Tierökologie (Scheu)

Sun Xin


Personal Profile

My research focuses on how environmental factors influence the biodiversity of soil animals and explores the underlying mechanisms using Collembola as a model. I do have a strong background in taxonomical research in particular on Chinese Onychiuridae. I am closely collaborating with research groups from Germany and France to investigate the distribution patterns of Collembola along altitudinal gradients in different climatic zones.

Career history

2016.07-present
Humboldt fellowship
JFB Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen
Host: Prof. Stefan Scheu, head of the section Animal Ecology
Topic: Collembola distribution patterns along altitudinal gradients, linking diversity, phylogenetic composition, life-history traits and predation

2014.01-present
Associate professor
Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGA, CAS)
Topic: Research on the taxonomy and biodiversity of Collembola in northeast China

2015.12-2016.04
Academic Visitor
Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI), University of Exeter
Topic: Research on Collembola biodiversity under the environmental changes
Host: Prof. Kevin J. Gaston, director of ESI

2012.08
Academic Visitor
Muséum National d?Histoire Naturelle (MNHN, Paris)
Topic: Changes in diversity and body size of Onychiurinae (Collembola) along an altitudinal gradient in Changbai mountains, China

2011.07-2013.12
Assistant professor IGA, CAS
Topic: Taxonomy of the family Onychiurinae (Collembola) from China, especially northeast China

2009.09-2010.09
Joint Ph. D candidate
MNHN, Paris
Topic: Taxonomy of the family Onychiurinae (Collembola) from East and South China

2006.09-2011.06
PhD candidate
School of Life Science, Nanjing University
Thesis: Systematics of the Family Onychiuridae Börner, 1913 (Collembola: Poduromorpha) of China


Current projects

2016-2019
Title: Altitudinal diversity pattern and its underlying mechanisms of Onychiuridae (Collembola) in the Changbai mountains (National Natural Science Foundation of China)
2014-2016
Title: Systematics of the Family Onychiuridae from China (Collembola: Poduromorpha) (National Natural Science Foundation of China)
2013-2017
Title: Biodiversity of Collembola in northeast China (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

International cooperation:

2013 Cooperation with scientists from the Origin, Structure and Evolution of Biodiversity group of the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle (Paris)
Topic: Elevation, traits and diversity in soil Collembola: case studies in Pyrenees and Northeast China

2012 Cooperation with scientists from the Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences
Topic: Research on soil biodiversity, biogeography and phylogeny evolutionary process of the Palaearctic region



Publications (* corresponding author)


    1. Xin Sun, Yinhuan Ding, Michael C. Orr, Feng Zhang. Streamlining universal single-copy ortholog and ultraconserved element design: a case study in Collembola. Molecular Ecology Resources, 2020, doi: 10.1111/1755-0998.13146.

    2. Xin Sun*, Franca Marian, Christian Bluhm, Mark Maraun, Stefan Scheu. Response of Collembola to the addition of nutrients along an altitudinal gradient of tropical montane rainforests. Applied Soil Ecology, 2020, 147: 103382.

    3. Xin Sun, Louis Deharveng , Anne Bedos , Liang Chang , Stefan Scheu , Donghui Wu. Changes in diversity and body size of Onychiurinae (Collembola: Onychiuridae) along an altitudinal gradient on Changbai Mountains, China. Soil Ecology Letters, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42832-020-0040-8.

    4. Xin Sun, Daoyuan Yu, Zhijing Xie, Jie Dong, Yinhuan Ding, Haifeng Yao, Penelope Greenslade. Phylomitogenomic analyses on collembolan higher taxa with enhanced taxon sampling and discussion on method selection. PLoS ONE, 2020, 15(4): e0230827.

    5. Xin Sun*, Anne Bedos, Louis Deharveng. Two new species of Thalassaphorura from China (Collembola: Onychiuridae). The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 2020, Supplement No. 35: 61–67
    .
    6. Haifeng Yao, Zhijing Xie, Jie Dong, Xin Sun*. The complete mitochondrial genome of Orthonychiurus folsomi (Collembola: Onychiuridae). Mitochondrial DNA Part B, 2020, 5(1): 340-341.

