进化生态、适应性与濒危物种保护。主要从事大熊猫等濒危物种生态适应性与保护研究，利用进化生态学和保护生物学理论与思想，研究物种对环境的适应性特征及其形成机制，探讨在自然环境与人类活动共同作用下的物种濒危状况与原因。 

1.   Nie YG, Wei FW, Zhou WL, Hu YB,SeniorAM, Wu Q, Yan L,RaubenheimerD. 2019.Giant pandas are macronutritional carnivores.Current Biology,29:1677–1682. 

2.   Nie YG, Zhou WL, Gao K, Swaisgood RR, Wei FW. 2019. Seasonal competition between sympatric species for a key resource: Implications for conservation management.Biological Conservation, 234:1–6. 

3.   Nie YG^#, Speakman JR^#, Wu Q^#, Zhang CL, Hu YB, Xia MH, Yan L, Hambly C, Wang L, Wei W, Zhang JG, Wei FW. 2015. Exceptionally low daily energy expenditure in the bamboo-eating giant panda.Science, 349:171–174. 

4.   Nie YG, Zhang ZJ, Rambenhamer D, Elser JJ, Wei W, Wei FW. 2015. Obligate herbivory in an ancestrally carnivorous lineage: the giant panda and bamboo from the perspective of nutritional geometry.Functional Ecology, 29:26–34. 

5.   Nie YG,Swaisgood RR, Zhang ZJ, Hu YB, Ma YS, Wei FW. 2012. Giant panda scent-marking strategies in the wild: role of season, sex and marking surface.Animal Behaviour, 84:39–44.