Population Density, Habitat Utilization And Suitability Evaluation Of Black Muntjac (Muntiacus Crinifrons)

Conservation Biology is a newly developed multidisciplinary study thatdeals with biodiversity crisis, investigating population size and population distribution, analyze habitat utilization and suitability evaluation, and design conservation policy and strategy. Preventing species from extinction is one of the major tasks for the conservation biologists.As a typical species of black muntjac is listed in the Category I of Key Protected Wildlife List, it is only distributed in the narrow ranges in Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi and Fujian Provinces( 117-121.5° E, 27.5-31° N). Because deforestation occurred and human activities in these regions greatly disrupted their lives and seriously devoured their habitats, the black muntjac population has significantly descreased. For strengthening the protection of black muntjac, the World Conservation Union(IUCN) considered it as vulnerable species, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora(CITES) also place it in addendum I . Now black muntjac has been protected well in Jiulong Mountain and Gutian Mountain National Nature Reserves and its population size have increased. However, the fate of black muntjac outside of the reserves is not bright, yet. The population density, habitat utlization and habitat suitability are the fields that need to be further studied.Black muntjac leaves its own fresh mark in the habitat, such as footprints and excrement. The more they utilize the habitat, the more the fresh traces are kept behind. Therefore, we could study its population density and habitat utilization depengding on its fresh mark. The survey over a 20-month period by recording 141 sampling plots in 26 line transects which were set up randomly in Jiulong Mountain and Gutian Mountain National Nature Reserves. With excrement and footmark as indirect indication, we obtain the field censusing data. Then principal component analysis was employed to select the key factors affecting their habitat utilization in each season, and by stepwise discriminant analysis, the key factors affecting separation of habitat selection of black muntjac in different seasons was selected. Based on those analyses and the technique of geographical informationsystem(GIS), black muntjac habitat suitability index was developed, and the habitat suitability evaluation of black muntjac in Jiulong Mountain and Gutian Mountain National Nature Reserves was conducted by GIS. In the meantime, the idea for protection of black muntjac and suggestion for future management were discussed in this paper. 1 , The results showed that the optimal habitat elevation of black muntjac was about 1000m. Population density was 7.32 ± 0.69 (ind/km2), then in core area, cushion area, experiment area the densities were 8.41 ± 1.08, 6.25 ± 1.79, 3.21 ± 1.31 (ind./km2). From the whole natural reserve, population density in different seasons were 7.54±1.42, 7.54±1.50, 6.09 ± 1.32, 8.12 ± 1.22 (ind./km2). The heavy loss of forest in adjacent areas was the main reason that caused the migration of black muntjac from adjacent areas to the reserve, so the population density was relatively high in Jiulong Mountain Nature Reserve. In Gutian Mountain Nature Reserve, the optimal habitat elevation of black muntjac was among 800-1000m. Population density was estimated to be 3.30 ± 0.45 (ind./km2) in the nature reserve, then in core area, cushion area, experiment area the densities were 4.67±0.41, 2.87 ±0.60, 0.76 ± 0.66 (ind./km2). In different seasons, the population densities in nature reserve were 2.97 ± 1.22, 3.30 ± 0.95, 2.97 ± 0.91, 3.96 ±0.88 (ind./km2). The chang of black muntjac in elevations in different seasons was mainly attributed to the seasonal change of food resource.2, 11 ecological factors were selected to analyze habitat utilization of black muntjac in each seasons by using multianalysis. On the basis of analysis of field data using the principal component analysis, the results showed that the ultimate factors which influence on spring habitat utilization of black muntjac were vegetation type, grass canopy, shrub canopy, human disturbance, slope and slope position. The optimal spring habitat of black muntjac was mixed conifer and broadleaf forest or broealeaf forest, grass canopy 25%-50%, shrub canopy 25%-50%, distance from hunman disturbance >1000m, slope 15-30°, middle slope position. In summer, the main factors related to habitat utilization were vegetation type, tree canopy, rock exposure, water source, human disturbance and slope position. The optimal summer habitat was mixed conifer and broadleaf forest or broealeaf forest; tree canopy 76% -100%, rock exposure 10% -30%, distance from water source <500m, distance from human disturbance > 1000m, upper slope position. In autumn, the results revealed that the main...