Academic Qualification
Ph.D. in Water and Environmental Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
M.Eng. in Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering, Hohai University
B.Eng. in Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Northwest A&F University
Teaching Area
Hydrology
Ecohydrology
Water Resources
Research Area
Hydrological Processes under Changing Environment
Eco-hydrological Impacts of Climate Change
Hydroclimatic Extremes Exploration and Prediction
Water Resources Protection and Management
Water - Agriculture - Environment Nexus
Working Experiences
Dec.2025-Present, Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Macau University of Science and Technology
Nov.2019-Nov.2025, Professor, Center for Agricultural Water Research in China, China Agricultural University
Oct.2014-Oct.2019, Associate Professor, Center for Agricultural Water Research in China, China Agricultural University
Jun.2014-Aug.2014, Senior Research Assistant, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
Apr.2011-May.2014, Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
Sep.2010-Mar.2011, Research Assistant, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong
Academic Publication (selected)
Peer-reviewed Journal Papers
1. Liao, D.H., Niu, J.*, Du, T.S., Kang, S.Z., 2024. Improving subsurface soil moisture estimation using a 2‐dimensional data assimilation framework incorporated with a dual state‐parameter scheme. Water Resources Research, 60, e2023WR035771.
2. Liao, D.H., Niu, J.*, Ciais, P., Du, T.S., Zhang, B.Z., Kang, S. Z., 2024. Changing climate threatens irrigation benefits of maize gross primary productivity in China. Earth's Future, 12, e2022EF003474.
3. Zou, M.Z., Kang, S.Z.*, Du, T.S., Fu, J., Niu, J., 2024. Accelerated integrated watershed management enhances agricultural carbon sequestration and water use efficiency in an endorheic basin. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 202, 107393.
4. Liu, Q., Niu, J.*, Du. T.S., Kang, S.Z., 2023. A full-scale optimization of crop spatial planting structure and its associated effects. Engineering, 28, 139-152.
5. Weng, Z., Niu, J.*, Guan, H.D., Kang, S.Z., 2023.Three-dimensional linkage between meteorogical drought and vegetation drought across China. Science of the Total Environment, 859,160300.
6. Song, S., Niu, J.*, Singh, S.K., Du, T.S., 2023. Projection of Net Primary Production under changing environment in Xinjiang using an improved wCASA model. Journal of Hydrology, 620(2023), 129314.
7. Niu, J.*, Singh, S.K., Sivakumar, B., Argerich. A. 2023. Editorial: Hydrological processes in agricultural lands. Frontiers in Earth Science, 11: 1113184.
8. Shen, Q., Niu, J.*, Liu, Q., Liao, D.H., Du, T.S. 2022. A resilience-based approach for water resources management over a typical agricultural region in Northwest China under water-energy-food nexus. Ecological Indictors, 2022, 144, 109562.
9. Liu, Q., Niu, J.*, Wood, J.D., Kang, S.Z., 2022. Spatial optimization of cropping pattern in the upper-middle reaches of the Heihe River basin, Northwest China. Agricultural Water Management, 264(4), 107479.
10. Dong, N.*, Wei, J., Yang, M., Yan, D., Yang, C., Gao, H., Arnault, J., Laux, P., Zhang, X., Liu, Y., Niu, J., Wang, H., Wang, H., Kunstmann, H., Yu, Z.* 2022.Model estimates of China's terrestrial water storage variation due to reservoir operation. Water Resources Research, 58, e2021WR031787.
11. Shen, Q., Niu, J.*, Sivakumar, B., Lu, N. 2022. Effects of mulching on maize yield and evapotranspiration in the Heihe River Basin, Northwest China. Remote Sensing. 2022, 14, 700.
12. Fu, J., Kang, S.Z.*, Zhang, L., Li, X.L., Gentine, P., Niu, J., 2022. Amplified warming induced by large-scale application of water-saving techniques. Environmental Research Letters, 17 (2022), 034018.
13. Lu, N., Niu, J.*, Kang, S.Z., Singh, S.K., Du, T.S., 2021. A hybrid PCA-SEM-ANN model for the prediction of water use efficiency. Ecological Modelling, 460(2021), 109754.
14. Liao, D.H., Niu, J.*, Lu, N., Shen, Q.X., 2021. Towards crop yield estimation at a finer spatial resolution using machine learning methods over agricultual lands. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 146, 1387-1401.
