中国大陆沿海水鸟栖息地保护优先区及空缺分析

中国大陆沿海湿地是东亚-澳大利西亚候鸟迁徙的重要停歇地,自然湿地丧失与退化已经严重威胁到水鸟生物多样性的稳定性,急需开展物种及其栖息地的保护工作。识别中国大陆沿海水鸟保护优先区,针对保护优先区进行保护优先等级划分,确定目前尚存的保护空缺,是针对性开展水鸟栖息地保护的前提。以中国大陆沿海11省、自治区、直辖市沿岸湿地为研究区,整合鸟类网站、水鸟调查报告和文献中的水鸟调查数据,采用热点分析方法,确定水鸟保护优先区,将每个地块上满足水鸟保护优先区识别标准的物种数量占所有地块中满足标准的物种数量最大值的比例划分成0.5 ≤ P_i ≤ 1、0.25 ≤ P_i < 0.5、0 < P_i < 0.25三个区间,确定对应的I类、II类和III类水鸟保护优先区保护优先等级;结合国家自然保护地名录,确定水鸟保护优先区保护空缺。结果显示：共有65块中国大陆沿海水鸟保护优先区,记录到满足热点分析标准的水鸟物种共76种,其中受胁物种18种。水鸟保护优先区保护优先等级属于I、II、III类的分别有8块、10块、47块,且水鸟保护优先区保护优先等级属于I、II类的地块集中分布在上海以北的区域,水鸟保护优先区保护优先等级属于III类的地块主要分布在上海以南的区域。38块水鸟保护优先区存在保护空缺,占总数的58.46%,这些保护空缺地中保护优先等级属于I类和II类的地块共6块,建议针对这些地块单独建立保护机构或纳入现有周边的保护体系中。     

大兴安岭地区重点保护和珍稀动物保护空缺分析

大兴安岭地区是我国唯一的寒温带针叶林生态区, 具有全球重要性和特殊的自然保护价值。本研究针对该地区重点保护及珍稀动物未全部纳入保护地范围以及保护地分布破碎化的现状, 在建立物种信息数据库的基础上, 生成该地区重点保护及珍稀动物10 km × 10 km物种空间分布数据, 并结合土地利用、植被覆盖、海拔和坡度等与栖息地相关的辅助数据, 分析重点保护及珍稀动物的现有空间分布格局, 以Shannon-Wiener多样性指数作为重点保护和珍稀动物的丰富度指标, 通过将现有保护地范围与物种空间分布进行叠加, 得到重点保护及珍稀动物的保护空缺。结果显示: (1)现有空缺区域内濒危、易危和近危物种均有分布, 主要保护空缺对象有黑嘴松鸡(Tetrao parvirostris)、紫貂(Martes zibellina)、小天鹅(Cygnus columbianus)等; (2)保护程度较高的区域主要位于额尔古纳市北部和呼玛县西部等地。尽管重点保护和珍稀动物的空间分布与现有保护地范围基本匹配, 但不同地理空间仍存在不同程度的保护空缺; (3)保护空缺主要有两种类型, 即尚未受到保护的空白地区和未被完全纳入现有保护地的空缺地。基于以上结果, 建议针对两类不同的保护空缺采取不同的保护措施, 如对于根河市与牙克石市交界处未建立保护地的保护空白区, 建议新建保护区或保护小区; 对于重点保护和珍稀动物未被完全纳入现有保护地体系的区域, 如内蒙古阿尔山自然保护区北部外延的空缺地, 建议通过对现有保护地进行相应程度的扩建, 完善现有保护地体系, 从而促进大兴安岭地区重点保护及珍稀动物的保护进程。     

