai Province and its paleoclimate indication (No. 41202008). (Principal)

2013-2015 ¥250,000-National Natural Science Foundation of China: Biomolecular characteristics of the Miocene fossil plants from Tiantai county, Zhejiang province and its preservational mechanism (No. 41202009).

2011-2013 ¥40,000-Special Fund for Basic Scientific Research of Central College, Chang’an University: The Miocene flora from Zeku, Qinghai and its paleoclimate (No. CHD2011JC122). (Principal)

1.        Lei Ma, Jiangyue Yin, Jinhuang Nong, Junzhe Hu, Yanbo Zhang, Yuli Chen*, Xiangchuan Li*. 2025. PlantKnoRA: A Botanical Large   Language Model based on Lightweight Fine-Tuning and Tripartite Evaluation. 2025人工智能、人机交互与自然语言处理国际学术会议（ICAHN 2025），1-5.（EI）

2.        Liang Xiao*, Man Yuan, De-Shuang Ji, Li-Yan Guo, Xiang-Chuan Li*, Xing Wang, Jia-Nan Wang, Jia-Qi Liang, Mei-Ting Wang. 2024. Three-dimensional reconstruction of Late Miocene Trapa from eastern Zhejiang Province, China: Insights into its phytogeography and evolution. Journal of Palaeogeography, 13(4): 954-970.

3.        Liang Xiao*, Jia-qi Liang, Li-yan Guo, De-shuang Ji, Man Yuan, Xiang-chuan Li, Nan Sun, Zuo-chen Li. 2024. Stable carbon isotopes and stomatal frequency of Middle Jurassic ginkgophyte fossils from the Turpan basin, northwestern China: implications for reconstructing paleo-CO2 changes. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 259, 105938.

4.        Xiaoyan Ma, Wanshan Lei*, Xin Lin, Xiangchuan Li, Shengfei Yang, Xiaohuang Liu, Tuo Liu. Characteristics and migration patterns of selenium in soil, crops, and hair within a typical alkaline arid agricultural region of Northwest China. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 2024, 258: 107412.

5.        Xiangchuan Li*, Yi Hu, Xiang Zhang, Liang Xiao*, Lina Liang, Ruizhi Zhang, Lei Qiao. 2023.A novel seed cone of Pinus from the Miocene of coastal Southeast China indicates kinship with Southeast Asian pines. Plant Diversity.10.1016/j.pld.2022.12.002

6.        Hu Y., Liang L. N., Xiao L., Li X. C.*. 2022. Geological history and biogeographical evolution of Pinus L. Journal of Earth Environment, 13(3): 243–256. (Cover article; the first author is a master's student supervised by the author)

7.        Yafei Hou，Bowen Song*，Xiangchuan Li，Fang Han，Xu Zhang，Kexin Zhang. 2022. First record of Cyclocarya from the early Oligocene Qaidam Basin, north Tibet: Implications for the paleogeography and paleoecology. Journal of Earth Science, DOI: 10.1007/s12583-021-1580-2

8.        Xiangchuan Li*, Steven R. Manchester*, Julian E. Correa-Narvaez, Patrick S. Herendeen. 2021. An extinct fruit species of Fabaceae from the early Eocene of northwestern Wyoming, USA. International Journal of Plant Sciences, 182(8): 730-746. (SCI)

9.        Xiang-Chuan Li*, Steven R. Manchester, Liang Xiao, Qin Wang, Yi Hu, Bai-Nian Sun*. 2021. Ormosia (Fabaceae: Faboideae) from the Miocene of southeastern China support historical expansion of the tropical genus in East Asia. Historical Biology, 33(12): 3561–3578.

10.     Xiang-Chuan Li*, Steven R. Manchester, Qin Wang, Liang Xiao, Tian-Long Qi, Yun-Zhi Yao, Dong Ren, Qiang Yang. 2021. A unique record of Cercis from the late early Miocene of interior Asia and its significance for paleoenvironment and paleophytogeography. Journal of Systematics and Evolution, 59(6): 1321-1338.

