Research On The Habitat Selection Of Giant Pandas

Giant panda is a flagship species for nature conservancy of the world, despite the efforts of government, international organizations, and local communities, this species remain vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation. To fully understand the habitat requirements of giant pandas, field survey were designed and carried out in Wanglang National Nature Reserve. Research on the habitat selection of giant pandas were conducted form 5 aspects, they were environment characters, sympatric species, grazing disturbance, road disturbance and artificial restoration, respectively, which could provide important reference for the conservation, restoration and management of giant panda habitat. The brief results are as following:1. At the microhabitat scale, giant pandas usually occupied habitats with a high bamboo coverage and fallen-log density, and lower shrub density. Bamboo, forest and shading condition are the main factors affecting the microhabitat use of giant panda. At the foraging site scale, giant pandas usually used sites with higher bamboo density, and taller and larger-diameter bamboo, the availability of young bamboo is an important driving force in habitat selection by giant pandas.2. Compared with the takin, the giant panda occurred in the habitat that displayed greater bamboo and tree density, larger shrub sizes, but a smaller proportion of herb cover. Takin was not a serious threat in habitat selection of giant panda, because there exist the significant differences between giant panda and taklin in habitat selection. Furthermore, giant panda had more special requirements than the takin under the same environment conditions, which indicates giant panda is not easy to adapt to the environments, and more special protection attenetion should be paid to giant panda.3. Livestock and giant panda have differences in habitat use, compared with the giant panda, the livestock occurred in the habitat that displayed smaller canopy and bamboo coverage, smaller tree size, fallen-log density and bamboo density. Livestock and giant panda also have similarities in habitat use, which may result in a potential threat in giant panda habitat selection. Giant panda seldom used the habitat disturbed by livestock, and a large number of livestock was distributed in Wanglang, thus, it should take measures to control the grazing disturbance.4. Roads not only changed the habitat to road surface directly, but also brought about a barrier effect; the range of road-affected habitat was 0-200 m away from the road. Compared with giant panda habitats, road-affected habitats were characterized by lower bamboo density and more grazing disturbances. No trace of giant panda was found in the road-affected habitat, thus, it should take measures to minimize the effects brought by roads.5. No trace of giant panda was found in the existing man-made forest in this area. Compared with giant panda habitat, the man-made forest was characterized by lower shrub coverage, thinner trees and lower bamboo density. The man-made forest is hard to fulfill the habitat requirement of giant panda, because the significant differences between the giant panda habitat and the man-made forest, especially in food and environment conditions. A simple way of planting trees cannot restore the giant panda habitat; restoration of ecological function is the fundamental of giant panda habitat restoration.