基于MaxEnt模型的四川王朗国家级自然保护区蓝马鸡栖息地适宜性评价

明确野生动物栖息地的空间分布格局和影响因子,是有效的栖息地管理和物种保护的基础。基于王朗国家级自然保护区自2001至2018年间的野外调查记录,首次使用MaxEnt模型对蓝马鸡（Crossoptilon auritum）栖息地适宜性进行了分析和评价。结果显示：（1）地形特征和极端时期的气候是影响蓝马鸡栖息地适宜性的主要环境因子,年最低温高于-14.4℃、海拔约2430-3100 m、坡度小于40°、靠近河流且最干月降水低于4.4 mm的区域属于蓝马鸡的适宜栖息地;（2）保护区内共有蓝马鸡栖息地102.28 km²,约占保护区总面积的三分之一,其中适宜栖息地面积59.41 km²,次适宜栖息地面积42.87 km²,为该物种提供了面积巨大且连通性极好的栖息地;（3）在不适宜蓝马鸡分布的区域,海拔过高和最干月降水量较大是限制其栖息地适宜性的主要环境因子。目前保护区内主要的人为干扰类型是牦牛和马匹的放牧活动,并且放牧强度和区域有扩大趋势,潜在威胁着蓝马鸡种群及其栖息地。因此,基于模型结果和野外调查,为避免保护区内蓝马鸡栖息地的退化和破碎化,提出了控制放牧数量和面积、增强对放牧人员的宣传教育以及定期监测河流水质的保护建议,以期促进蓝马鸡的种群和栖息地保护。     

高强度开发地区鸟类自然保护地保护空缺识别——以天津市为例

高强度开发地区因长期受到人类活动干扰,自然生境退化严重,生物多样性受到严重威胁,区域内自然保护地保护效率亟待提升。科学评价高强度开发地区自然保护地保护效率、识别生物多样性保护热点与空缺地区,对城镇化建设可持续发展具有重要意义。本研究以鸟类作为生物多样性指示物种,运用MaxEnt与InVEST模型分别计算天津市鸟类多样性及生境质量热点地区,并与现有自然保护地边界进行比较,精确识别保护空缺区域。结果表明：参与本研究MaxEnt模型建模的鸟类共19目54科228种;滨海地区各类自然与人工湿地为天津市鸟类最适宜生境,占天津市鸟类多样性热点地区的66.8%,且水库、鱼塘等人工湿地因食物来源充足,鸟类生境适宜度较高,表明适度的人工建设有利于提升鸟类多样性;天津市自然保护地对鸟类多样性热点地区覆盖率仅为37.7%,存在较为严重的保护空缺,空缺区域主要包括大神堂及临港地区湿地、河流交汇处及入海口湿地,是未来需进行重点保护的关键区域。采用两种模型协同分析的方法,能提高保护空缺区域识别精度,对高强度开发地区提高生物多样性保护效率具有一定普适性。     

气候变化背景下秦岭地区羚牛生境脆弱性评估及适应性保护对策

脆弱性是指物种受气候变化影响的程度,开展脆弱性评估工作有助于人类认识气候变化对野生动物的影响,为制定野生动物适应气候变化的保护对策提供科学依据。采用最大熵模型评估气候变化背景下秦岭地区羚牛（Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi）生境脆弱性。结果表明：（1）当前秦岭地区羚牛适宜生境总面积为6473 km²,到2050s年,预测秦岭地区羚牛适宜生境总面积为4217 km²,减少34.85%,羚牛适宜生境将向更高海拔地区转移,转移约210 m;（2）已建保护区覆盖49.82%当前羚牛适宜生境,尚有3248 km²的适宜生境处于保护区之外;到2050s年,保护区覆盖了43.87%适宜生境,尚有2367 km²的适宜生境未被保护;（3）到2050s年,当前分布在太白县、佛坪县、洋县和宁陕县等地区的3490 km²羚牛适宜生境将会成为生境脆弱区域,丧失53.92%;（4）分布在秦岭核心区域的2983 km²当前和2050s年保持不变适宜生境,将成为羚牛躲避气候变化的庇护所。基于研究结果,就未来羚牛应对气候变化的适应性保护对策提出以下几点建议：考虑将当前羚牛适宜生境纳入国家公园范围、构建适应性生态廊道、加强野生动物监测。     

