2009:  PhD, Human Geography, Lanzhou University
1998:  MA, Economic Geography,Lanzhou University
1995:  BA, Physical Geography, Lanzhou University

 Ecological quality assessment； and Evaluation of Natural Resources

05/2012- Present: Professor, College of Earth and Environment Sciences, Lanzhou University
07/2004- 04/2012: Associate Professor, College of Earth and Environment Sciences, Lanzhou University
01/2011-01/2012: Visiting Academic, Geography of Department, University of Cambridge, UK                    
07/2000-06/2004: Lecture, College of Earth and Environment Sciences, Lanzhou University
06/1998-06/2000: Assistant, Geography Department, Lanzhou University, China

1.Instructed PhD of Science thesis
2.Instructed Master of Science thesis
Courses taught
1.Natural Resource Science (undergraduate level)
2.General Theory of Geographical Environment ( graduate level)

1.Ecosystem Stability and Health Assessment: 1）Focusing on the three major sandy areas in central China (Tengger, Ulan Buh, and Badain Jaran): Expanded the connotation and evaluation methods of ecosystem stability and health. Established a multi-scale (regional, landscape, ecosystem, community) stability and health evaluation index system, applied to desert nature reserve practical assessment. Preliminarily compiled technical specifications for assessing the stability of desert ecosystems, enriching relevant local technical standard systems. 2）Focusing on the Qilian Mountain area/Qilian Mountain National Park: Proved the time lag of mountain vegetation in response to climate change, revealing differences and mechanisms of vegetation time lags. Revealed characteristics and patterns of non-linear vegetation response to climate change. Comprehensively analyzed the spatiotemporal changes of ecosystem three-dimensional stability based on multivariate autoregressive models. Discussed spatial differentiation of vegetation resistance stability based on the international mainstream Vegetation Sensitivity Index (VSI). Analyzed altitudinal differentiation patterns of forest resilience based on improved recovery time index and NDVI first-order lag autocorrelation coefficient (TAC). Confirmed that vegetation resilience better represents vegetation health than greenness. Quantified the park's soil and water conservation capacity using an improved InVest model, exploring the impact mode and intensity of fragmentation.
2. Resource Measurement and Planning Methods：Interpreted the basic connotation of water resource constraints, proposed concept and comprehensive measurement model for arid area water resource constraints, clarified mechanisms of water-constrained urbanization, and empirically analyzed the process, spatial differentiation, and causes of water-constrained urbanization in multiple northwestern regions. Constructed a Water Poverty Index (WPI) for arid areas, improved and verified the applicability and scientific nature of the random forest method in water poverty measurement, grading, and extraction of poverty-causing factors. Developed a Coupling Coordination Degree (CCD) model for development and water resource environment in arid rural areas, proving the non-linear relationship between the two. Improved calculation methods for reclamation potential of wasteland resources in arid areas under conditions with and without water. Systematically explained the rationality of the Daxia River Diversion Project from aspects such as dual-source replenishment of runoff, runoff guarantee rate, land resource base and climate background, consistency between mainstream water inflow process and agricultural irrigation water demand process, and rhythmicity of water resource supply. Improved the potential Taylor index for human-influenced geographical environments, assessing the environmental stability of the Qinwangchuan Basin after comprehensive water diversion. Under the expected goals of Lanzhou New Area planning and construction, evaluated the sustainability of the main water source supply from the Daxia River Diversion Project.
3. Urban Adaptation of Floating Populations：Focusing on ethnic minority floating populations (especially floating Muslims): Established a theoretical explanatory framework for their urban adaptation process；Clarified their migration spatial flow field；Revealed general patterns of urban adaptation processes for different groups of floating Muslims；Established temporal commonalities and differences in their four-dimensional (environmental, economic, social, and cultural-psychological) urban adaptation；Quantitatively assessed the spatial relationships and balance between occupation and residence for floating Muslims；Predicted future trends in these spatial relationships；Attempted to verify the suitability and limitations of existing population geography and sociological theories using big data approaches.

