Name: Taimoor Hassan Farooq
Qualifications: PhD (Forest Cultivation), Postdoc (Restoration Ecology)
Academic Position: Associate Professor (Forestry and Environmental Management)
Email address: t.farooq@bangor.ac.uk; taimoorhassan@csuft.edu.cn; taimoorhassan2055@gmail.com
Faculty Profile
Dr Taimoor Hassan Farooq is a Forest Ecologist specializing in forest cultivation, silviculture and restoration ecology with a focus on nutrient cycling, soil biogeochemistry, greenhouse gases, sustainability and environmental conservation across terrestrial biomes. He earned his Ph.D. from Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China (07/2019), followed by a two-year Postdoctoral Researcher at Central South University of Forestry and Technology (CSUFT). Dr. Farooq joined the faculty of CSUFT in 2021 and has been an Associate Professor since 2024. Since 02/2023, he has also been a visiting faculty member at Bangor University.
His work has been supported by competitive grants, including projects on native tree species diversity, nutrient isotopic dynamics in subtropical forests, and soil quality assessment. As Principal Investigator (PI), he has led studies funding by CSUFT and Hunan Provincial Educational Department. Additionally, he contributes as a team member to a Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region-funded project on valuable tree germplasm resources. He has published in international peer-reviewed journals and actively contribute as a guest editor and reviewer for SCI journals.
In addition to his research, Dr. Farooq teaches a variety of courses in the Forestry and Environmental Management program at Bangor College. These include courses such as Forest and Woodland Management, Forestry in the 21st Century, Environmental Management and Conservation, and Forest Ecology. He also holds academic management roles, including supervisor allocation, quality assurance, and student well-being monitoring.
Dr. Farooq has received global recognition for his contributions to forestry and environmental sciences. He was named among the Top 2% World Scientists by Stanford University (2023) and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), UK, reflecting his excellence in research and higher education.
Honors & Recognitions
v Recognized as a Top 2% World Scientist by Stanford University (2023)
v Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), UK
Professional Experience
·Associate Professor, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, China, 12/2024 - current
·Visiting Lecturer, Bangor University UK, 2/2023 - current
·Senior Lecturer, Central South University of Forestry and Technology (CSUFT), 9/2021 - 12/2024
·Post-Doctoral Researcher, CSUFT, China, 7/2019 - 7/2021
Research Interests
Forest cultivation; silviculture; restoration ecology; forest structure and composition; soil biogeochemistry; sustainable productivity; land uses
Teaching Experience
Modules taught at Bangor College (BCC) (9/2021 - current):
Module Leader/co-leader:
v DCC-1002: Forestry in the 21st Century (20 credits)
v DCC-2004: Forest and Woodland Management (20 credits)
v DCC-2001: Water, Air and Soil Pollution (20 credits)
v DCC-2002: GIS & Research Methods (20 credits) (Research methods parts)
v DCC-2000: Silviculture and Inventory (20 credits)
v DCC-1005: Environmental Management & Conservation (20 credits)
Additional Contributions:
v DCC-1004: Ecosystem Function and Service (20 credits)
v DCC-3000: Honors Project (30 credits)
v DCC-3003: Forest Ecology (20 credits)
v DCC-3002: Management Plan (20 credits)
v DCC-3004: Forest Ecosystem and Services (20 credits)
College Administrative Role
v Responsible for student’s supervisor’s allocation for Honors projects/dissertations.
v Revalidation procedures, and Quality Assurance monitoring and evaluation.
v Develop scope and sequence of learning activities.
v Curriculum standards, and student learning goals.
Research Grants
v Analysis of the Diversity of Germplasm Resources of the Native Precious Tree Species Castanea chinensis”, Funding by Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Forestry Bureau, 250,000 RMB, 2022-06 to 2025-05, Ongoing, (member).
v Soil and foliar nutrient isotopic dynamics and soil quality characteristics in different forests in the subtropical zone” Scientific Research Funding of Central South University of Forestry and Technology (80,000 RMB) 2019-2021 (PI).
v Resarch Grant from Hunan Provincial Educational Department, 10,000 RMB, 2019-2021 (PI).
