*** 9512739 Li This proposal requests funds to support a planning visit to China on ecological planning for sustainable development of urban ecosystems. The topic is an important concern for both the U.S. and China which face rapid economic growth and urbanization. The need for a comprehensive ecological analysis and modeling approach that supports sustainable development of urban and regional systems is universal; assuming productive relationships are established though this project, the potential is great for both countries to benefit. The visit of the US PI, Dr. Bai-Lian Li of the Center for Biosystems Modeling at Texas A&M University to the Department of System Ecology, Research Center for Eco Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, will provide the opportunity for two centers with acknowledged expertise in urban ecology and systems modeling to define a research program. China has large data bases collected over a ten year period that cover environmental and socioeconomic issues of significance for the research topic proposed. Texas A&M's Center for Biosystems Modeling has been working on a number of new modeling approaches such as neuro-fuzzy based ecological risk assessment which will be further refined through the cooperative project envisioned using the large data bases available in China. ***
