Population Restoration And Habitat Protection Of Red Deer(Cervus Canadensis)in Chifeng

As a large herbivore of the family Cervus,red deer(Cervus canadensis)occupies an important position in the ecosystem.Habitat fragmentation or even loss has seriously affected the survival status of its population.In this study,a field survey on red deer was carried out in Chifeng by using line transect method.The research on red deer population status,resources,habitat distribution,ecological corridors and genetic diversity were completed.The main results are as follows:1.At present,the total number of red deer in several reserves in the southern section of Great Khingan Range of Chifeng was about 12160,and the average population density was about 1.94 /km~2.Except that the population density of red deer in Huamugou area of Kexigten Qi has decreased by26.36%,the population number of red deer increased significantly in other regions of Kexigten Qi(of4773 animals),Dallengshan forest farm of Linxi county(512),Saihanwula reserve(2388),Wulanba reserve(817),Gaogesitai reserve(3012),and the average population density increased by 116.24% in the past decade.2.The habitat of red deer predicted by the Maxent model was concentrated in the core areas of the local nature reserves,forming a number of patched population habitats with an obvious trend of isolated distribution.However,due to the rapid recovery of population number,and the increase of density and the occurrence frequency of red deer at the boundary of multiple nature reserves,there was a trend of mutual diffusion and connectivity.Combined with the field investigation,it was found that the existing habitats of red deer have the characteristics of low elevation(800～1200 m),gentle slope(<15°),close to water source,and the vegetation type of the habitats is mostly forest shrub or grassland closing to the mountain.3.Twelve red deer diffusion and connecting ecological corridors were established using the minimum cumulative resistance(MCR)model.The corridors haves the characteristics of passing through rivers,irregular topography,and being far away from human resident sites.The corridor vegetation was mainly woodland and grassland,which was divided into two types: short-distance corridors and long-distance corridors.As the ecological corridors of red deer,sufficient water and food,shelter,distance away from human settlements,short distance and less physical exertion are needed.4.The results of mitochondrial control region markers showed that 21 independent haplotypes were found.The nucleotide diversity index and haplotype diversity index of red deer population were0.0246 and 0.737,respectively,which were in the middle and high level.Through calculation of the genetic distances,genetic differentiation coefficient of(Fst),gene flow(Nm)and the construction of a phylogenetic tree,the results showed that the red deer population in the study area had a higher degree of differentiation,close genetic distance and close relatedness,and there might have been inbreeding happened.Through on-the-spot investigation,in this paper,the habitat status of red deer population in Chifeng city was studied,and the changes of the number and density of red deer population in the past ten years were compared.Combined with the evaluation of population status,the environmental characteristics of red deer habitat and the present situation of population genetic diversity were analyzed.In view of these problems,this paper puts forward the scheme of how to establish corridors and improve its suitability.In order to avoid and break the impact of population isolation caused by habitat fragmentation on the local red deer populations,the suggestion were put forward to improve and maintain the diversity of the existing red deer population.This study provided detailed basic data for improving communication within the red deer populations in the whole study area.