1990年免试保送北京师范大学生物系生物学专业开始本科学习；1994年免试保送北京师范大学生物系生态学专业硕士研究生, 师从房继明教授开展动物行为生态研究；1996年师从孙儒泳院士直接攻读博士学位；1999年毕业于北京师范大学生物系生态学专业，获博士学位，留校任教至今。
现任国家濒危物种科学委员会委员；中华环保联合会常务理事；中国动物学会常务理事，保护生物学分会副主任、兽类学分会常务理事；中国生态学会动物生态专业委员会副主任；世界自然保护联盟(IUCN)气候危机委员会执委会委员；国际保护生物学会(SCB)监察委员会委员；《Conservation Biology》、《兽类学报》编委；世界自然保护联盟(IUCN)物种生存委员会亚洲象专家组成员；碳中和国际研究院（苏高新）执行院长。
从分子、个体和种群水平系统研究中国野生亚洲象的种群现状、数量与分布、行为习性、遗传结构、象亲内皮疱疹病毒感染状况等，揭示了亚洲象由于人类活动、气候变化等干扰而产生的行为和生理适应性变化；并在种群和行为生态学研究的基础上，提出从景观尺度上规划建立生态廊道、修复退化栖息地和缓解人象冲突是保护亚洲象的关键。此外，张立研究组还对生态系统服务及其价值评估，社区公益保护地和生态补偿、野生动物贸易、气候变化等对濒危物种保护的影响，以及公众消费端行为碳减排理论与实践等开展了深入研究。
研究论文 Research Article
Shang XT, Qin W, Yang B*, Dai Q, Pan H, Yang X, Gu X, Yang Z, Zhang Z, Zhang L*. 2024. Integrated framework for dynamic conservation of bamboo forest in giant panda habitat under climate change. Journal of Environmental Management 268, 122052.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122052
Zhang L*, Tao L, Yang F, Bao Y, Li C. 2024. Promoting green transportation through changing behaviors with low-carbon-travel function of digital maps. Humanities & Social Sciences Communications 11:298.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-02737-8
Li WW, Liu P, Yang N, Chen S, Guo X, Wang B and Zhang L*. 2023. Improving landscape connectivity through habitat restoration: Application for Asian elephant conservation in Xishuangbanna Prefecture, China. Integrative Zoology https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.12713
Yang N, Bao M, Zhu B, Shen Q, Guo X, Li W, Tang R, Zhu D, Tang Y, Phalen D* and Zhang L*. 2022. Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus 1, 4 and 5 in China: Occurrence in Multiple Sample Types and Implications for Wild and Captive Population Surveillance. Viruses, 14(411), https://doi.org/10.3390/v14020411
Li S, McShea W, Wang D, Gu X, Zhang X, Zhang L*, Shen X*. 2020. Retreat of large carnivores across the giant panda distribution range. Nature Ecology & Evolution, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1260-0.
Tang RC, Li W, Zhu D, Shang X, Guo X, Zhang L*. 2020. Raging elephants: effects of human disturbance on physiological stress and reproductive potential in wild Asian elephants. Conservation Physiology 8, https://doi.org 10.1093/conphys/coz106.
Liu P, Li WW, Yu Y, Tang R, Guo X, Wang B, Yang B, Zhang L*. 2019. How much will cash forest encroachment in rainforests cost? A case from valuation to payment for ecosystem services in China. Ecosystem Services 38, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2019.100949.
Yu Y, Wetzler A, Yang X, Tang R & Zhang L*. 2017. Significant and timely ivory trade restrictions in both China and the United States are critical to save elephants. Conservation Letters, 10(5): 596-601.
观点评论 Correspondences
Zhang L, Tao L, Sun D, Yang F. 2023. China: personalized carbon accounting for consumers. Nature 623: 696.
Liu P and Zhang L*. 2022. As elephant poaching falls in Africa, instate more ivory bans. Nature 611: 665.
Yang N, Li W, Liu P, Zhang L*. 2021. China’s homeless elephants need linked reserves. Nature, 595:172.
Yang N, Liu P, Li W, Zhang L*. 2020. Permanently ban wildlife consumption. Science 367(6485): 1434-1435.