松嫩平原苍鹭秋季栖息地选择及适宜性分布

苍鹭（Ardea cinerea）是松嫩平原湿地的常见鸟种,松嫩平原也是苍鹭重要的栖息地。为了了解苍鹭潜在栖息地的适宜性分布,利用GPS/GSM卫星跟踪技术,结合遥感影像和地理信息系统,应用Maxent模型对松嫩平原苍鹭秋季潜在的栖息地进行了评价,并对其适宜性分布进行了分析。结果显示：水源距离和绿度指数是影响松嫩平原苍鹭秋季栖息地适宜性的重要环境变量;松嫩平原内苍鹭适宜栖息地面积为2761.06 km²（占研究区域的1.24%）,主要分布在大庆（756.86 km²,占适宜栖息地面积的27.41%）、白城（537.14 km²,占适宜栖息地面积的19.45%）、齐齐哈尔（439.43 km²,占适宜栖息地面积的15.92%）等地市行政区,以大庆市杜尔伯特蒙古族自治县（429.90 km²,占适宜栖息地面积的15.57%）、白城市镇赉县（334.92 km²,占适宜栖息地面积的12.13%）、大庆市肇源县（185.54 km²,占适宜栖息地面积的6.72%）等县级行政区为主;其中,15.79%的适宜栖息地依次受到莫莫格保护区（10.34%）、扎龙保护区（3.47%）、向海保护区（0.67%）、查干湖保护区（0.54%）、大布苏保护区（0.41%）、乌裕尔河保护区（0.36%）等国家级自然保护区的保护。建议对未受到保护的零星小面积栖息地给与更多关注。     

基于多种类型保护地的红松林生态系统综合保护空缺分析

我国自然保护地管理体制面临重大变革,正逐步建立以国家公园为主体的自然保护地体系,并着重解决保护地空间布局方面存在的问题。以往的保护空缺研究主要与自然保护区分布相叠加,本研究基于多种自然保护地形式对红松林生态系统的保护情况进行综合保护空缺分析,将有助于自然保护地的统一规划和管理,提高保护效力。结果显示:有红松分布的县级行政区域内,自然保护区、森林公园、湿地公园、地质公园、风景名胜区都呈集中分布,其他类型保护地对自然保护区起到平衡和补充的作用;所有类型保护地的综合空缺分析表明,仍然有52.83%的红松林生态系统存在保护空缺,未来需要在现有保护地基础上增加适宜类型的保护形式。本文针对红松林生态系统综合保护空缺问题,在自然保护地体制改革和统筹规划建设等方面提出了具体的参考建议。     

同域分布中华鬣羚与中华斑羚时空生态位特征

为了解同域分布有蹄类在环境复杂的山地森林生境中以何种方式维持种间关系以实现稳定共存,基于物种分布模型与日活动模式分析了四川省岷山、邛崃、大相岭、小相岭和凉山五大山系同域分布中华鬣羚(Capricornis milneedwardsii)与中华斑羚(Naemorhedus griseus)的时空生态位特征。结果显示:(1)在四川省五大山系,中华鬣羚的适宜栖息地面积为28006.07 km²,占研究区总面积的26.18%,其中高适宜栖息地面积为10015.90 km²,中华斑羚的适宜栖息地面积为21073.32 km²,占研究区总面积的19.71%,其中高适宜栖息地面积为8396.22 km²;(2)中华鬣羚与中华斑羚在生境因子选择上相似性高、栖息地重叠面积大,其空间生态位重叠度指数D=0.776,I=0.949,其适宜栖息地的主要重叠区域位于岷山和邛崃山系;(3)中华鬣羚与中华斑羚的日活动节律重叠指数为0.812;(4)中华鬣羚与中华斑羚属于同域分布的资源利用型竞争物种,中华鬣羚的存在会显著影响中华斑羚的日活动节律(P=0.016);二者同域分布时都会增加其昼间活动强度,并增加活动高峰期的强度及持续时间。本研究初步分析了中华鬣羚与中华斑羚的时空生态位特征,揭示了二者在空间、时间生态位上种群共存及种间竞争的耦合关系。研究有利于深入理解同域分布动物时空生态位特征、近缘物种的共存机制及种间竞争关系,为有蹄类等珍稀野生动物种群及栖息地的保护提供科学参考。     

