Study On Feeding Microhabitat Of Giant Pandas In Qinling

In this research, we investigated the feeding sites of wild giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in Laoxiancheng (in spring and summer) and Changqing Nature Reserve (in spring) of Shanxi with one kind of quadrat methods, during the period from April of 2005 to September of 2008. Then this paper mainly discusses the microhabitat selection characters of these feeding sites by the wild giant pandas. The main results are showed as follows:1. In spring, the wild giant pandas of the Laoxiancheng Nature Reserve are likely to choose the feeding microhabitats, which are mainly consisted of Fargesia qinlingensis, with the characteristics below: plant density of bushes is sparse, the site is near uphill sunny slope and close to beast's foot-path, there are one or two arbors in the quadrat, herb cover is lower, the average basal diameter of bamboo is between 9.00mm-12.00mm, and the proportion of young bamboo is between 10%-30%. Then in summer, the wild giant pandas of the Laoxiancheng Nature Reserve may prefer the feeding site with these characteristics: plant density of bushes is sparse, there are one or two arbors in one microhabitat, visibility distance of the concealment is between 3m-10m, there are some stones and glade in the bamboo forests, with lower herb cover and higher bamboo cover, and the average basal diameter of bamboo is between 8.00mm-10.00mm.In the Changqing Nature Reserve, the wild giant pandas want to choose the feeding site in spring ,with the characteristics below: the plant density of bushes is moderate, with one or two arbors and some stones, herb cover is between 10%-40%, the feeding site is close to beast's foot-path, the average basal diameter of bamboo is between 12.00mm-16.00mm, and the proportion of young bamboo is between 10%-30%.2. According to the feeding sites comparison results in the two seasons of spring and summer of the Laoxiancheng Nature Reserve, the altitude the data of shrub amount, average highness of the herb and visibility distance in spring are significant different from the correlative data in summer, then the data of average basal diameter of bamboo, average diameter which is measured at the bamboo height of one meter, and proportion of young bamboo in spring are very significant different from the correlative data in summer. On the other hand, there are not significant differences about these data of factors in spring and summer: the amount of arbors, canopy density of plant, slope, distance from the source of water, distance from the beast's foot-path, herb coverage, and average highness of bamboo, ect.3. Based on the feeding sites comparison results between the Laoxiancheng Nature Reserve and the Changqing Nature Reserve in spring, there are not significant difference about the data of the amount of arbors, average highness of shrub, distance from the source of water, visibility distances and proportion of young bamboo between the two nature reserve, but the data of the canopy density of plant, amount of shrub, shrub coverage, slope, distance from the beast's foot-path, average highness of the bamboo, and the average basal diameter of bamboo of the Laoxiancheng Nature Reserve are significant different from the correlative data of the Changqing Nature Reserve. All the results above indicate that the wild giant pandas are likely to choose a different feeding microhabitat in the two different nature reserve.4. The results of bamboo stubble investigations by the wild giant pandas indicate that there are not significant correlations between the stubble highness and the average basal diameter of bamboo in each season, and the stubble highness is not related to the thickness of the bamboo. The results of the stubble highness indicate that the wild giant pandas are likely to choose the certain thick bamboo. In spring, the wild giant pandas of the Laoxiancheng Nature Reserve choose the Fargesia qinlingensis with the average basal diameter of bamboo between 9.00mm-10.99mm, when data are beside this extent, the feeding fancy grade decreases gradually. And in summer, the wild giant pandas choose the Fargesia qinlingensis with the average basal diameter of bamboo between 8.00mm-9.99mm, especially like to choose the bamboo which basal diameter is thicker than 12mm directly. Then in spring, the wild giant pandas in the Changqing Nature Reserve choose the Bashania fargesii which basal diameter is between 14.00mm-15.99mm, and the feeding fancy grade decreases gradually also when the data are beside this extent.