15. Weng, Z., Niu, J.*, Zhang, W.M., Sivakumar, B., Chen, J., Du, T.S., 2021. Towards a greater drought awareness for drought mitigation in China. Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, doi: 10.1007/s00477-021-02086-x.
16. Liao, D.H., Niu, J.*, Kang, S.Z., Singh, S.K., Du, T.S., 2021. Effects of elevated CO2 on the evapotranspiration over the agricultural land in Northwest China. Journal of Hydrology, 593(2021), 125858.
17. Gao, L., Kang, S.Z.*, Bai, X.E., Li, S.E., Niu, J., Ding, R.S., 2021. Water-carbon relationships and variations from the canopy to ecosystem scale in a sparse vineyard in the northwest China. Journal of Hydrology, doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.126469
18. Liu, Q., Niu, J.*, Sivakumar, B., Ding, R.S., Li, S.E., 2021. Accessing future crop yield and crop water productivity over the Heihe River basin in Northwest China under a changing climate. Geoscience Letters, 8(2).
19. Dong, Y., Niu, J.*, Liu, Q., Sivakumar, B., Du, T.S., 2021. A hybrid prediction model for wind speed using support vector machine and genetic progarmming in conjuction with error compensation. Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, 35, 2411–2424.
20. Liu, S.N., Shi, H.Y.*, Niu, J., Chen, J., Kuang, X.X., 2020. Assessing future socioeconomic drought events under a changing climate over the Pearl River basin in South China. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 30, 100700.
21. Chen, Y.Q., Niu, J.*, Sun, Y.Q., Liu, Q., Li, S.E., Li, P., Sun, L.Q., Li, Q.L., 2020. Study on streamflow response to land use change over the upper reaches of Zhanghe Reservoir in the Yangtze River basin. Geoscience Letters, 2020, 7(6).
22. Yue. Q., Wang, Y., Liu, L., Niu, J., Guo, P.*, Li, P. 2020. Type-2 fuzzy mixed-integer bi-level programming approach for multi-source multi-user water allocation under future climate change. Journal of Hydrology, 591(2020), 125332
23. Yang, D., Li, S.E.*, Kang, S.Z., Du, T.S., Guo, P., Mao, X.M., Tong, L., Hao, X.M., Ding R.S., Niu, J. 2020. Effect of drip irrigation on wheat evapotranspiration, soil evaporation and transpiration in Northwest China. Journal of Hydrology, 232(2020), 106001
24. Zou, M.Z., Kang, S.Z.*, Niu, J., Lu, H.L., 2019. Untangling the effects of future climate change and human activity on evapotranspiration in the Heihe agricultural region, Northwest China. Journal of Hydrology, 585(2–4), 124323.
25. Niu, J.*, Zhu, X., Parry, M.A.J., Kang, S.Z.*, Du, T.S., Tong, L., Ding, R.S., 2019. Environmental burdens of groundwater extraction for irrigation over an inland river basin in Northwest China. Journal of Cleaner Production, 222(2019), 182–192.
26. Fu, J., Niu, J.*, Kang, S.Z., Adeloye, A.J., Du, T.S., 2019. Crop production in the Hexi Corridor challenged by future climate change. Journal of Hydrology, 579(2019), 124197.
27. Sun, Y.Q., Niu, J.*, Sivakumar, B., 2019. A comparative study of models for short-term streamflow forcasting with emphasis on wavelet-based approach. Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, 33, 1875-1891.
28. Zou, M.Z., Kang, S.Z.*, Niu, J., Lu, H.L., 2019.Untangling the effects of future climate change and human activity on evapotranspiration in the Heihe agricultural region, Northwest China. Journal of Hydrology, 124323, doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.124323.
29. Li, X. J., Kang, S.Z. *, Niu, J., Huo, Z.L., Liu, J.Z., 2019. Improving the representation of stomatal responses to CO2within the Penman–Monteith model to better estimate evapotranspiration responses to climate change. Journal of Hydrology, 572(2019), 692-705.
30. Niu, J., Kang, S.Z.*, Zhang, X.T., Fu, J., 2019. Vunlnerability analysis based on drought and vegetation dynamics. Ecological Indicators, 105(2019), 329-336.
31. Niu, J.*, Liu, Q., Kang, S.Z., Zhang, X.T., 2018. The response of crop water productivity to climatic variation in the upper-middle reaches of the Heihe River basin, Northwest China. Journal of Hydrology, 563(2018),909–926.
