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——Example of giant panda nature reserves network

Li Junsheng

Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Science

BonnMarch 30th-April 1st 2009

Assessment of conservation status of Qinling Natural Reserves Networks

——The Second Sino-German Wokshop on Biodiversity Conservation

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Agenda

Background IntroductionSpatial Pattern of Established ReservesGAP Analysis of Pandas and Their HabitatAssessment of Reserves NetworksOptimization of Reserves Networks

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1. Background Introduction

Important Geographical Location

Rich Biodiversity Resources

Social and Economic Development

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Important Geographical LocationThe Qinling Mountain are a major mountain range covering a total area of 55,000 square kilometer and reaching elevations of over 3,700 metres, Located mainly in the middle of China. Most of the range locate in Shanxi Province, other in Gansu Province.The range is the one of the most eco-geographical boundaries in China.

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The topography and physiognomy of the range are very complex because it locates between the Loess Plateau and the Tibetan Plateau. There are over 30 pinnacles reaching elevations of over 2,000 metre, The mountain are cliffy.

Important Geographical Location

the Loess Plateau

the Tibetan Plateau

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Important Geographical Location

It is also the important boundary from mountains in the western to the plain in the eastern of China.The range is the only area that acts as a water catchment for the two most important rivers in China — the Yangtze River and the Yellow River.

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Important Geographical Location

From the range of Qinling Mountain to Huaihe River, it is an important isohyet of 800 mm, and isotherm of the 0℃ in January.The north of the boundary is the semi-humid region and the south of boundary is humid region in China.

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Important Geographical LocationQinling Mountain also forms a natural boundary between the North and South of the country. The Northern side of the range is prone to cold weather, however the physical barrier of the mountain mean that the land to the South enjoys a sub-tropical climate, with the rich, fertile landscape supporting a wealth of wildlife and vegetation.

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Important Geographical Location

Qinling Mountain is the portion of the boundary between the PalaearcticRealm and the Oriental Realm. And QinlingMountain is also the ecotone between southern and northern fauna in China.

Palaearctic Realm

Oriental Realm

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Rich Biodiversity ResourcesQinling Mountains is one of the 17 biodiversity hotspots in china with rich biology, many endangered, threatened, and endemic animal and plant species which need to be well protected. Over 15 animal species have been listed in the national priority protection wildlife list, including Golden Monkey, Golden Takin, Leopard, and Crested Ibis (Japan's national bird and extinct there in the wild).

Biodiversity Hotspots in China

Golden TakinGolden Monkey

Larix Chinensis

Crested Ibis

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Rich Biodiversity Resources

It is one of the few remaining natural habitats where China's national symbol, the giant panda’s home. The Qinling panda population is an independent panda population with about 200-300 pandas. The population size is relatively small and it is distributed in a separate mountain range with little connection with others, which make the Qinling population very fragile. With the rapid development of China, human expansion and disturbances have become major threats to the animal. If no immediate conservation measures were taken, the Qinling panda population may become on the verge of extinction.

The distribution areas of Panda in Qinling Mountain

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Social and Economic DevelopmentApproximately 5 million people live in the QM, many of whom are poor, make their living from agriculture, and live in isolated areas with very limited infrastructure or links to the modern economy.Some region of the range has been highly degraded through inappropriate farming practices, logging, overuse of natural resources and encroachment over many decades.

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2. Spatial Pattern of Established Reserves

Crested Ibis

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2. Spatial Pattern of Established ReservesUp to now,to protect these rich biodiversity, especially for panda, 19 national and provincial nature reserves have been established in Qinling Mountain from 1965. Five of these are national reserves: Fuping Reserve, Changqing Reserve, Taibai Reserve, ZhouzhiReserve and Qingmuchuan Reserve. The area cover about 1821 000 hm2. Province reserves cover about 2473 000 hm2.

Can these established reserves

protect the panda population really?

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GAP Analysis of protection of pandas and their habitat

Parameters:Elevation

Slope

Aspect

Vegetation

Food accessibility

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Parameter of the Panda habitat choosing

Parameter Suitability Non-suitability

Elevation(m) 1500～2400 --

Slope 0 °～30 ° --

Aspect 67.5°～292.5° --

Vegetation Forest Non-forest

Food accessibility bamboo --

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Preparation of data

DEM

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Slope

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Aspect

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Analysis of the relationship between spots and topography, langscape in panda distribution of Qinling Mt.

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Distribution spot of panda from the second(1985-1988) (white spot)and third survey(1999-2003)(red spot)

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Spatial of distribution areas of panda population in Qinling Mts.

