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Diversity and activity patterns of sympatric animals among four types of forest habitat in Guanyinshan Nature Reserve in the Qinling Mountains, China

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Abstract

Environmental heterogeneity contributes to various habitats and may influence the diversity and activity patterns of wildlife among habitats. We used camera traps to assess wildlife habitat use in Guanyinshan Nature Reserve from 2009 to 2012. We focused on four types of habitat including open areas with gentle slope (<15°) (Type1), low elevation areas (about 1500–1700 m) with high bamboo coverage (Type2), high elevation areas (about 2100–2300 m) with high canopy coverage (Type3), and wildlife migration passages (Type4). We analyzed the differences in species richness, relative abundance index (RAI), species diversity, and animals’ activity pattern among habitats. Total six species were analyzed on activity pattern, which are Takin (Budorcas taxicolor), tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus), Himalayan goral (Naemorhedus goral), wild boar (Sus scrofa), golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus), and porcupine (Hystrix hodgsoni). The results are (1) that there were significant differences in richness and RAIt among habitats; (2) Type4 habitat had the highest richness and RAIt while Type2 had the highest species diversity; giant pandas were found in these two habitats; (3) there were significant differences in species’ activity during daytime and nighttime; and (4) differences appeared in habitat preference of the most abundant species. Takin and tufted deer preferred Type1, Himalayan goral preferred Type2, and golden pheasant preferred Type3. Type4 habitat was used by most animals. All these revealed that habitat heterogeneity plays an important role in species diversity and the importance for conservation.

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Acknowledgements

This research received partial support from the project of National Natural Science Foundation of China: “Influences of Forest Landscape Pattern on Animal Diversity and Behavior Characteristics under Disturbance in the Qinling Mountains” (41271194). We acknowledge staff members from Guanyinshan Nature Reserve and Foping Nature Reserve for their help in the field work and other supports. And we would like to thank Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ), USA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, and School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Xuehua Liu

  2. College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China

    Pengfeng Wu & Xiaoming Shao

  3. College of Life Science, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang, 110034, China

    Pengfeng Wu

  4. Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, Virginia, 22630, USA

    Melissa Songer

  5. Guanyinshan Nature Reserve, Foping County, Shaanxi, 723400, China

    Qiong Cai & Yun Zhu

  6. Foping Nature Reserve, Foping County, Shaanxi, 723400, China

    Xiangbo He

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  1. Xuehua Liu
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Correspondence to Xuehua Liu.

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Liu, X., Wu, P., Shao, X. et al. Diversity and activity patterns of sympatric animals among four types of forest habitat in Guanyinshan Nature Reserve in the Qinling Mountains, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 16465–16477 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9232-x

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