    7. Zhijng Xie, Haifeng Yao, Mikhail Potapov, Jie Dong, Donghui Wu, Stefan Scheu & Xin Sun*. The complete mitochondrial genome of an enigmatic predaceous springtail Metisotoma macnamarai from northeast China, Mitochondrial DNA Part B, 2020, 5(1): 506-508.

    8. Mikhail Potapov, Zhijing Xie, Alexander Kuprin, Xin Sun*. The genus Semicerura (Collembola; Isotomidae) in Asia. Zootaxa, 2020, 4751(1): 105-118.

    9. Shaoqing Zhang, Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. A new species of the genus Leeonychiurus Sun & Arbea, 2014 (Collembola, Onychiurinae, Onychiurini) from China, with a checklist of Chinese Onychiurini. Zootaxa, 2020, 4743 (1): 137-143.

    10. Xin Sun, Yu B. Shveenkova, Zhijing Xie, A.B. Babenko. New Oligaphorura species (Collembola: Onychiuridae) from the forests of East Asia. Zootaxa, 2019, 4661 (2): 256–270.

    11. Mikhail Potapov, Alexey Brinev, Xin Sun. Isotomidae of Japan and Asiatic part of Russia. II. The genus Tetracanthella of the Far East. ZooKeys, 2019, 855: 31–54.

    12. Zhijing Xie, Mikhail Potapov, Xin Sun*. Two new species of the genus Tetracanthella (Collembola; Isotomidae) from China. Zootaxa, 2019, 4585 (3): 573–580.

    13. Jie Liu, Meixiang Gao, Zhijing Xie, Xin Sun*. Two new onyсhiurid species (Collembola, Onychiurinae) inhabiting morel fruit bodies in southwest China. Zootaxa, 2019, 4576 (2): 367–374.

    14. Wanda M. Weiner, Zhijing Xie, Yu Li, Xin Sun*. Ceratophysella species from mushrooms in China (Collembola, Hypogastruridae). ZooKeys, 2019, 822: 67–77.

    15. Yongjing Dou, Bing Zhang, Xin Sun, Liang Chang, Donghui Wu. Marshland restoration benefits Collembola recruitment: a long-term chronosequence study in Sanjiang mire marshland, China. PeerJ, 2019, 7:e7198.

    16. Jie Liu, Meixiang Gao, Yanlong Ma, Xin Sun, Xinyu Zhu, Sina Adl, Donghui Wu. Spatial and environmental factors are minor structuring forces in a soil Collembola metacommunity in a maize agroecosystem. Pedobiologia, 2019, 76: 150572. (SCI, 中科院JCR2区，IF: 2.040)

    17. Xin Sun, Anne Bedos, Louis Deharveng. Unusually low genetic divergence at COI barcode locus between two species of intertidal Thalassaphorura (Collembola: Onychiuridae). PeerJ, 2018, 6:e5021.

    18. Meixiang Gao, Lin Lin, Liang Chang, Xin Sun, Dong Liu, Donghui Wu. Spatial pattern and assembly rule of soil fauna community: A review. Biodiversity Science, 2018, 26 (10): 1034–1050.

    19. Meixiang Gao, Xin Sun, Zhihong Qiao, Hongyu Hou, Tingyu Lu, Donghui Wu, Guangze Jin. Distinct patterns suggest that assembly processes differ for dominant arthropods in above-ground and below-ground ecosystems. Pedobiologia, 2018, 69: 17–28.

    20. Xin Sun, Feng Zhang, Yinhuan Ding, Thomas Davies, Yu Li, Donghui Wu. Delimiting species of Protaphorura (Collembola: Onychiuridae): integrative evidence based on morphology, DNA sequences and geography. Scientific Reports, 2017, 7: 8261.

    21. Xin Sun, Anne Bedos, Louis Deharveng. Two new species of the genus Thalassaphorura Bagnall, 1949 (Collembola: Onychiuridae) from south China, with an updated key to world species of the genus. Zootaxa, 2017, 4338 (2): 319–332.

    22. Xin Sun, Maria W. Weiner, Franca Marian, Stefan Scheu. Agraphorura xuae sp. nov., the first record of Onychiuridae (Collembola) from continental ecuador, with a key to the known species of the genus. Annales Zoologici (Warszawa), 2017, 67(2): 253–259.