32. Chen, Y.Y., Niu, J.*, Kang, S.Z., Zhang, X.T., 2018. Effects of irrigation on water and energy balances in the Heihe River basin using VIC model under different irrigation scenarios. Science of The Total Environment, 645(2018), 1183–1193.
33. Fu, J., Niu, J.*, Sivakumar, B., 2018. Prediction of vegetation anomalies over an inland river basin in Northwestern China. Hydrological Processes, 32, 1814–1827.
34. Zou, M.Z., Kang, S.Z.*, Niu, J., Lu, H.L., 2018. A new technique to estimate regional irrigation water demand and driving factor effects using an iproved SWAT model with LMDI factor decoposition in an arid basin. Journal of Cleaner Proudction, 185, 814–828.
35. Shi, H.Y., Chen, J.*, Wang, K.Y., Niu, J., 2018. A new method and a new index for identifying socioeconomic drought events under climate change : A case study of the East River basin in China. Science of The Total Environment, 616-617, 363–375.
36. Niu, J.*, Chen, J.*, Sun, L.Q., Sivakumar, B., 2018. Time-lag effects of vegetation responses to soil mositure evolution : a case study in the Xijiang basin in South China. Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, 32, 2423-2432.
37. Li, X.J., Kang, S.Z.*, Niu, J., Du, T.S., Tong, L., Li, S.E., Ding, R.S., 2017. Applying uncertain programming model to improve regional farming economic benefits and water productivity. Agricultural Water Management, 179, 352–365.
38. Niu, J.*, Chen, J.*, Wang, K.Y., Sivakumar, B., 2017. Multi-scale streamflow variability responses to precipitation over the headwater catchments in southern China. Journal of Hydrology, 551, 14-28.
39. Li, X.L., Tong, L.*, Niu, J., Kang, S.Z., Du, T.S., Li, S.E., Ding, R.S., 2017. Spatio-temporal distribution of irrigation water productivity and its driving factors for cereal crops in Hexi Corridor, Northwest China. Agricultural Water Management, 179, 55–63.
40. Niu, J.*, Chen, J.*, Wang, K.Y., Sivakumar, B., 2017. Coherent modes in multi-scale variability of precipitation over the headwater catchments in the Pearl River basin, South China. Hydrological Processes, 31, 948–955.
41. Niu, J.*, Chen, J.*, 2016. A wavelet perspective on variabilities of hydrological processes in conjunction with geomorphic analysis over the Pearl River basin in South China. Journal of Hydrology, 542(2016), 392-409.
42. Wang, F., Niu, J.*, 2016. The implication of climate signal for precipitation in the Heihe River basin, Northwest China. Advances in Meteorology, 2016(4), 1078617, 1-9.
43. Zhu, X.-G., Parry, M., Lu, Y., Heard, M., Ying, G., Vaughan, S., Shen, J., Jenkins, A., Wang, Y., Lacorte, S., Ouyang, T., Salcedo, F.P., Niu, J., Quinton, J., Luo, C., Zhang, F., Zhang, G., Davies, W., Jones, K., Tyfield, D. 2016. Building the new international science of the agriculture–food–water–environment Nexus in China and the world. Ecosystem Health and Sustainability, 2(11), e01249.
44. Niu, J., Chen, J.*, Sun, L.Q., 2015. Exploration of drought evolution using numerical simulations over the Xijiang (West River) basin in South China. Journal of Hydrology, 526, 68-77.
45. Niu, J., Chen, J.*, Sivakumar, B., 2014. Teleconnection analysis of runoff and soil moisture over the Pearl River basin in southern China. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 18, 1475-1492.
46. Chen, J.*, Niu, J., Sivakumar, B., 2014. Daily anomalous high flow (DAHF) of a headwater catchment over the Pearl River basin in South China. Journal of Hydrology, 519, 284-294.
47. Niu, J.*, Sivakumar, B., 2014. Study of runoff response to land use change in the East River basin in South China. Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, 28(4), 857-865.
48. Niu, J.*, Chen, J., 2014. Terrestrial hydrological responses to precipitation variability in Southwest China with emphasis on drought. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 59(2), 325-335.
49. Niu, J., Sivakumar, B., Chen, J.*, 2013. Impacts of increased CO2 on the hydrologic response over the Xijiang (West River) basin, South China. Journal of Hydrology, 505, 218-227.