Forestry and Environmental Student Supervision
v Yingxin Liu, Honors Project, Dissertation, completed (2021-23)
v Zhang Diane, Honors Project, Dissertation, completed (2021-23)
v Zhu Rengui, Honors Project, Dissertation, completed (2022-23)
v Qin Liu, BCC Honors Project, Dissertation, completed (2022-24)
v Chen Sibei, Honors Project, Dissertation, completed (2022-24)
v Guoqin He, Honors Project, Dissertation, ongoing (2023-25)
v Wang Shiyu, Honors Project, Dissertation, ongoing (2023-25)
v Li Jiajin, Honors Project, Dissertation, ongoing (2024-26)
v Chen Sijin, Honors Project, Dissertation, ongoing (2024-26)
Publications in Peer-Reviewed Journals (Selected Publications) till Feb 2025
v (Total citations= 3300+; h-index= 26; i10-index= 59; SCI Impact Factor= 500+)
•Tang W, Liu S, Jing M, Healey J, Smith M, Farooq TH, Zhu L, Zhao S, Wu Y. Vegetation growth responses to climate change: a cross-scale analysis of biological memory and time-lags using tree ring and satellite data. Global Change Biology. 2024 Jun 12 (Q1; IF= 10.8)
•Wang W, Zhang L, Liao L, Yan W, Farooq TH, Wang X. Burrowing-mammal-induced enhanced soil multifunctionality is associated with higher microbial network complexity in alpine meadows. Geoderma. 2024 Mar 1;443:116849 (Q1; IF= 5.60)
•Zeng Z, Zeng Y, Farooq TH, Yuan C, Chen Y, Fu Y, Wu X, Wang G, Yan W, Al-Andal A, Wang J. Comprehensive chemical passivation of active-state heavy metals in relation to soil biological activity in Taojia River basin. Ecological Indicators. 2024 Jan 1;158:111605 (Q1; IF= 7)
•Shakoor A, Pendall E, Arif MS, Farooq TH, Iqbal S, Shahzad SM. Does no-till crop management mitigate gaseous emissions and reduce yield disparities: An empirical US-China evaluation. Science of the Total Environment. 2024 Mar 20;917:170310 (Q1; IF= 8.2)
•Li Y, Zhang H, Tian Y, Farooq TH, Li M, Ma X, Wu P. L-Arginine enhances stress resilience against P deficiency of Chinese fir in root system: physiological and proteomics analysis. Environmental and Experimental Botany. 2024 Jun 17:105864 (Q1; IF= 4.5)
•Farooq TH*, Jabeen S, Shakoor A, Arif MS, Siddique N, Shahzad K, Riaz MU, Li Y. Morpho-anatomical adaptations of dominantly grown wild Datura inoxia to wastewater resource: Productivity and ecological issues. Geoscience Frontiers-Elesvier. 2023 Oct 2:101717. (Q1; IF= 8.90)
•Farooq TH*, Nawaz MF, Qasid M, Shakoor A, Ahmad I, Gul S, Shahzad K, Chen X. Divergent consequences of bio-resources on morphological plasticity and biochemical responses in early-stage leguminous species: Sustainable productivity approaches. Geoscience Frontiers-Elesvier. 2023 101660 (Q1; IF= 8.90)
•Farooq TH*, Yasmeen S, Shakoor A, Nawaz MF, Rashid MH, Ahmad S, Rasheed M, Li H, Li Q*. (2023) Xylem anatomical responses of Larix Gmelinii and Pinus Sylvestris influenced by the climate of Daxing’an mountains in Northeastern China. Frontiers in Plant Science 30; 14:128. (Q1; IF= 6.62)
•Cao J, Yan W*, Farooq TH*, Chen X*, Wang J, Yuan C, Qi Y, Khan KA. Ecological Stoichiometry of N and P across a Chronosequence of Chinese Fir Plantation Forests. Forests. 2023 14(8):1685 (Q1; IF= 3.28)
•Wu T, Lei J, Lin L, Wang Q, Farooq TH, Wang G, Wang J, Yan W. MOF-based Ca-alginate/PAA granulate beads for efficient heavy metal removal from water: Synthesis, performance, and mechanism. Environmental Technology & Innovation. 2023 Nov 1;32:103428. (Q1; IF= 7.10)
