The 2nd National Biogeography Conference & Forum on Ecological Protection of Yellow River Basin, sponsored by the Geographical Society of China and Henan University, organized by the Biogeography Committee and the College of Geography and Environmental Science of Henan University, was held in Kaifeng on September 18 and 19, 2021.

The conference was held in an "online + offline" approach. Nearly 200 experts, scholars and postgraduate students from all over the country attended the conference in person, and more than 3,000 joined in the online conference. With the theme of "the Progress and Prospects of Biogeography", the conference aimed to summarize and exchange the new progress and achievements in theories and methods of biogeography in recent years, discuss the role of biogeography in biodiversity conservation, utilization of biological resources and environmental management, and promote the development of biogeography in China.

In the morning of September 18, the opening ceremony was held. Shenglei FU, Vice President of Henan University and Deputy Director of Biogeography Committee, presided over the ceremony.

Fahu CHEN, President of the Geographical Society of China, stressed in his online speech that we should pay more attention to the updating of high-tech tools, the output of original research results and the goal of serving the sustainable development of mankind in the development of China's geography. Biogeography is one of the most rapidly developing branches of geography and has made significant contributions to the development of geography in China. Chen called on all experts and scholars to work together to develop biogeography research with Chinese characteristics, to create a better future of China's Geography, and to make China's geographical research move to the forefront of the world.

Chun-Peng SONG, President of Henan University, said that in recent years, the College of Geography and Environmental Science has taken the initiative to meet the needs of major national and regional development strategies, providing intellectual and technical support for government decision-making and policy-making. With the theme of "the Progress of Biogeography and the Ecological Protection of the Yellow River Basin", the conference fully demonstrated the combination of the development of the Geographical Society of China and the major strategic needs of the country. He wished the conference a complete success, and hoped that all leaders and experts would continue to support Henan University and put forward valuable opinions and suggestions on its discipline development and personnel training.

Guoyou ZHANG, Secretary General of the Geographical Society of China, presided over the second phase of the meeting. Guirui YU, Academician of the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Yongguan ZHU, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered speeches titled "Carbon Cycle/Storage and Carbon Sink Function of Terrestrial Ecosystem" and "On Microbial Ecology of Nitrogen Cycle" respectively. In addition, the seven recipients of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars presented the latest progress in the related fields focusing on "Regional Difference in the Distribution of Plant and Microorganism Components in Soil", "Research on the Hydraulic Properties of Plants on a Global Scale" and "Carbon Decomposition and Temperature Sensitivity of Frozen Soils Controlled by Mineral Conservation and Microbiological Specifications", etc.

The conference had 9 sub-sessions, covering topics such as "Frontiers of Biogeography Theory", Pedigree Geography and Environmental Driving Mechanism", and "Biodiversity and Community Building Mechanism".