This laboratory is supported by CAS under the co-operation between the Institute of Subtropical Agriculture and Hunan province, and is oriented towards the manipulation of agro-ecosystem processes and the efficient utilization and management of agricultural resources in subtropical regions. The focal research areas include as follows: the succession of the regional agro-ecosystems and the sustainable development models; nutrient cycling and manipulation of soil-plant-animal systems, and molecular manipulation of crops in protecting from environmental stresses. It has well been equipped with RS/GIS systems and instruments and experimental facilities for the studies of soil, plant, and animal sciences.