50. Niu, J.*, Sivakumar, B., 2013. Scale-dependent synthetic streamflow generation using a continuous wavelet transform. Journal of Hydrology, 496, 71-78.
51. Niu, J.*, 2013. Precipitation in the Pearl River basin, South China: Scaling, regional patterns, and influence of large-scale climate anomalies. Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, 27(5), 1253-1268.
52. Chen, J.*, Li, Q.L., Niu, J., Sun, L.Q., 2011. Regional climate change and local urbanization effects on weather variables in Southeast China. Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, 25, 555-565.
53. Niu, J., Chen, J.*, 2010. Terrestrial hydrological features of the Pearl River basin in South China. Journal of Hydro-environment Research, 4, 279-288.
Books/Chapters
Yang, P., Niu, J. (Ed.), 2021. Modern Engineering Project Management, China Water Resources and Hydropower Press (in Chinese).
Kang, S., Zhao, W., Du, T., Su, X., Niu, J., 2019. Multi-process Coupling and Efficient Water Regulation in Northwest Arid Region- Taking the Heihe River Basin of the Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province as An Example, Science Press (in Chinese).
Chen, J., Shi, H., Sun L., Niu, J., 2016. Yangtze River basin. In Vijay P. Singh (Eds.), Handbook of Applied Hydrology, Second Edition, Chapter: 100, McGraw-Hill.
Chen, J., Shi, H., Sun L., Niu, J., 2016. Yellow River basin. In Vijay P. Singh (Eds.), Handbook of Applied Hydrology, Second Edition, Chapter: 101, McGraw-Hill.
Chen, J., Niu, J., Sun L., 2013. Water Resources of Mainland China. In Roger Pielke Sr. (Eds.), Climate Vulnerability: Understanding and Addressing Threats to Essential Resources, Vol.5, 195–211, Elsevier, doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-384703-4.00527-X.
Chen, J., Niu, J., 2010. Macro-scale Hydrological Model VIC, Modern Hydrological Modelling and Forecasting Techniques (Li, Z.J., Ed.), 171-189, Hohai University Press, Nanjing (in Chinese).
Software Copyrights
1. Niu, J.*, Liao, D.H., Liu, Y.H., Ensemble Kalman Filter Assimilation Software Based on Joint Updates, 2025SR0399601
2. Niu, J.*, Weng, Z., Mao, W.J., Liao, D.H., Vegetation Drought Probability Calculation Software Based on Three-Dimensional Drought Identification, 2023SR1141392
3. Niu, J.*, Song, S., Wei, W.T., Wang, C.F., Net Primary Productivity Simulation System Incorporating Wind Impact Factors, 2023SR0913041
4. Niu, J.*, Liao, D.H., Shen, Q.X., Evapotranspiration Simulation Software Based on Dynamic Stomatal Conductance Adjustment, 2021SRBJ0763
Patents
1. Niu, J.*, Zhou, B.Z., An Artificial Wetland System and Comprehensive Water Treatment Method Coupling Flood Regulation and Peak Cutting with Biological Filtration, ZL 2024 1 1237017.9
2. Niu, J.*, Liu, Q., Liao, D.H., Wei, W.T., A Multi-Objective Multi-Scale Crop Planting Structure Optimization Method, ZL 2023 1 0786286.X
Research Grants
2024-2027 Intelligent prediction of crop water demand of main grain crops. (National Key Research and Development Plan, PI)
2024-2025 Study on the coupling mechanism of water-soil-crop-environment in typical areas under changing environment. (Hydropower Planning and Design General Institute Project, PI)
2024-2025 Technology mode of agricultural water-saving, salt suppression, and crop production capacity improvement in Aksu region. (Aksu Science and Technology Innovation Project, PI)
2023-2025 Optimization on the spatial and temporal allocation of regional multiple water sources based on ecological health. (National Key Research and Development Plan, PI)
2023-2024 Research on the development strategy of farmland irrigation in North China. (Strategic Consulting Project of Chinese Academy of Engineering, PI)
2023-2024 Regulation of water and soil adaptation for winter wheat cultivation in the Hebei Plain (Science and Technology Project of Hebei Province, PI)
2019-2020 Food security under extreme meteorological events and climate change. (Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, PI)
2017-2020 Modelling of multi-scale water-energy-carbon cycles in irrigation area and its responses to water-saving controls. (National Natural Science Foundation of China, General Fund, PI)
2015-2017 Hydrological processes for the inland river basins under changing environments with emphasis on agriculture. (Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, PI)
2014-2016 Investigation of hydrological processes in the middle and end of the 21st century for the Pearl River basin, South China (National Natural Science Foundation of China, Young Scientists Fund, PI)
2014–2015 Study on impacts of climate change on the water resources of Hong Kong (Hong Kong Water Supplies Department (WSD) consultancy service, Project manager & Co-investigator)
