Dongbo Li is a quantitative ecologist with research experience spanning both experimental and theoretical approaches to ecological dynamics. After completing a research master degree involving fieldwork on the Tibetan Plateau, he begun a PhD in ecology at University of Bristol. During his PhD — partly conducted through the global pandemic — he developed a strong focus on integrating empirical and theoretical approaches, using laboratory microcosms with soil Collembola to investigate how inter-patch dispersal shapes metapopulation dynamics, and using field experiments to understand how spatial landscape processes drive observed pollination in nature. He subsequently started a postdoctoral position at University of Leeds, where he examined how environmental change affect the ecological dynamics of host–parasitoid interactions. His work combines demographic and trait based approach across multiple biological systems, with specical focuses on density-dependent regulation, eco-evolutionary dynamics, and predator-prey oscillations.
Dongbo has expertise in time-series modelling and forecasting, with strong interests in Bayesian statistics and signal processing. He uses a range of quantitative approaches to analyse and interpret complex, noisy ecological time series.
Outside of research, Dongbo enjoys sports and outdoor activities, including gym training, hiking, and cycling. He is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fourth-stripe blue belt. In addition, he has a strong interest in mechanics, particularly motor and electronic device repair. Although these interests may seem quite different from ecological microcosms, they share a common foundation: understanding systems through their underlying mechanisms.