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The Distribution and Population of Panda

The number of different population in Qinling Mt.(QLM)Name of Population individuals NotePingheliang Population 5Jingjiliang Population 6Tianhuashan Population 12Xinglongling-Taibaishan

Population 219

Niuweihe Population 29Xi Qinling Population 4 In Western of QLM

(Data from the third survey of panda population)

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Suitability habitat and distribution of panda in Qinling Mt.

Pingheliang Population

Jingjiliang Population

Tianhuashan Population

Xinglongling- Taibaishan Population

Niuweihe Population

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The suitable spatial area for topography feature among different panda population in qinling Mts.（elevation、slope、

aspect）

item Niuweihe Xinglongling -taibaishan tianhuashan Jingjilian

g Pingheliang

Sum of suitable patch areas among different populations (hm2) 8852.59 31380.02 11716.06 4347.98 3637.46

Number of suitable patch 1586.00 5393.00 1905.00 1025.00 377.00

Average area of different suitable patchs (hm2) 5.58 5.82 6.15 4.24 9.65

Area of the bigest suitable patch (hm2) 145.85 282.78 426.85 68.37 376.77

Sum suitable habitat area in five populations (hm2) 59934.11

% of different population suitable habitat 14.77% 52.36% 19.55% 7.25% 6.07%

The habitat areas among different populations 53242.87 195011.26 59063.33 26057.86 10667.68

% of suitable habitat areas 16.63% 16.09% 19.84% 16.69% 34.10%

Sum suitable habitat area of panda distribution region (hm2) 92788.69

% areas between five population and distribution region 64.59%

Note: topography feature include: 1) elevation (1500m～2400m), 2) slope(0°～30°), 3) aspect (67.5°～292.5°)

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Relationship between suitable habitat areas and individual number

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The corelationship between suitable habitat areas and distribution number

Correlations

1 .291**.007

84 84.291** 1.007

84 84

Pearson CorrelationSig. (2-tailed)NPearson CorrelationSig. (2-tailed)N

ÿÍø¸ñÐÜèÊýÁ¿

Íø¸ñÊÊÒ˵ØÐÎÃæ»ý

ÿÍø¸ñÐÜèÊýÁ¿

Íø¸ñÊÊÒ˵ØÐÎÃæ»ý

Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).**.

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Suitability habitat and distribution of panda in Qinling Mt.

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Distribution of forest and panda in Qinling Mt.

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Forest areas in different population

Item Niuwehe Xinglongling -Taibaishan Tianhuashan Jingjiliang Pingheliang

Forest areas in different of populations (hm2) 41573.24 131222.02 33700.86 14346.39 5238.05

The number of forest patch 43 239 75 49 19

Average areas of forest patchs(hm2) 966.82 549.05 449.34 292.78 275.69

The bigest area of forest patchs(hm2) 30920.90 47235.49 9505.54 3153.26 1864.65

The ratio of forest areas in different of the populations 18.39% 58.04% 14.91% 6.35% 2.32%

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Analysis of forest fragment in panda distribution

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The food of panda

Fargesiaqinlingensis

Fargesiadracocephala

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Distribution of panda food

Fargesia qinlingensis

Fargesia dracocephala

Ecological Carrying capacity of panda distribution region

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Risk assessment of population

The areas of different habitats and their theory ecological capability（nest：10.62k㎡）

Name of habitat

Areas of habita t (ha)

Theory capab ility

Forest areas (ha)

Theory capab ility of forest

Suitable topog raphy areas (ha)

Theory capab ility of topog raphy areas

Actual number

Niuweihe 53242.87 50 41573.24 39 8852.59 8 29Xinglongling-

Taibais han

195011.26 184 131222.02 124 31380.02 30 219

Tianhuashan 59063.33 56 33700.86 32 11716.06 11 12

Jingjiliang 26057.86 25 14346.39 14 4347.98 4 6

Pingheliang 10667.68 10 5238.05 5 3637.46 3 5

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Case of deadSome dead case of the panda were found on 1 July 2006, 12 December 2007,19 March, 5 July 2008.Some individual injured while feeding on cliff.

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The Pingheliang population will be extinct because of ecological isolation.

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Risk area

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Analysis of GAS

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Optimization Scheme of reserves network in future

To establish 4 new reserves

To adjust the boundary of 3 reserves

To setup 3 carriages

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Thanks!

Two projects are being carried out:1) Effect on giant pandas by human activity (high way and dam

structure) in Qinling Mts.---funded by WWF

2) Effect on spatial distribution of giant panda by climate change in Qinling Mts. ---funded by MOST