11.     Li Xiangchuan*, Ma Fujun*, Xiao Liang, He Wenlong, Sun Bainian*, Quan Cheng, Yao Yunzhi, Ren Dong, Wang Xing, Wang Qin, Xie Sanping. 2019. New records of Podocarpium A. Braun ex Stizenberger (Fabaceae) from the Oligocene to Miocene of China: Reappraisal of the phylogeographical history of the genus. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 260: 38-50.

12.     Hui Zhengchuang*, Li Xiangchuan, Ma Zhenhua, Xiao Liang, Zhang Jun, Chang Jing. 2018. Miocene pollen assemblages from the Zeku Basin, northeastern Tibetan Plateau, and their palaeoecological and palaeoaltimetric implications. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 511: 419-432.

13.     Wenlong He* , Liang Xiao, Xiangchuan Li, Shuangxing Guo. 2018. An ancient example of Platycladus (Cupressceae) from the early Miocene of northern China: origin and biogeographical implications. Historical Biology, 30(8):1123-1131.

14.     Qiang Yang, Chaofan Shi, Xiangchuan Li, Hong Pang*, Dong Ren*. 2018. The first fossil brown lacewing from the Miocene of the Tibetan Plateau (Neuroptera, Hemerobiidae). ZooKeys, 726: 145–154.

15.     Li Xiang-chuan*, GUO Zheng-hong, HE Wen-long, XIAO Liang, DAI Jing, SUN Nan, WANG Nan, LI Rui-yun. Quantitative palaeoclimate reconstructions of the Early Miocene megaflora of Jinggu, Yunnan. Acta Palaeontologica Sinica , 56(4): 549-561

16.     YI LI, XIAOHUI LIU, DONG REN, XIANGCHUAN LI, YUNZHI YAO*. 2017. First report of Cixiidae insect fossils from the Miocene of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau and their palaeoenvironmental implications. Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology, 41 (1): 54-60.

17.     Xiangchuan Li*, Liang Xiao, Zhicheng Lin, Wenlong He, Qiang Yang, Yunzhi Yao, Dong Ren, Junfeng Guo, Shuangxing Guo. 2016. Fossil fruits of Koelreuteria (Sapindaceae) from the Miocene of northeastern Tibetan Plateau and their palaeoenvironmental, phytogeographic and phylogenetic implications. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 234: 125–135.

18.     Xiao Liang*, Yang Hong, He Yuli, He Wenlong, Li Xiangchuan, Guo Junfeng and Hui Kaixuan. 2015. Biomolecular Preservation of Miocene Fossil Liquidambar from Tiantai, China and Clarkia, USA: Implications for Palaeoenvironmental Study. Acta Geologica Sinica (English Edition), 2015: 89(4), pp 1076-1087.

19.     Li Xiangchuan*, Wang Haofei, Leng Qin, Xiao Liang, Guo Junfeng, He Wenlong. 2014. Paliurus (Paliureae, Rhamnaceae) from the Miocene of East China and its Macrofossil-based Phylogenetic and Phytogeographical History. Acta Geologica Sinica (English Edition), 88(5), pp 1364-1377.

20.     LI Xiang-chuan*, SUN Bai-nian, XIAO Liang, DING Su-ting, HE Wen-long, DU Bao-xia. 2014. Stratum characteristics of the Neogene Shengxian Formation in Zhejiang Province and its related fossil studies. Journal of Lanzhou University (Natural Sciences): 50(2), 145-153.

21.     Li Xiangchuan, Sun Bainian*, Xiao Liang, Wu Jingyu, Lin Zhicheng. 2010. Leaf macrofossils of Ilex protocornuta sp. nov. (Aquifoliaceae) from the Late Miocene, East China: implications for palaeoecology. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 161 (1-2):87-103.

22.     LI Xiang-chuan,* SUN Bai-nian, LIN Zhi-cheng, DING Su-ting, XIAO Liang, WU Jing-yu. 2010. Epidermal anatomy of the genus Ilex and its taxonomic significance. Journal of Lanzhou University (Natural Sciences): 46(4): 9, 13-21.

