以第一作者或通讯作者* 在中英文生态学、农学权威期刊发表60多篇论文，被引3000余次，代表性论文如下：
详见 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4845-2930；https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kechang-Niu
1) 种内变异、动态生态位及群落构建(ITV, dynamic niche and community assembly)
Kechang Niu* & Martin J. Lechowicz (2025) Resilience to species loss: increasing differences among conspecifics buffers decline in plant community function.
Bai Yue, Kechang Niu*, HongBiao Zi, Ning Zhao, Wen Lin, Zhenhua Zhang & Jin-Sheng He* (2025) Appropriate grazing can promote productivity through expanding functional trait space of plant communities. Oikos.
Xiaolong Zhou, Liuwen Dong, Yongjun Zhang, Jingdong Li, Zhengwei Ren & Kechang Niu* (2024) Trait-dependent importance of intraspecific variation relative to species turnover in determining community functional composition following nutrient enrichment. Oecologia. 205,107-119.
Bin Wei, Dianye Zhang, Guanqin Wang, Yang Liu, Qinlu Li, Zhihu Zheng, Guibiao Yang, Yunfeng Peng, Kechang Niu & Yuanhe Yang* (2023) Experimental warming altered plant functional traits and their coordination in a permafrost ecosystem. New Phytologist, 240:1802–1816.
Xiaoyi Wang, Xuebin Yan, Kailing Huang, Xi Luo, Yuanyuan Zhang, Luyao Zhou, Fei Yang, Xiaohong Xu, Xianhui Zhou, Kechang Niu & Hui Guo*(2022) Nitrogen enrichment and warming shift community functional composition via distinct mechanisms: the role of intraspecific trait variability and species turnover. Functional Ecology, 36:1230-1242.
Kechang Niu*, Shiting Zhang & Martin J. Lechowicz (2020) Harsh environmental regimes increase the functional significance of intraspecific variability in plant communities. Functional Ecology, 34:1666-1677. Insights on Functional Ecologists and The Niche-BES.
Kechang Niu*, Jin-Sheng He & Martin J. Lechowicz (2016) Grazing-induced shifts in the community functional composition and soil nutrient availability in Tibetan alpine meadows. Journal of Applied Ecology, 53(3):1554–1564.
Kechang Niu*, Jin-Sheng He & Martin J. Lechowicz (2016) Foliar phosphorus content predicts species relative abundance in P-limited Tibetan alpine meadows. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 22: 47-54.
Kechang Niu*, Ting Liu, Qirong Shen & Huixin Li (2015) Does body size-abundance allometry in soil fauna vary with environment? A field test for nematode communities in response to fertilization. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 91(1): 268-270.
Kechang Niu*, Philippe Choler, Francesco de Bello, Nicholas Mirotchnick, Guozhen Du & Shuchu Sun (2014) Fertilization deceases species diversity but increasefunctional diversity：Three-year experiment in Tibetan alpine grassland. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 182:106–112.
Kechang Niu, Philippe Choler, Binbin Zhao & Guozhen Du* (2009) The allometry of reproductive biomass in response to land use in Tibetan alpine grasslands. Functional Ecology.23 (2): 274-283.
牛克昌*, 储诚进, 王志恒 (2022) 动态生态位：构建群落生态学理论的新框架。中国科学：生命科学，53(3): 403-417。
陈馨悦, 张世挺, 牛克昌* (2022) 性状关联跨尺度推演:高寒草甸种内及种间性状的协同与权衡。科学通报，67(10): 986-996。
王志恒、郑华、储诚进、陈迪马、刘晓娟、王少鹏、牛克昌、唐志尧、周健、李耀琪、张兵伟、冯禹昊 (2021) 生物多样性与生态系统功能及服务.生态系统生态学回顾与展望.方精云，刘玲莉(主编)北京：高等教育出版社. P161-211。
牛克昌*, 刘怿宁，沈泽昊，何芳良, 方精云 (2009) 群落构建的中性理论和生态位理论。生物多样性, 17：579~593。(入选 2009年中国科协精品期刊优秀论文, 多年被高引文章).
2 ) 稀有物种、食物网结构和功能(Rare species, and their role in food web structure and functioning )
Jie Li, Yanan Wei, Ruixue Lv, Weixing Liu, Kechang Niu* (2025) Plant species loss reduces rare soil microbes through diversity effect amplified by multitrophic interactions. Journal of Ecology. 113, 943-954.
Jie Li, Xin Jiang, Xin Yin, Xianhui Zhou & Kechang Niu* (2025) Grasses mixture-planting rather than fertilization depresses soil microbial diversity in an alpine artificial grassland. Plant and Soil. 506,525-539.
Zekun Liu, Shiting Zhang, Bayaerta & Kechang Niu* (2024) Biodiversity in mosaic communities: predicting soil microbial diversity using plant functional traits in alpine meadow. European Journal of Soil Biology, 120,103599.
Zekun Liu, Jie Li, Bayaerta & Kechang Niu* (2023) Biodiversity in mosaic communities: soil microbial diversity associates with plant functional groups relevant to soil available phosphorus in Tibetan alpine meadow. European Journal of Soil Biology,116:103479.
Xianhui Zhou, Wenyuan Wu, Kechang Niu* & Guozhen Du*(2019) Realistic loss of plant species diversity decreases soil quality in a Tibetan alpine meadow. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 279:25-32.
Kechang Niu*, Jin-Sheng He, Shiting Zhang & Martin J. Lechowicz (2016) Grazing increases plant community functional richness but not functional divergence in Tibetan alpine meadows. Biodiversity and Conservation, 25: 2441–2452.
雍青措姆，习新强，牛克昌*(2022) 高寒草甸植物物种丧失对草原毛虫的影响。生物多样性，30 (11):e2022069。
姜鑫，牛克昌* (2021) 青藏高原禾草混播对土壤微生物多样性的影响。植物生态学报，45 (5): 539~551。
王宇彤，牛克昌* (2020) 青藏高原高寒草甸土壤环境对线虫功能多样性的影响。生物多样性，28: 707~717。
赵信鸽, 张世挺，牛克昌* (2020) 高寒草甸植物群落功能属性与土壤细菌多样性关系。中国科学: 生命科学, 50 (1): 70~80。
3 ) 草原文化、传统知识与草地可持续管理 (Pastoralist culture,indigenous knowledge and sustainable grassland management)
Dandan Zhao, Bayaerta, Zekun Liu, Chen Chen, Huanbieke Dihanbayi & Kechang Niu* (2025) Forward tourism or persist pastoralism? the dilemma of smallholders contributes on overgrazing of the Tien-Shan montane grassland. Agronomy for Sustainable Development.
Kechang Niu*, Ji Suonan, Badingqiuying & Martin J. Lechowicz (2022) Embedding trait-based ecology within indigenous knowledge to advance sustainable management of Tibetan rangeland. Applied Vegetation Science, 25: e12687.
Kechang Niu*, Feng Feng, Qian Xu, Bading qiuying & Shiting Zhang (2019) Impoverished soil supports more plateau pika through lowered diversity of plant functional traits in Tibetan alpine meadows. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 285, 106621.
Kechang Niu*, Jin-Sheng He, Shiting Zhang & Martin J. Lechowicz (2016) Tradeoffs between forage quality and soil fertility: lessons from Himalayan rangelands. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 234: 31-39.
Junpeng Mu, Yuling Zeng, Qinggui Wu, Karl J. Niklas & Kechang Niu* (2016) Traditional grazing regimes promotes species diversity and increases nectar production in Tibetan alpine meadows. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 233: 336-342.Yale Environment Review