Comparison Of Wintering Habitat Selection And Habitat Suitability Of Sable Between The Changbai Mountains And The Greater Khingan Mountains In Northeastern China

During three winters from 2013 to 2015, the author performed snow feet transect surveys of the sable (Martes zibellina) in Changbai Mountains and Greater Khingan Mountains. Based on habitat factor of sable collected in the field, the comparative study of habitat selection and habitat suitability of sable’s two subspecies:M. z. hamgyenensisand M. z. princeps using prevailing data analysis method (Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test method,Resource selection function model, MAXENT model, etc.) was carried out in the Changbai Mountains and Greater Khingan Mountains. The main results are as follows:1.By comparing selection preference of habitat factors (elevation, slope, aspect, distance to water source, distance to road, distance to coniferous forest, distance to deciduous forest, distance to mixed forest, distance to shrub, distance to swamp, distance to resident sites, hiding cover, canopy density, snow depth, vegetation type, dominant tree) between two sable subspecies in Greater Khingan Mountains and Changbai Mountains, the study showed that elevation, distance to water source and distance to road were the main factors that affect habitat selection of the two subspecies, whereas distance to deciduousforest and hiding coverwere thefactors thataffect sable habitat selection only in Changbai Mountains, while distance to mixed forest, distance to resident sites and canopy density were thefactors that affect sable habitat selection only in Greater Khingan Mountains.2.To select habitat selection factors of studying area using logistic regression and establish resource selection function(RSF) of sables, RSF model for Dahailin Forestry Bureau of Changbai Mountains was P= ez/(1+ez), where z=1.041+1.313xelevation+0.907xdistance to roads-1.003×distance to water source-2.040×distance to deciduous+0.553×cover slopes. RSF model for Xinlin Forestry Bureau of Great Khingan Mountains was P=ez/(1+ez), where z= 2.041+1.040×elevation+1.907×distance to roads-1.303×distance to water source. RSF model for Shuanghe National Nature Reserve of Greater Khingan Mountains was P=ez(1+ez), where z=0.265-1.305×distance to water source+0.927xdistance to mixed forest+1.060xdistance to swamp-0.061×snow depth. The result showed that distance to water source was the only habitat factor that contributed to RSF models of three areas, and other habitat factors played different roles in each study area.3.We established MAXENT model to analyze importance of 11 habitat variables (elevation, slope, aspect, distance to water source, distance to roads, distance to coniferous forest, distance to deciduousforest, distance to mixed forest, distance to shrub, distance to swamp) to sable’s distribution. In Dahailin Forestry Bureau of Changbai Mountains, four variables contributed 90%, including distance to deciduous forest (46.62%), elevation (18.16%), distance to water sources (12.82%) and slope (11.94%), respectively. Five variables including distance to roads (46.87%), distance to water source (13.27%), distance to coniferous forest (11.13%) and slope (5.48%) contributed 76.8% in Xinlin Forestry Bureau of Greater Khingan Mountains. Five variables’ contribution accumulated to 82%, including distance to water sources (20.46%), distance to swamp (16.73%), distance to roads (15.85%), distance to coniferous-deciduous forest (13.01%) and distance to coniferous forest (10.01%) in Shuanghe National Nature Reserve of Greater Khingan Mountains.4. We used MAXENT to evaluate habitat suitability of sables in Changbai Mountains and Greater Khingan Mountains. Probability cut-off point was decided by maximum value of model sensitivity and specificity. Suitable habitat for M. z. hamgyenensis in Changbai Mountains distributed continuously in central and southwest, which was mainly composed by coniferous forest. Area of suitable habitat was 107.1km2, accounting for 33.7% of total habitat area. Unsuitable area was 210.9km2, accounting for 66.3% of total habitat area. Suitable habitat of M. z.princeps in Xinlin Forestry Bureau of Greater Khingan Mountains showed both clustered and continuous distribution.Most of the suitable habitat lied in coniferous forest, with an area of 326.8 km2, accounting for 25.6%of total habitat area. Unsuitable area was 950.5km2, accounting for 74.4% of total habitat area.Suitable habitat of M. z.princeps in Shuanghe National Nature Reserve of Greater Khingan Mountains showed patched distribution. Most of the suitable habitat lied in coniferous-deciduous forest, with an area of 227.8 km2, accounting for 26.2%of total habitat area. Unsuitable area was 641.7 km2, accounting for 73.8% of total habitat area.5. Habitat suitability increased with increasing distance to deciduous forest, decreasing distance to coniferous forest and water source for both M. z. hamgyenensis and M. z. princeps, which indicated that sables were most likely to live in coniferous forest rather than in deciduous forest and preferred to live close to water source. Elevation was a special habitat factor when evaluating suitable habitat of M. z. hamgyenensis, which was for the reason that the up and down of elevation change had significant influence on its suitable habitat. Slopewas a special habitat factor when evaluating suitable habitat of M. z. princeps, because Greater Khingan Mountainswere featured with steep mountains. The two factors mentioned above had significant effect on the habitat suitability of two sable subspecies in Changbai Mountains and Greater Khingan Mountains.