Research On Relation Of Potential Distribution Of Amur Leopard And Mesopredator

We studied predator and mesopredator interactions in these areas which Amur tigers(Panthera tigris altaica)and Amur leopards(Panthera pardus orientalis)live in.During this research,we used camera traping to meet our goals in four sites.We retrieved camera-trapping data with 5669 nights in 22 trap points in Wangqing Nature Reserve.We retrieved 2516 trap nights in 18 trap points in Helong,1707 trap nights in Huangnihe Nature Reserve and Dongjingcheng and 2516 trap nights in 21 trap points in Fenghuangshan Nature Reserve.During this research,ArcGIS,R and Amos soft are used in data processing and analyzing.GAM(Generalized Addictive Model)was applied as a powerful model for predicting possibilities of presence of each animal in every single camera-trapping point using environment factors.It was realized in R software.The results of those possibilities were as the key variables for the next step analysis.We used these possibilities to analyses the interactions among animals in four sites.The interactions among different species were realized in Amos using SEM(Structure Equation Model).All results are showed below.1.The presence distribution of Amur leopard was significantly related with NDVI(Normalized Difference Vegetation Index).Black bear's presence distribution was significantly related with altitude,human disturbance,distance to river,ratio of open needleleaved deciduous or evergreen forest in the buffer area of every trap point.Red deer's presence distribution was significantly related with Longitude,Latitude.The presence of sika deer was related significantly with Longitude,Latitude,distance to river and NDVI.Roe deer's presence distribution was significantly related with human disturbance.The presence of European badger was significantly related with altitude and human disturbance.Red fox' presence distribution was significantly related with Longitude,Latitude,the ratio of closed broadleaved deciduous forest and open needleleaved deciduous or evergreen forest in the buffer area of every trap point.Red squirrel's presence distribution was significantly related with Longitude,Latitude and NDVI.The presence distribution of Siberian Chipmunk was significantly related with Longitude,Latitude.Manchuian hare was significantly related with Longitude,Latitude and NDVI.2.The potential interactions and effects among different species were performed by Structure Equation Model(SEM)in Amos software.The potential presence distribution of mesopredators was significantly related with apex predators,the potential presence distribution of small mammals was significantly related with apex predators.The Direct Effect of top predator to prey is null and the Direct Effect of top predators to mesopredators was negative.Direct effect of top predator to small mammals is positive.3.The results of SEM were consistent with our hypothesises that mesopredators are suppressed by apex predators.Therefore small mammals will benefit from apex predators.It suggests that the importance of apex predators of maintaining integrality and function of certain ecosystem is obvious.And apex predators can indicate whether the regular functions and biological diversity of ecosystem are healthy.