Fig.1：River vein concept.

This research project will develop quantitative methods to evaluate nutrient cycling in watershed ecosystems. In disentangling the intricate interactions among human activities, biodiversity and nutrient cycling, our research will contribute to the construction of sustainable social-ecological systems in which biodiversity-driven nutrient cycling and human-wellbeing of local societies are interdependently enhanced, reaching to good ecohealth. We propose a methodology of “hierarchical watershed management”, in which citizens and other stakeholders are involved in the co-design and co-production of the research and management process, and thus empowered to practice conservation of local biodiversity and its nutrient cycling functions in watershed ecosystems.