大凉螈保护空缺分析与四川栗子坪国家级自然保护区保护成效评估

栖息地丧失和退化严重威胁全球两栖类动物的生存与繁衍,栖息地保护在两栖动物保育中具有高的优先性。大凉螈(Liangshantriton taliangensis)是国内外广泛关注的横断山区特有珍稀有尾类物种。结合大凉螈33个分布位点和9个环境变量数据,本文运用最大熵(MaxEnt)模型预测了大凉螈当前潜在适宜分布区,再根据现有自然保护地(5个国家级和9个省级)分布进行了保护空缺分析,同时,借助比例体重指数法(SMI)衡量了7个种群共218个个体的身体状况,比较了保护区内外种群间的差异,利用归一化植被指数(NDVI)识别了保护区内植被变化,据此对四川栗子坪国家级自然保护区的保护成效进行了评估。结果表明,(1)影响大凉螈分布的最主要环境变量为NDVI(贡献值34.33%)、最干月份降水量(贡献值26.81%)和海拔(贡献值20.92%);(2)大凉螈适宜生境主要集中在小相岭和凉山山系,占研究区域总面积的15.38%,现有自然保护地覆盖了大凉螈23.62%的适宜生境,仍有3760.91km²的保护空缺;(3)栗子坪保护区内雄性个体肥满度指数显著大于保护区外个体(t-tes...     

穿山甲种群概况及保护

穿山甲（Manis spp．）是我国Ⅱ级重点保护野生动物,也是国际自然与自然保护联盟（IUCN）濒危物种红色名录中定为濒危（EN）等级的物种。由于近20年来的乱捕滥猎和栖息地的丧失,该物种的野外种群数量急剧下降,直至枯竭的边缘。通过分析我国穿山甲野外种群现状和保护中存在的问题,探讨该物种的保护策略,为相关国际公约和我国野生动物主管部门对该物种保护等级的调整提供依据,以期为科学制定我国野生穿山甲保护行动计划提供参考和保护决策依据。     

北京市两栖爬行动物空间分布格局及影响因素

基于遥感和野外调查数据,研究北京市两栖爬行动物空间分布格局及其影响因素。结果显示,北京记录两栖爬行动物2纲3目10科17属22种,其中,保护物种15种,占物种总数的68.19%。物种分布整体呈现由西北向东南递减的空间特征,西北部山区丰富度和相对多度较大,门头沟和延庆物种丰富度最大(14种),占调查物种总数的66.67%,优势种为中国林蛙、黑斑侧褶蛙、中华蟾蜍和山地麻蜥;门头沟、怀柔、房山分布了全市71.54%的种群数量;200-500 m海拔段物种丰富度最高(18种),主要生境为森林灌丛;物种数在6种以上的网格有11个,包括大滩、怀九河、百花山、拒马河、密云水库等。总体来看,物种种类和数量相较之前呈现减少趋势,而土地用途转换具有重要影响。1980-2018年,建设用地表现出以东西城为核心向外围扩张的趋势,侵占的农田占生态系统总转换面积的42.85%;城六区和平原区的主要物种为黑斑侧褶蛙和中华蟾蜍,少有中国林蛙分布。进一步分析两栖动物1500 m的迁徙距离内,森林灌丛和农田为主要的生境类型,城市扩张侵占了部分农田;同时,污染物的排放引起水体水质下降,特别是北运河水系,造成两栖动物的繁殖率降低和栖息地破坏。目前,北京市各类保护地虽覆盖两栖爬行动物种类的90.91%和数量的60.45%,但在怀柔宝山镇白河上段、密云水库来水的潮河上段辛庄桥、平谷洳河大兴庄镇-峪口镇等地,仍然存在较大的保护空缺。对此,建议开展长期定位观测,构建生物多样性观测网络,并探索建立高强度土地利用下的生物多样性保护机制,从而实现生物资源可持续利用。     

Development of a framework to predict the effects of climate change on birds

Climate change is expected to alter biological phenomena across the world, including the numbers and distributions of species and the timing of significant events in their life cycles such as reproduction and migration. Understanding how species will respond to future climate change is essential for effective wildlife management and conservation. Accordingly, in this research, we advanced the understanding of avian ecology by developing a framework for how climate change affects birds. In the first step, we evaluated the vulnerability of 537 species to climate change based on the distribution, physiology, phenology, biotic interactions, and protection status of the species in Iran. Then, we used MaxEnt models to predict the potential changes in the ranges of vulnerable species due to climate change in the next 70 years. In the third step, hotspots for birds under current and future conditions were identified using an ensemble forecasting framework and the potential changes in the hotspots in the next 70 years were predicted. Results of the climate vulnerability evaluation showed that around 40% of bird species in Iran are highly vulnerable. Our results showed that small parts of suitable habitats are currently located within protected areas. Moreover, the results showed that even smaller portions of suitable habitats will fall within protected areas in the future. The reduced coverage in the future will diminish the benefits of protected areas for the species and make the species more vulnerable to climate change. These results can be used by wildlife managers to identify areas with protection priority, and for prediction of corridors, core habitats, and new areas to establish protected areas in the future.     