    23. Xie Zhijing, Xin Sun*, Weiner Maria Wanda. A new species of Uralaphorura Martynova, 1978 from northeast China, with a key to world species of the genus (Collembola, Onychiuridae). ZooKeys, 2017, 662: 93–99.

    24. Bing Zhang, Liang Chang, Zhen Ni, Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. Directional migration of three Desoria species (Collembola: Isotomidae) on the snow surface in late winter. European Journal of Soil Biology 81, 2017, 64e68.

    25. Liang Chang, Xin Sun*. Two new species of Allonychiurus Yoshii, 1995 (Collembola, Onychiuridae) from eastern China, with a key to world species of the genus. Zootaxa, 2016, 4061 (4): 429–437.

    26. Jing Liu, Xuefeng Wang, Liang Chang, Meixiang Gao, Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. Temperature Response of Local Soil Springtail Protaphorura bicampata (Gisin，1956) (Collembola: Onychiuridae) in Sanjiang Plain. Soils and Crops, 2016, 5(2): 110-114.

    27. Xin Sun, Liang Chang, Donghui Wu. New species and new records of Protaphorura species from northeast China (Collembola: Onychiuridae). Zootaxa, 2015, 3920 (2): 381–392.

    28. Xin Sun, Yu Li. New Chinese species of the genus Thalassaphorura Bagnall, 1949 (Collembola: Onychiuridae). Zootaxa, 2015, 3931(2): 261-271.

    29. Xin Sun, Yu Li. Thalassaphorurini (Collembola: Onychiuridae) in Shandong Province, China, with description of two new species. Florida Entomologist, 2015, 98(2): 697-703.

    30. Sha Di, Gao Meixiang, Sun Xin, Wu Donghui, Zhang Xueping. Relative Contributions of Spatial and Environmental Processes and Biotic Interactions in a Soil Collembolan Community. Chinese Geographical Science, 2015, 25: 582–590.

    31. Meixiang Gao, Xin Sun, Xueping Zhang, Donghui Wu, Jiyuan Zhu. Spatial relations between soil Collembola and environmental factors based on geostatistical analysis in a farmland, Sanjiang Plain, China. Biodiversity Conservation and Research Progress in China XI, 2015, 138–150.


    32. Xin Sun, Fusheng Huang. Redescriptions of two onychiurid species from Tibet, with a key to known Chinese species of Onychiuridae (Collembola). Entomotaxonomia, 2014, 36(4): 241–251.

    33. Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. New species of Sensillonychiurus (Collembola: Onychiuridae) from Heilongjiang Province, China. Florida Entomologist, 2014, 97(4): 1718–1725.

    34. Xin Sun, Javier Arbea. Leeonychiurus, a new genus from East Asia (Collembola: Onychiuridae: Onychiurini). Zootaxa, 2014, 3847 (1): 115–124.

    35. Xin Sun, Yu Li. New Chinese record of the genus Spinonychiurus (Collembola, Onychiuridae), with the description of a new species. ZooKeys, 2014, 439: 19–26.

    36. Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. Onychiurid species from Wanda Mountains in China, with descriptions of two new species (Collembola: Onychiuridae). ZooKeys, 2014, 425: 99–111.

    37. Xin Sun. Two new species of Hymenaphorura Bagnall, 1948 from northeast China (Collembola: Onychiuridae). Annales Zoologici (Warszawa), 2014, 64(1): 57–63
    .
    38. Xin Sun, Yan Gao, Mikhail B. Potapov. Review of Chinese littoral Thalassaphorura (Collembola: Onychiuridae), with the description of two new species. Journal of Natural History, 2014, 48(9–10): 575–589.

    39. Bing Zhang, Liang Chang, Zhen Ni, Mac A. Callaham Jr., Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. Effects of land use changes on winter-active Collembola in Sanjiang Plain of China. Applied Soil Ecology, 2014, 83: 51–58.

    40. Meixiang Gao, Ping He, Xin Sun, Xueping Zhang, Donghui Wu. Relative contributions of environmental filtering, biotic interactions and dispersal limitation in a soil collembolan community from a temperate deciduous forest in the Maoer mountains (in Chinese). Chinese Science Bulletin, 2014, 59: 2426–2438.

