Giant Panda Microhabitat Study In The Daxiangling Niba Mountain Corridor,Sichuan Province

According to the results of the fourth national giant pandas survey,there are 14 wild giant pandas in the Daxiangling Provincial Reserve and Longcang valley of the Daxiangling Mountains in Sichuan Province,which is one of the key distribution areas of giant pandas(Ailuropoda melanoleuca),and the Niba mountain giant panda corridor is a key corri-dor connecting the giant pandas habitats in these two areas.From October 2020 to April 2022,a total of 34 sample lines and 348sample plots will be set up in the giant panda corridor and Longcang val-ley to collect 10 habitat variables such as topographic characteristics and plant community structure characteristics of all giant pandas sample plots during the rainy season(March-September)and snow season(Octo-ber-February),and combine with infrared camera monitoring data(158infrared cameras installed)to study the microhabitats of the giant panda corridor and derive habitat preferences of the giant panda in different seasons.The Max Ent model was used to assess the suitable habitat for the giant panda in both seasons;to prove the accuracy of the field survey re-sults and judgments,the factors of microhabitat selection for the giant panda were statistically tested using principal component analysis(PCA)and the logistic regression models in R 4.2.1.The results showed that:(1)With 44 samples of the giant panda occurrence sites collected during the rainy season(18 recorded by field traces and 26 by infrared cameras)and 18 samples collected during the snow season(all recorded by infrared cameras),the Niba Mountain has become a hotspot for giant panda activity.(2)The giant panda in both seasons selected at altitudes of2000-2400 m;southeast slope;slope less than 15°;the tree height is 8-15m,the diameter at breast height is 18-25 cm and the closure is 25%-55%;the shrub height is<3 m and the cover is<25%;the bamboo height is>2m and the cover is>35%.(3)The Max Ent model results showed that the suitable habitat areas for the giant panda in the rainy season is mainly located in the western part of the Daxiangling Reserve,the Niba Mountain and the Longcang Valley,with an area of about 95.61 km~2;the suitable habitat for giant pandas in the snow season is mainly located in the Niba Mountain,with an area of about 41.56 km~2.The distribution of suitable habitat areas in different seasons overlaps,with an overlap area of about 26.85 km~2 and an overlap rate of 24.34%.(4)Habitat selection patterns of the giant panda was predicted and modelled by principal component analysis and R-based simulation analy-sis of microhabitat selection in different seasons.The Niba Mountain is now suitable for giant panda activities,thanks to the opening of the G5 Niba Mountain Tunnel and the implementation of the Niba Mountain Giant Panda Corridor,as well as the restoration and construction of the vegetation in the region.The giant panda in the Daxiangling and Longcang Valley may have spread to the middle of the Niba Mountain corridor.The microhabitat survey of the giant panda in the Niba Mountain corridor clarified the corridor’s suitable habitat selec-tion characteristics;investigated selection utilization differences such as elevation distribution and community characteristics of the giant panda in the corridor in different seasons;supplemented the accurate distribution and area data of suitable habitats of the giant panda in the corridor in dif-ferent seasons,and can be used as a critter It also demonstrates the scien-tific nature of giant panda habitat corridor planning and construction.