•Wang Z, Yan W*, Peng Y, Wan M, Farooq TH*, Fan W, Lei J, Yuan C, Wang W, Qi Y, Chen X*. Biomass Production and Carbon Stocks in Poplar-Crop Agroforestry Chronosequence in Subtropical Central China. Plants. 2023 12(13):2451 (Q1; IF= 4.65)
•He Z, Yuan C, Chen P, Rong Z, Peng T, Farooq TH, Wang G, Yan W*, Wang J*. Soil Microbial Community Composition and Diversity Analysis under Different Land Use Patterns in Taojia River Basin. Forests. 202314(5):1004 (Q1; IF= 3.28)
•Farooq TH*, Kumar U, Yan Y, Arif MS, Shakoor A, Tayyab M, Rathod PH, Altaf MM, Wu P*. (2022) Receptiveness of soil bacterial diversity in relation to soil nutrient transformation and canopy growth in Chinese fir monoculture influenced by varying stand density. Trees. 28:1-2 (Q1; IF= 2.88)
•Lin Y, Wang D, Farooq TH, Luo K, Wang W, Qin M, Chen S (2022). Effects of restoration strategies on wetland: A case‐study of Xinqiang River National Wetland Park. Land Degradation & Development. (Q1; IF= 4.97)
•Farooq TH, Chen X, Shakoor A, Rashid MH, Kumar U, Alhomrani M, Alamri AS, Ravindran B*, Yan W* (2022) Unraveling the Importance of Forest Structure and Composition Driving Soil Microbial and Enzymatic Responses in the Subtropical Forest Soils. Forests. 13(10):1535. (Q1; IF= 3.28)
•Farooq TH*, Rafay M, Basit H, Shakoor A, Shabbir R, Riaz MU, Ali B, Kumar U, Qureshi KA, Jaremko M. (2022) Morpho-Physiological Growth Performance and Phytoremediation Capabilities of Selected Xerophyte Grass Species Towards Cr and Pb Stress. Frontiers in Plant Science. In production. (Q1; IF= 6.60)
•Rashid MH, Guo H, Zheng S, Li L, Ma X, Farooq TH, Nawaz MF, Gautam NP, Wu P (2022). Effects of low phosphorus availability on root cambial activity, biomass production and root morphological pattern in two clones of Chinese fir. Forestry. 2022 (Q1; IF= 3.10)
•Yan W, Farooq TH*, Chen Y*, Wang W, Shabbir R, Kumar U, Riaz MU, Alotaibi SS, Peng Y, Chen X (2022). Soil Nitrogen Transformation Process Influenced by Litterfall Manipulation in Two Subtropical Forest Types. Frontiers in Plant Science. 13:923410 (Q1; IF= 6.60)
•Farooq TH*, Xen X, Shakoor A, Rashid MH, Bashir MF, Nawaz MF, Kumar U, Shahzad SM, Yan W* (2021) Spatial distribution of carbon dynamics and nutrient enrichment capacity in different layers and tree tissues of Castanopsis eyeri natural forest ecosystem Environmental Science and Pollution Research (Q1; IF= 5.19)
•Rehman A, Arif MS, Tufail MA, Shahzad SM, Farooq TH, Ahmed W, Mehmood T, Farooq MR, Javed Z, Shakoor A (2021). Biochar potential to relegate metal toxicity effects is more soil driven than plant system: A global meta-analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production 20;316:128276. (Q1; IF= 11.07)
•Farooq TH*, Chen X, Shakoor A, Li Y, Wang J, Rashid MH, Kumar U, Yan W* (2021) Unraveling the influence of land-use change on δ13C, δ15N, and soil nutritional status in coniferous, broadleaved, and mixed forests in Southern China: a field investigation. Plants 10(8):1499 (Q1; IF= 4.65)
•Shakoor A, Arif MS, Shahzad SM, Farooq TH, Ashraf F, Altaf MM, Ahmed W, Tufail MA, Ashraf M (2021) Does biochar accelerate the mitigation of greenhouse gaseous emissions from agricultural soil?-A global meta-analysis. Environmental Research 29:111789 (Q1; IF= 8.43)
•Farooq TH*, Shakoor A, Rashid MH, Zhang S, Wu P*, Yan W (2021) Annual Growth Progression, Nutrient Transformation, and Carbon Storage in Tissues of Cunninghamia lanceolata Monoculture in Relation to Soil Quality Indicators Influenced by Intraspecific Competition Intensity. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. 2021 30:1-3 (Q1; IF= 3.87)