阿尔金山自然保护区基于野牦牛、藏野驴、藏羚羊适宜栖息地的生态容量估测

阿尔金山国家级自然保护区保护了以野牦牛(Bos mutus)、藏野驴(Equus kiang)、藏羚羊(Pantholops hodgsoni)为代表的青藏高原特有野生动物及其栖息地,但是近年来野生动物数量的快速增长引发了栖息地退化的问题,科学量化阿尔金山自然保护区各类栖息地对野牦牛、藏羚羊、藏野驴的生态容量,并提出相应的野生动物管理措施,是实现保护区可持续管理的根本途径。本文应用遥感技术和地面调查相结合的方法,系统分析了保护区内野牦牛、藏野驴和藏羚羊的栖息地需求,建立了植物生物量和NDVI的关系模型,结合三类野生动物的食性分析,估测了适宜栖息地(高寒草原、高寒荒漠草原、高寒草甸、高寒荒漠)为三类野生动物提供的可食植物量,推算了适宜栖息地和整个保护区可以承载三类野生动物的生态容量。结果表明:阿尔金山自然保护区内野牦牛、藏野驴和藏羚羊的适宜栖息地面积分别为31866.07、24035.51、24035.51 km~2,三类野生动物的适宜栖息地之间相互重叠,藏野驴和藏羚羊的适宜栖息地基本相同;全保护区内,高寒草原、高寒荒漠草原、高寒荒漠和高寒草甸分别提供了3944.91×10~4、3126.32×10~4、138.19×10~4、564.49×10~4kg可食植物量;结合三类野生动物的栖息地重叠程度及食物需求量分析,得出阿尔金山保护区的最大生态容量为野牦牛7951头/a、藏野驴6907头/a、藏羚羊27094只/a;结合三类野生动物对食物资源的占有率估计,得出阿尔金山三类野生动物的生态容量变幅为野牦牛3976—7156头/a,藏野驴3454—6216头/a、藏羚羊13547—24385只/a。根据阿尔金山自然保护区各类栖息地对三类野生动物的生态容量,提出适当控制藏野驴种群数量、增加藏羚羊种群数量的建议,以促进野生动物种群数量的持续增长和栖息地的有效保护。     

Using species distribution modeling to set management priorities for mammals in northern Thailand

Rapid deforestation has occurred in northern Thailand and is expected to continue. Thus, identification and protection of sufficient amounts of the highest quality habitat is urgent. Wildlife occurrence data were gathered along wildlife trails and patrolling routes in protected areas and forest patches outside of protected areas. Geographic Information Systems, bio-physical and anthropogenic variables were used to generate suitable habitats for 17 mammal species using maximum entropy theory (MAXENT). Suitable habitats for all species were aggregated, and used to set priorities for wildlife conservation in northern Thailand. In addition, predicted deforestation was overlaid on moderate and high priority areas to determine future wildlife threats and aid decision-making concerning which areas to protect. The results revealed that the total extent of suitable habitats for the studied species covers approximately 37% of the region. Nearly 70% of the total habitat for endangered and vulnerable species is predicted in large and contiguous protected areas. Threatened areas with high biodiversity encompass approximately 1.9% of the region, and 66% of this figure is predicted to occur in existing protected areas. Based on the model outcomes, we recommend reducing human pressures, enhancing the density of prey species and conservation outside protected areas, as well as increasing connectivity of suitable habitats among protected areas that are too small to maintain viable populations in isolation.     