1.        East Asian Climate Transition, Regional Tectonic Uplift, and Vegetation Succession in the Northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau at the Oligocene-Miocene Boundary

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, this research focuses on the phytogeographical significance of selected groups of early Miocene plant and insect fossils, as well as spore-pollen assemblages, in the Zeku area of the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. New fossil species of fruits belonging to Koelreuteria (Sapindaceae) and Cercis (Fabaceae) were established; a new record of the extinct Cenozoic Eurasia-wide fabaceous genus Podocarpium was reported; and Qinghai Province’s first fossil record of Cixiidae—Cixius discretus (new species)—and China’s first Cenozoic fossil record of Neuroptera—Wesmaelius makarkini (new species)—were documented. The evolutionary history of the modern geographical distribution of the aforementioned fossil groups was discussed. 

The characteristics of early Miocene flora and fauna communities in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were reconstructed, along with regional palaeovegetation, palaeoclimate, and palaeoaltitude features. It was revealed that the East Asian climate transition and regional tectonic uplift at the Oligocene-Miocene boundary drove the vegetation succession from forest to grassland in the northeastern Plateau.

2.        Late Miocene Plant Communities, Climate Change, and Origin of Subtropical Evergreen Forests in East China (Zhejiang Province)

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, morphological and anatomical methods were employed to compare the morphological and anatomical characteristics of common fossils (fruits, seeds, and leaves) from the Miocene Shengxian Formation flora in the Tiantai-Ninghai area of Zhejiang Province. The taxonomic positions and related groups of the main fossil taxa in this flora were determined, including 4 gymnosperm species (belonging to 4 genera and 2 families) and 16 angiosperm species (belonging to 12 genera and 8 families, with 11 new species described). It was confirmed that the Miocene vegetation in this area was a small-leaved broad-leaved evergreen forest, and the palaeoflora comprised elements of both the Paleotropical Tertiary flora and the Arctic Tertiary flora. The Miocene vegetation landscape of the area was reconstructed: evergreen broad-leaved forests in the piedmont zones, thermophilic-temperate coniferous and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forests, and bamboo forests in higher mountainous areas. The late Miocene forest landscape and vertical zonality in Zhejiang were revealed, and it was proposed that the modern subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests in East China originated in the Miocene.

By integrating chronological, lithostratigraphic, and biostratigraphic methods, combined with comprehensive analysis of isotopic ages, regional correlations, and plant fossil assemblages, the Neogene fossil-bearing horizons in eastern Zhejiang were identified as the Shengxian Formation, dating to the late Miocene.

3.        Geological Age of the Jinfosi Rock Mass and Genetic Mechanism of Iron Polymetallic Deposits in the Western Section of the North Qilian Mountains

Supported by horizontal research funds, geological methods including structural geology, petrology, mineral deposit geology, radioactive Re-Os, Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, and Pb isotope dating and tracing, major, trace, and rare earth element geochemistry, and stable C, H, O, and S isotope geochemistry were comprehensively applied to study the metallogenic regularities of polymetallic metallogenic belts in the region. The first phase of the Jinfosi Rock Mass was dated to 421.9–426.5 Ma, and the second phase to 389.6–391.3 Ma; it formed during the continent-continent collision after the closure of the North Qilian Paleo-ocean in the Silurian, and is a product of partial melting of the lower crust. The mineralization age of the deposits was determined to be 421.0±3.8 Ma (middle-late Silurian), and the deposits are of epithermal type. The ore-forming fluids were mainly derived from magmatic water, with a secondary contribution from meteoric water.

Sixty-six molybdenite veins, 10 lead-zinc veins, and 6 iron veins were identified, and the 333- and 334-category resource quantities of the aforementioned minerals were estimated.

This research won the Second Prize of Gansu Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award in 2010.

2025: First Prize of Higher Education (Undergraduate) Teaching Achievement Award, Chang'an University

2024: Outstanding Supervisor Award, 7th National College Students' Geological Skills Competition

2010: Second Prize of Gansu Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award (Project No. 2009-J2-036-R6; Project Title: Study on Geological Characteristics and Metallogenic Regularities of Polymetallic Deposits in the Jinfosi Rock Mass Area, Western Section of the North Qilian Mountains)

July 2010 - October 2017: Lecturer, School of Earth Sciences and Resources, Chang'an University

November 2017 - Present: Associate Professor, Master's Supervisor, School of Earth Sciences and Resources, Chang'an University

December 2019 - December 2020: Visiting Scholar, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida

October 2023 - Present: Associate Professor, International Doctoral Supervisor, School of Earth Sciences and Resources, Chang'an University