The First Exploration On The Diversity Difference Of Birds And Mammals Between Ground And Forest Canopy And The Distribution Of Nomascus Concolor In The Zhibenshan Mountain By Camera Traps

The status of biodiversity and its conservation has been a hot issue in ecological research.The design and implementation of a series of biodiversity surveys and monitoring to obtain key information on biodiversity are fundamental to conservation efforts.The region of three parallel rivers in Northwest Yunnan is one of the regions owning highest species diversity.While systematic research on biodiversity has not yet begun in the Biluo Snow Mountain,which is located in the core of the region,and no nature reserves have been established.The range and subclassification of many rare and endangered wildlife species,such as the Western Black-crowned Gibbon,has been controversial due to the lack of corresponding surveys in the Biluo Snow Mountain.Camera trap technology is increasingly used in wildlife research,and has become an important tool to assess biodiversity.Traditionally,biodiversity is monitored from the ground with limited visual access to the wildlife present in the canopy layers.The impact of this limitation on the results of biodiversity assessments is unclear.Therefore,in this paper(1)Camera traps were used to monitor biodiversity in the forest canopy and surface layer and to compare differences in results.(2)Based on the results of the survey,an in-depth population distribution survey was conducted from January 2016 to August 2018 using camera traps,sound monitoring and sample line method for new gibbon populations found in the Zhiben Mountains.The results of the study are as follows:In the study of forest canopy and ground level,20 camera traps were used to capture a total of 2,319 active camera days,with 24 species of birds and 20 species of non-rat rodents;15 species were captured in the forest canopy only,while 16 species were captured at ground level,and 13 species were captured in the forest canopy and ground level.The results showed that there were significant differences in species composition between the different stands monitored by camera traps,which were irreplaceable for both canopy and ground monitoring.In a survey of western black crested gibbons,transient calls were heard on October 30,2016;one male was photographed on July 5,2016,and one female was photographed on February 1 and February 8,2017,respectively,and identified as the Nomascus concolor furvogaster.The Zhiben Mountains are the historical range of the western black-crested gibbon,with six to seven populations historically present,and probably only two to three populations of less than 20 at present.The discovery of this new population pushed the western black-crowned gibbon's range northward by about 100 km in a straight line and the western Yunnan subspecies by about 150 km,making it the northernmost known western black-crested gibbon range.From January 2016 to March 2019,avian and animal resource surveys were conducted in the southern section of the Biluo Snow Mountain(N25.41°-26.22°,E98.87°-99.34°)through a combination of sample line surveys and community visits using infrared camera technology as the main means.In the southern section of Biluo Snow Mountain,176 species of birds and animals were surveyed,of which 139 species of birds,37 species of animals,5 species of national class I protected species and 25 species of national class II protected species.Conclusion: 1)The vertical spatial complexity of forest ecosystems,which provide diverse spatial niches for wildlife,is an important factor in maintaining high biodiversity.In order to fully understand the diversity of wildlife in the regional forest ecosystem,it is necessary to take into account the requirements of different forest layers in the monitoring protocols.2)The existing Nomascus concolor furvogaster in the Zhiben Mountains is very small and has a very narrow range,which is at risk of extinction.3)The non-reserved Biluo Snow Mountain also have high biodiversity and species richness,with a large distribution of rare and endangered species.A more detailed survey of primate resources,represented by gibbons,should be carried out in the southern section of Biluo Snow Mountain,while a joint inter-regional conservation body should be formed in the region,a corresponding nature reserve should be set up,and the Biluo Snow Mountain should be incorporated into the national park system under the opportunity of the national nature reserve reform,and a more systematic local resource survey and conservation work should be carried out quickly to effectively protect the endangered species in the region.