Study On Ungulates Diversity Under Different Interference Mechanisms In The Southern Slope Regions Of The Qinling Mountains

In the Changging, Foping, Guanyinshan Nature Reserve, Shaanxi Province, we collected photo data on six ungulates (Budorcas taxicolor, Naemorhedus griseus, Elaphodus cephalophus, Capricornis milneedwardsii, Muntiacus reevesi and Moschus berezovskii) with infrared cameras. Using the relative abundance index (RAI), we analyzed activity patterns and seasonal differences of these six species. Combined with different year’s remote sensing image analysis of the study area of cut patches. Analysis the difference activity patterns of B. taxicolor and E. cephalophus under different interference mechanisms. The results show that:(1) Different years of remote sensing image show that:During the period of 1978-1994 were main cutting time in Changqing nature reserve and Guanyinshan nature reserve, combined with reserve logging records show that there is an obvious rotation. The vegetation cover improved year by year after 1994 year’s remote sensing image logging patches.(2) Under different interference mechanisms the daily activity patterns of B. taxicolor showed obvious crepuscular habits. But B. taxicolor with an active peak at 10:00-12:00 in the primitive forest. Under artificial forest and primitive forest B. taxicolor exhibited similar activity patterns with an active in September.(3) Under different interference mechanisms the daily activity patterns of E. cephalophus showed obvious crepuscular habits. Under different habitat conditions the year activity patterns of E. cephalophus exhibited different patterns, with an active at May in the artificial forest and an active at August in the primitive forest.(4) We analyzed activity patterns and seasonal differences of six ungulates (Budorcas taxicolor, Naemorhedus griseus, Elaphodus cephalophus, Capricornis milneedwardsii, Muntiacus reevesi and Moschus berezovskii) in the Guanyingshan Nature Reserve, Shaanxi Province. The results show that:(1) their total RAI in the study area reaches 58.71%, the ungulate abundance at a high level of large mammals in Guanyinshan Nature Reserve. (2) Monthly RAIs (MRAI) of six ungulates reflected seasonal activity patterns; B. taxicolor, N. griseus, E. cephalophus, C. milneedwardsii, M. reevesi exhibited similar activity patterns. These species were most active in summer, became inactive in autumn and winter, and then gradually increased activity in spring. M. berezovskii, on the other hand, was most active in winter and least active in summer. (3) The time-period relative abundance indices (TRAI) of the six ungulates reflect their daily activity patterns. B. taxicolor and N. griseus have similar daily activity patterns with an active peak at 06:00-20:00. The daily activity pattern of E. cephalophus, M. reevesi and M. berezovskii showed obvious crepuscular habits. Analysis of the nocturnality showed that C. milneedwardsii was obviously nocturnal with a nighttime relative abundance index (NRAI) of 65.81%.(4) Comparative analyses of daily activity patterns among the four seasons showed that B. taxicolor displayed a different pattern in spring with an activity peak at 16:00-20:00. Compared with other seasons, N. gresius, E. cephalophus and C. milneedwardsii have different patterns in winter with either a delayed or advanced activity peak. In the case of M. reevesi, spring daily activity patterns showed two peaks at 00:00-10:00 and 18:00-20:00. Due to a paucity of captures, M. berezovskii showed different activity patterns in all four seasons.Our results help us to understand the activity patterns of these ungulates in Qinling, to monitor their population dynamics, and provide a theoretical basis and data support for the nature reserves to protect the ungulate animals more efficiently.