2013-2014 Enhancing a hydrological model simulation capacity and evaluating reservoir influences on water resources over the Pearl River basin, South China (HKU Small Project Fund, PI)
Professional Certification and Awards
2025, Beijing Higher Education Teaching Achievement Award (3rd Contributor)
2025, Agricultural Water-saving Science and Technology Award, First Prize (4th Contributor)
2024, Baosteel Excellent Teacher Award
2023, Excellent Young Expert Award for Engineering Journal
2023, Grand Prize of Teaching Achievement of Water Conservancy Major in Universities (1st Contributor)
2022, Excellent Young Expert Award for Engineering Journal
2021, Agricultural Water-saving Science and Technology Award, First Prize (1st Contributor)
2018, First Prize of National Water Conservancy Professional Young Teachers’ Teaching Competition
Professional Society Membership
Vice Chair of Climate Change and Agricultural Disaster Mitigation Engineering Committee of China Agricultural Engineering Society (2025- )
Secretary General of Agricultural Water and Soil Engineering Committee of China Agricultural Engineering Society (2022-2026)
Executive Member of Beijing Society of Water Ecology and Water and Soil Conservation (2022- )
Member of the Climate Resources Professional Committee of the Chinese Society of Natural Resources (2025- )
Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS)
International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS)
International Association of Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR)
Professional Activities
Associate Editor
Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment (Since 2016)
Journal of Hydro-environment Research (Since 2020)
Frontiers in Earth Science (Since 2021)
Engineering (Editor Board Young Experts, Since 2020)
Session conveners
HS18 (Hydrological Processes in Agricultural Lands Under Changing Climate) as the first convener, HS16 (Water-Carbon Cycling Processes and Their Interactions under Environmental Changes at Multiple Scales) as the second convener and HS20 (Impacts and Consequences of Changing Climate and Land-use on Hydrology) as the second convener in the 22th Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS) in Singapore, July 27-August 1, 2025
HS08 (Drought Characterizing and Modelling Hydro-climatological Processes in a Changing Environment) as the first convener and HS21 (Water-carbon Cycles in Agricultural Lands under Changing Climate) as the first convener in the 20th Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS) in Singapore, July 30-August 4, 2023
HS14 (Hydrological Processes in Agricultural Lands) as the first convener and HS18 (Drought Characterizing and Modelling Hydro-climatological Processes in a Changing Environment) as the second convener in the 18th Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS), August 1-6, 2021 (Online)
HS2.1.4 (Hydrological processes in agricultural lands under changing environments) as the first convener in the European Geosciences Union (EGU), April 19-30, 2021 (Online)
HS2.1.7 (Hydrological Processes in Agricultural Lands under Changing Environment) as the first convener in the European Geosciences Union (EGU), May 4-8, 2020 (Online)
HS05 (Hydrological Processes in Agricultural Lands) as the first convener and (HS15: Land and Water Management for Sustainability) as the second convener in the 16th Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS) in Singapore, July 28-August 2, 2019
HS23 (Hydrological Processes in Agricultural Lands) as the first convener in the 15th Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS) in Hawaii, June 3-8, 2018
HS08 (Hydrological Processes in Agricultural Lands) as the first convener in the 14th Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS) in Singapore, August 6-11, 2017
HS04 (Hydrological Processes in Agricultural Lands) as the first convener in the 13th Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS) in Beijing, July 31- August 5, 2016
National Natural Science Foundation of China - Young Scholars of Academic Exchange on Agriculture and Water Resource as the convener in Xinxiang, Henan Province, China, August 15-17, 2014
HS25 (Hydrological Response to Land Use Change) as the first convener and HS26 (Hydrological Research of Weather/Climate Extremes and Related Hazards) as the third convener in the 10th Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS) in Brisbane, June 24-28, 2013
Pacific Rim Application and Grid Middleware Assembly (PRAGMA) 20th workshop cum HKU Centennial IT Conference as a Local organizing committee member in Hong Kong, March 2-4, 2011
