Spatiotemporal Coexistence Patterns Of Ungulates In Mount Fanjin

Mastering the characteristics of species selection in space and time is an important basis for conducting studies on interspecific relationships and species-environment relationships.In order to grasp the spatio-temporal ecological niche differentiation patterns and interspecific coexistence mechanisms of ungulates in Fanjingshan and effectively evaluate their suitable survival,this study analyzed the daily activity rhythms,habitat selection,and suitable habitat distribution of Elaphodus cephalophus,Muntiacus reevesi,Sus scrofa,and Capricornis milneedwardsii based on infrared camera monitoring data in Fanjingshan from April 2017 to May 2022,with the following results:(1)Four species of ungulates were active during both day and night,and there were interspecific differences in their daily activity characteristics and degree of overlap.Among them,the activities of the Elaphodus cephalophus and the Muntiacus reevesi were not affected by diurnal alternation,and their daily activities had the highest degree of overlap(?=0.90),and their daily activity characteristics were more similar.In contrast,Sus scrofa and Capricornis milneedwardsii preferred to move at daytime,but their daily activities overlapped the least(? =0.69),and their daily activity characteristics were significantly different.In addition,the daily activity of the Elaphodus cephalophus,Muntiacus reevesi and Sus scrofa were all influenced by temperature,altitude and their own reproductive cycle,while the daily activity of Capricornis milneedwardsii was only influenced by altitude.(2)There were interspecific differences in habitat selection among the four species of ungulates,and the spatial interactions were all spatially avoided(SIF < 1).Among them,the Elaphodus cephalophus preferred to inhabit shrub forests and deciduous broad-leaved forests with slopes greater than 23 degrees at altitudes below 1 300 m,and were more adaptable to human disturbance;the Muntiacus reevesi preferred to inhabit mixed evergreen deciduous broad-leaved forests and deciduous broad-leaved forests with slopes less than 23 degrees at altitudes above 1 300 m,and were less adaptable to human disturbance;the Sus scrofa preferred to inhabit evergreen deciduous broad-leaved forests with slopes greater than 15 degrees at altitudes below 1 300 m,and were more adaptable to human disturbances;the Capricornis milneedwardsii preferred to live in broad-leaved evergreen forests,mixed evergreen deciduous broad-leaved forests,deciduous broad-leaved forests and shrub forests with slopes less than 15 degrees at altitudes above 1,400 m,and was less adaptable to anthropogenic disturbances.(3)The suitable habitats of the four species of ungulates are mainly distributed in the core area of Fanjingshan Reserve,but there are still high suitable distribution areas in the experimental area and buffer area.The suitable habitat area of Elaphodus cephalophus is 19,993.17 ha,which is mainly distributed in the eastern part of Fanjingshan Reserve;the suitable habitat area of Elaphodus cephalophus is 15,470.97 ha,which is mainly distributed in the northern and southern parts of Fanjingshan Reserve;the suitable habitat area of Sus scrofa is 20,339.98 ha,which has high suitability in the eastern,western,northern and southern parts of Fanjingshan Reserve The suitable habitat area of Capricornis milneedwardsii was 13,884.78 ha,which was mainly distributed in the eastern and northern parts of Fanjingshan Reserve.This study initially revealed the spatio-temporal ecological niche differentiation patterns and interspecific coexistence mechanisms of ungulates in Fanjingshanshan,and the research results have important reference significance for further research and conservation of ungulates.