A fine-scale gap analysis of the existing protected area system in Hong Kong, China

As well as being one of the most densely populated areas on Earth, Hong Kong also has the highest percentage of protected areas (38% of the 1098 km² land area) of any administrative region in the Asia Pacific. Overlay of field records from a biodiversity survey of eight taxa (amphibians, reptiles, mammals, breeding birds, ants, butterflies, dragonflies and rare vascular plants) in 1 km grid squares with protected areas indicated that over half of the 623 species of conservation concern (globally, regionally, or locally restricted species) were under-represented. Ants, butterflies and reptiles were most poorly represented. The hotspots of different taxa also received differing levels of protection. Hong Kong's protected areas are biased towards high-altitude habitats, so the under-represented species are mostly associated with the lowland habitats (freshwater wetlands, abandoned agriculture and feng shui woods). Since the restricted species are scattered and the hotspots of different taxa do not overlap, a large protected area network will be required to represent all species. This indicates the challenge that will be encountered in the conservation of many other parts of Asia that support burgeoning human populations, and where landscapes are increasingly human-dominated.     

An assessment of the efficiency of protection status through determinations of biodiversity hotspots based on endemic bird species,Taiwan

Evaluations of species richness patterns have been performed at diverse scales, and biodiversity hotspots, especially endemism hotspots, have received much attention in conservation biology. We estimated the distributions of endemic bird species based on a 12-yr avian inventory project in Taiwan, identified biodiversity hotspots of endemism on a regional scale based on predictions from the ensemble forecasting framework and frequency histogram approach, and assessed the efficiency of protected areas. The results indicated that the predicted endemism hotspots were mostly located in mid- and high-elevation areas along the Central Mountain Range of Taiwan. An observed endemism hotspot was defined as one in which at least five of Taiwan's 17 endemic bird species were present. This criterion was used because the 5% of the sampled grid squares that were the richest in endemic bird species all had 5 endemic bird species or more. Seventy to seventy-one percent of the observed biodiversity hotspots matched the predicted biodiversity hotspots. This outcome was obtained whether the richness biodiversity in a grid square was based on summed predicted probability or summed predicted richness. The majority of the protected areas for these Taiwanese endemic bird species were national parks, protecting 24.1% of the predicted hotspot areas, whereas nature reserves and wildlife refuges protected less than 7%. Most of the predicted endemism hotspots were not adequately protected. We conclude that the ensemble forecasting framework and the frequency histogram approach are useful for selecting critical habitats and biodiversity hotspots for endemic species and for appraising the efficiency of the protection status provided by governments.     

基于MAXENT模型的贺兰山西坡啮齿动物生境适宜性评价

贺兰山因其拥有独特的植物垂直分布带而十分适宜啮齿动物生存,但自保护区生态恢复以来并未见有研究评价啮齿动物在贺兰山的生境适宜性,使得其分布现状未知。使用GIS技术和MAXENT模型对内蒙古贺兰山国家级自然保护区6种主要啮齿动物进行生境适宜性状况评价及预测,探究啮齿动物在贺兰山的分布现状。结果表明：影响6种啮齿动物的主要环境因子为海拔、坡度和距矿区距离,海拔越高、坡度越大及距矿区距离越近均使啮齿动物生存适宜性降低;两两鼠种生境适宜面积叠加发现,大林姬鼠和阿拉善黄鼠适宜生境重叠面积最大(261.37 km~2),短尾仓鼠和子午沙鼠的适宜生境重叠面积最小(19.00 km~2);6种主要鼠种均适宜的生境面积交集仅有17.14 km~2,占贺兰山总面积的0.47%,6种主要鼠种均不适宜的生境面积有2985.23 km~2,占贺兰山总面积的81.21%。研究表明,啮齿动物栖息地距矿区距离仍是影响其适宜生境的重要因素之一,建议相关部门加强对废弃矿区采取措施,改善保护区啮齿动物生境质量。     

Comparative changes in density and demography of large herbivores in the Masai Mara Reserve and its surrounding human-dominated pastoral ranches in Kenya

