GAP Analysis And Conservation Networks In Central Yangtze River Eco-region

As one of the 233 most important eco-regions in the globe, Central Yangtze River has its special characteristics among them, including tremendous fresh-water lakes and tributary rivers, these crucial wetlands provide a variety of water birds the majority of which takes this area as their habitat for wintering and reproducing. Owing to these aspects of consideration, we focus it as our mainly research area. In general, we use the technology of geographic information system as the primary tools, which the GIS software we applying in the study is Arcview GIS 3.2. Also we collect and compile the satellite images of this region and transferred it into grid format, and the most significant data we take advantage is waterfowl's actual distribution area which acquired from the WWFChina. Subsequently, by anglicizing these data we draw several reliable and extremely meaningful conclusions and interesting findings as the following:I The potential distribution area of the waterfowls in the Central Yangtze eco-region. Above all, by synthesizing the large-scale map data through 3 aspects which including: land use/cover, altitude and slope which we deem them as the most influential factors on the waterbirds and also data available is another aspect which we have to consider, we calculate the four focus species' potential distribution area which containing: Grus leucogeranus, Ciconia boyciana, Anser erythropus and Mergus squamatus. The result show that the potential habitat may include considerably large amounts of acres comparing to the actually distributed areas, and these areas refer to those habitats where the conditions are: altitude no more than 20 meters high, slop less than 5 angles and preferred landcover type is water body. And those potential distribution areas in the map are probably located the areas of the mainstream of the Central Yangtze River, Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake and some other fresh-water wetlands.II Finding those most valuable areas(counties) that deserve conservation but leaveunprotected. As a matter of fact, the potential distribution areas contain masses of nature reserves concerned with wetland and, to a larger extent, some special and vital areas that leave unpreserved currently. This is what we called 'Gaps'. In addition, we find that those habitats where have been built as nature reserves for waterbirds are by no means continual and connected. By means of on-the-spot survey and researching the papers or articles related to these areas, we find the corresponding lakes and their belonging local counties. As a result, these areas not only provide crucial sanctuaries to the waterbirds but also key habitats to aquatic animals such as fish, reptiles etc.III Setting up the conservation networks for waterbirds of the Central Yangtze eco-region. Considering the integrity and continuity of the habitats waterbirds needs, therefore, in the action of conserving these isolated habitats, we proposed to build newly nature reserves for waterbirds in different levels to mitigate the 'Gaps' of the present situation. Consequently, we set up 4 kinds of conservation networks regarding different security levels for the waterbirds: low, medium, high and peak patterns.