•Zhang X, Li Y, Ouyang D, Lei J, Tan Q, Xie L, Li Z, Liu T, Xiao Y, Farooq TH, Wu X, Chen L, Yan W (2021) Systematical Review of Interactions Between Microplastics and Microorganisms in the Soil Environment. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 1:126288. (Q1; IF= 14.22)
•Farooq TH, Yan W, Chen X, Shakoor A, Rashid MHU, Gilani MM, He Z, Wu P*. (2020) Dynamics of canopy development of Cunninghamia lanceolata mid-age plantation in relation to foliar nitrogen and soil quality influenced by stand density. Global ecology and conservation. e01209 (Q1; IF= 3.96)
•Shakoor A*, Shakoor S, Rehman A, Ashraf F, Abdullah M, Farooq TH*, Muhammad SM, Ashraf M, Manzoor MA, Altaf MM, Altaf MA (2020). Effect of animal manure, crop type, climate zone, and soil attributes on greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural soils—A global meta-analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production. 124019 (Q1; IF= 11.07)
•Wang J, Farooq TH# (Co-first author), Aslam A, Shakoor A, Chen X, Yan W. (2020) Non-targeted Metabolomics Reveal the Impact of Phenanthrene Stress on Root Exudates of Ten Urban Greening Tree Species. Environmental Research. 110370 (Q1; IF= 8.43)
•Rashid MH, Tigabu M, Chen H, Farooq TH, Ma X, Wu P. (2020) Calcium-mediated adaptive responses to low phosphorus stress in Chinese fir. Trees-structure and Function. 34(3): 825-834 (Q1: IF= 2.88)
•Shakoor A, Sehar NE, Shahzad M, Farooq TH, Altaf M, Ashraf M, Shahbaz M (2020). A global meta-analysis of greenhouse gases emission and crop yield under no-tillage as compared to conservation tillage. Science of total environment. 142299 (Q1; IF= 10.75)
•Gilani MM, Tigabu M, Liu B, Farooq TH, Rashid MHU, Ramzan M, Ma X (2020). Seed germination and seedling emergence of four tree species of southern China in response to acid rain. Journal of Forestry Research (Q2: IF= 2.38)
•Farooq TH, Wu W, Tigabu M, Ma X, Rashid MHU, Gilani MM, He Z, Wu P*. (2019) Growth, biomass production and root development of Chinese fir in relation to initial planting density. Forests 10(3):236 (Q1; IF= 3.28)
•Farooq TH, Ma X, Rashid MHU, Wu W, Xu J, Tarin MWK, He Z, Wu P*. (2019) Impact of stand density on soil quality in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) monoculture. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research 17(2):3553-3566 (Q3; IF= 0.72)
•Gilani MM, Irfan A, Farooq TH, Wu P, Yousaf MS, Khan MW, Talha Y, Ma X. Effects of pre-sowing treatments on seed germination and morphological growth of Acacia nilotica and Faidherbia albida. Scientia Forestalis. (122):374-82. (Q3; IF= 0.48)
•Farooq TH, Tigabu M, Ma X, Zou X, Liu A, Odén PC, Wu P*. (2018) Nutrient uptake, allocation and biochemical changes in two Chinese fir cuttings under heterogeneous phosphorus supply. iForest-Biogeosciences and Forestry. 11(3):411 (Q3; IF= 1.84)
•Rashid MHU, Asif M, Farooq TH, Gautam NP, Nawaz MF, Ahmad I, Gilani MM, Wu P. Cuttings growth response of Dalbergia sissoo (shisham) to soil compaction stress. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research. 2019;17(1):1049-59. (Q3; IF= 0.74)
•Wu P, Wang G, Farooq TH, Li Q, Zou X, Ma X*. (2017) Low phosphorus and competition affect Chinese fir cutting growth and root organic acid content: does neighboring root activity aggravate P nutrient deficiency? Journal of Soils and Sediments. 1;17(12):2775-85 (Q3; IF= 3.53)