[1] National Key Research and Development Program project "Study on Ecological Environment Quality Assessment of Qilian Mountain Nature Reserve" (No. 2019YFC0507402), sub-topic "Ecosystem Stability and Health Assessment of Qilian Mountain Nature Reserve", Nov 2019 - Nov 2023, Principal Investigator.
[2] Environmental Protection Public Welfare Industry Research Project, "Study on Ecological Stability Assessment and Social Service Functions of Arid Desert Nature Reserves", 201209034, Jan 2012 - Jun 2015, Project Executive Manager.
[3] National Social Science Fund General Project, "Research on the Housing-Employment Relationship of Urban Floating Muslims in China during the Transition Period", 14BSH027, Jun 2014 - Dec 2017, Principal Investigator.
[4] National Natural Science Foundation of China Project, "Study on Urban Adaptation Process and Regulation of Ethnic Migrants in Northwest China - Taking Lanzhou and Yinchuan Migrant Hui People as Examples", 40701048, Jan 2008 - Dec 2010, Principal Investigator.
[5] Ministry of Education Humanities and Social Sciences Planning Fund Project, "Urban Adaptation Process of Migrant Workers' Children during Social Transformation - An Empirical Study of Hui Population in Northwest China", 09YJA840017, Jan 2010 - Dec 2012, Principal Investigator.

[1]	Qiuran Li, Xiang Gao *, Jie Li, An Yan, Shuhang Chang, Xiaojiao Song，Kevin Lo.. Nonlinear time effects of vegetation response to climate change: Evidence from Qilian Mountain National Park in China. Science of the Total Environment 933 (2024) 173149 
[2]	Gao X, Huang XX, Chang SH, Dang QW, Wen RY, Lo K, Li J, Yan A. (2023). Long-term improvements in water conservation functions at Qilian Mountain National Park, northwest China. Journal of Mountain Science (2023) 20(10)，2885-2897
[3]	X.Gao, R. Wen, K. Lo*, J. Li, A. Yan. Heterogeneity and non-linearity of ecosystem responses to climate change in the Qilian Mountains National Park, China. J. Arid Land 15, 508–522 (2023). 
[4]	Jie Li, Xiang Gao *, An Yan, Shuhang Chang and Qiuran Li. Altitudinal Differentiation of Forest Resilience to Drought in a Dryland Mountain. Forests 2023, 14, 1284.	
[5]	Xiang Gao, Ruiyang Wen, Shuhang Chang, Jie Li & An Yan. Spatial and temporal differences in the response of water conservation and soil conservation to ecosystem fragmentation: evidence from Qilian Mountain National Park of China. Environ Monit Assess 195, 904 (2023).
[6]	Xiang Gao, Ke Wang, Kevin Lo*, Ruiyang Wen, Xingxing Huang and Qianwen Dang. Water poverty assessment based on the random forest algorithm: application to Gansu, Northwest China. Water Policy (2021) 23 (6): 1388–1399. 
[7]	Xiang Gao, Xingxing Huang, Kevin Lo*, Qianwen Dang,Ruiyang Wen. Vegetation responses to climate change in the Qilian Mountain Nature Reserve, Northwest China. Global Ecology and Conservation 28 (2021) e01698.
[8]	Gao, X.; Wang, K.; Lo, K*.;Wen, R.; Mi, X.; Liu, K.; Huang, X. An Evaluation of Coupling Coordination between Rural Development and Water Environment in Northwestern China. Land 2021, 10(4), 405. 
[9]	Wang B , Gao X . Temporal and spatial variations of water resources constraint intensity on urbanization in the Shiyang River Basin, China. Environment Development and Sustainability, 2021, 23(4):1-18.
[10]	Gao Xiang, Yu Tengfei. The temporal-spatial variation of water resources constraint on urbanization in the northwestern China: examples from the Gansu section of west Longhai–Lanxin economic zone. Environ Earth Sci .2014,71(9): 4029-4037.

1. Gao Xiang. Research on Ecosystem Stability and Health of Qilian Mountain National Park. Beijing: Science Press, 2024.
2. Gao Xiang. Urban Development with the Restriction of Water Resources in the Book "Water Challenges of Urbanizing World", Intech, 2018.3
3. Gao Xiang. Ecological Stability Assessment of Arid Desert Nature Reserves. Beijing: China Environmental Science Press, 2017.