Wildlife habitats in pastoral lands adjoining protected areas in east African savannas are getting progressively degraded, fragmented and compressed by expanding human populations and intensification of land use. To understand the consequences of these influences on wildlife populations, we contrasted the density and demography of 13 wild and three domestic large herbivores between the Masai Mara National Reserve and the adjoining pastoral ranches using aerial surveys conducted in the wet and dry seasons during 1977–2010. Species of different body sizes and feeding styles had different densities between landscapes and seasons. Small-sized herbivores, requiring short, nutritious grasses, and browsers were more abundant in the ranches than the reserve in both seasons. Medium-sized herbivores moved seasonally between landscapes. Larger-bodied herbivores, requiring bulk forage but less susceptible to predation, were more abundant in the reserve than the ranches. The proportions of newborn warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) and juvenile topi (Damaliscus korrigum) were higher in the ranches, with shorter grasses and lower predation risk than in the reserve. These results suggest that pastoral lands adjoining protected areas in African savannas are important as seasonal dispersal and breeding grounds for wild herbivores. However, human population growth and dramatic land use changes are progressively degrading wildlife habitats in pastoral areas, thus restricting the seasonal wildlife dispersal movements between the protected areas and adjoining pastoral lands. Conservation efforts should focus on (1) creating and maintaining functional heterogeneity in protected areas that mimic moderate pastoral grazing conditions to attract small and medium-bodied grazers and (2) securing dispersal areas, including corridors, to ensure continued seasonal large herbivore movements between protected and pastoral systems.     

Refuges and risks: Evaluating the benefits of an expanded MPA network for mobile apex predators

Aim

Concurrently, assessing the effectiveness of marine protected areas and evaluating the degree of risk from humans to key species provide valuable information that can be integrated into conservation management planning. Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) are a wide‐ranging ecologically important species subject to various threats. The aim of this study was to identify “hotspots” of tiger shark habitat use in relation to protected areas and potential risks from fishing.

Location

Southwest Indian Ocean, east coast of South Africa and Mozambique.

Methods

Satellite tags were fitted to 26 tiger sharks. A subset of 19 sharks with an average period at liberty of 197 (SD = 110) days were analysed using hotspot analysis to identify areas of core habitat use. The spatial and temporal overlap of significant hotspots with current and planned marine protected areas as well as risks from fishing and culling was then calculated.

Results

There was a 5.97% spatial overlap between tiger shark hotspots and marine protected areas, which would increase significantly (p < .05) to 24.36% with the expansion of planned protected areas in South Africa and could be as high as 41.43% if Mozambique similarly expanded neighbouring protected area boundaries. Tiger sharks remained largely coastal, but only showed a spatial overlap of 5.12% with shark culling nets in South Africa. Only three sharks undertook open ocean migrations during which they were more likely to interact with longline fisheries in the region.

Main conclusions

This study demonstrates how spatial information can be used to assess the overlap between marine protected areas and the core habitats of top marine predators and highlights how congruent transnational conservation management can improve the effectiveness of protected areas. Core habitat use of marine apex predators may also be indicative of productive habitats, and therefore, predators such as tiger sharks could act as surrogate species for identifying key habitats to prioritize for conservation planning.

     

普洱市亚洲象栖息地适宜度评价

亚洲象(Elephas maximus)属于我国Ⅰ级保护动物,在中国仅分布于云南省西双版纳国家级自然保护区、普洱市的思茅区、澜沧县和江城县,以及临沧南滚河国家级自然保护区。将普洱全境作为研究区域,利用野外调查数据,结合遥感与地理信息系统技术,运用生态位因子分析(ENFA)模型对普洱市亚洲象的栖息地适宜度进行了评价,并预测了适宜栖息地的分布。发现:普洱市亚洲象栖息地的边际值为0.991,表明亚洲象在普洱市境内对环境变量的选择不是随机的;耐受值为0.315,表明亚洲象在普洱市境内生态位较窄,受环境条件的制约。根据模型计算得到的栖息地适宜度指数,将普洱市的亚洲象栖息地分为最适栖息地,较适栖息地,边际栖息地和非栖息地4个等级,面积分别为409.32、574.32、2909.48、38722.32 km2。最适栖息地仅占全市面积的0.96%,而非栖息地占90.86%。利用GIS和Biomapper 4.0生成亚洲象栖息地分布图,发现普洱境内最适栖息地和较适栖息地面积狭小。对最适栖息地、较适栖息地和边际栖息地进行景观格局分析的结果表明,3种类型的栖息地破碎化均十分严重,连通度较低,栖息地内受到较大程度的人类活动的干扰。因此建议在普洱和西双版纳间尽快建立野生动物生态廊道,以加强亚洲象各种群间的交流。