    41. Meixiang Gao, Xin Sun, Donghui Wu, Xueping Zhang. Spatial autocorrelation at multi-scale of soil collembolan community in farmland of the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2014, 34(17): 4980–4990.

    42. Bing Zhang, Zhen Ni, Liang Chang, Haitao Wu, Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. A review of snow-living Collembola. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2014, 34(8) :1922-1936.

    43. Xin Sun, Louis Deharveng, Donghui Wu. Broadening the definition of the genus Thalassaphorura Bagnall, 1949 (Collembola, Onychiuridae) with a new aberrant species from China. ZooKeys, 2013, 364: 1–9.

    44. Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. A newly recorded genus of Onychiurinae from China (Collembola, Onychiuridae). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica, 2013, 38(4): 904–907.

    45. Xin Sun, Donghui Wu, Meixiang Gao. Description of the octopunctata-group species of Protaphorura from China (Collembola: Onychiurdae). Zootaxa, 2013, 3710(4): 363–371.

    46. Xin Sun, Bing Zhang, Donghui Wu. Two new species and one new country record of Protaphorura Absolon, 1901 (Collembola: Onychiuridae) from northeast China. Zootaxa, 2013, 3673(2): 207–220.

    47. Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. Three new species of Thalassaphorura Bagnall, 1949 (Collembola: Onychiuridae) from Northwest China. Annales Zoologici (Warszawa), 2013, 63(2): 223–233.

    48. Xin Sun, Louis Deharveng, Anne Bedos, Donghui Wu, Jian-Xiu Chen. Onychiuridae of China: species versus generic diversity along a latitudinal gradient. Soil Organisms, 2013, 85(1): 51–59.

    49. Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. Two new species of the tribe Hymenaphorurini Pomorski, 1996 (Collembola: Onychiuridae) from Northeast China. Entomological News, 2013, 122(5): 441–450.

    50. Liang Chang, Haitao Wu, Donghui Wu, Xin Sun. Effect of tillage and farming management on Collembola in marsh soils. Applied Soil Ecology, 2013, 64: 112–117.

    51. Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. A new species and a new record species in the tribe Thalassaphorurini Pomorski, 1998 (Collembola: Onychiuridae) from Northeast China. Entomotaxonomia, 2012, 34(3): 495–502.

    52. Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. Two new species of the genus Sensillonychiurus Pomorski et Sveenkova, 2006 (Collembola: Onychiuridae) from Changbai Mountains, China. Annales Zoologici (Warszawa), 2012, 62(4): 563–570.

    53. Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. Two new species of the tribe Oligaphorurini Bagnall, 1949 (Collembola: Onychiuridae) from northeast China. Zootaxa, 2012, 3526: 45–52.

    54. Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. Bionychiurus Pomorski, 1996, a genus new to China and description of a new Chinese species. Annales Zoologici (Warszawa), 2012, 62(2): 357–362.

    55. Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. Review of Chinese Oligaphorurini (Collembola, Onychiuridae) with descriptions of two new Palaearctic species. Zookeys, 2012, 192: 15–26.

    56. Xin Sun, Feng Zhang. Two new species of Onychiurus (Collembola, Onychiuridae) from eastern China, with a discussion of the tibiotarsal chaetae in the distal whorl. Journal of Natural History, 2012, 46: 31–32.

    57. Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. Two new species of tribe Thalassaphorurini Pomorski, 1998 (Collembola: Onychiuridae) from Northeast China. Zootaxa, 2012, 3226: 61–68.

    58. Xin Sun, Donghui Wu. A newly recorded tribe of family Onychiuridae (Collembola, Poduromorpha) with a new species and a newly recorded species from northeast China. Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica, 2012, 37(1): 105–110.

    59. Xin Sun, Jian-xiu Chen, Louis Deharveng. Redefinition of the genus Allonychiurus (Collembola: Onychiuridae) with description of a new species from China. Zookeys, 2011, 78: 27–41.

    60. Xin Sun, Jian-xiu Chen, Louis Deharveng. Six new species of Thalassaphorura (Collembola, Onychiuridae) from southern China, with a key to world species of the genus. Zootaxa, 2010, 2627: 20–38.

    61. Xin Sun, Haijuan Yan, Jian-xiu Chen. A new species of the genus Allonychiurus from China (Collembola: Onychiuridae). Zootaxa, 2009, 2194: 61–68.