Monitoring On Species Diversity Of Birds And Mammals In Northern Dupangling,Hunan Province Based On Camera-trapping

Hunan Dupangling National Nature Reserve(referred to as "Dupangling Reserve")is located in Yongzhou City,Hunan Province.It is located in the middle of Nanling mountains and the intersection of Hunan and Guangxi provinces.It has the most typical and representative forest ecosystem in the transition zone from the middle subtropical zone to the south subtropical zone.In the past,the scientific investigation of wildlife resources in Dupangling Reserve was carried out by traditional methods.Some species with high concealment,alertness or nocturnal activity are difficult to be found.Therefore,it is very necessary to use infrared-triggered camera-trapping as a supplementary means of investigation,so as to improve the biological catalogue of this area further and lay the foundation for ecological research.From January 2017 to April 2020,according to the kilometer grid method(1 km × 1 km),two sample areas(A and B)were set up in the north of Dupangling Reserve,and one sample area(C)was set up in the nearby Tanliyuan branch of Yueyan state owned forest farm.According to the density of 1/km2,20 camera-trappings were set in each sample area,and a total of 60 camera-trappings were set up for continuous monitoring.The collected datas were identified and summarized,and analyzed by relative abundance index,diversity index,kernel density estimation and occupancy model.The main research results are as follows:(1)Camera-trapping monitoring results:By April 2020,the total effective working days of camera-trapping monitoring were 46911 days and 5562 independent effective photos were taken,including 2502(44.98%)of mammals and 1904(34.23%)of birds.There are 63 species of birds in 21 families,8 orders and 14 species of mammals in 9 families,4 orders.Among them,there are two species of birds classified as Class-I National Key Protected Species,nine species of birds and five species of mammals classified as Class-? National Key Protected Species.Common Emerald Dove(Chalcophaps indica),a new record of birds in Hunan Province,was investigated.(2)Relative abundance index:The top five bird species in the relative abundance index are Silver Pheasant,Chinese Bamboo Partridge,Golden Pheasant,Elliot's Pheasant,Scaly Thrush;and the top five mammals in the relative abundance indexare Red-hipped Squirrel,Tufted Deer,Maritime Striped Squirrel,Chinese ferret-badger and Wild Boar.(3)Species richness:After 270 days of survey,the cumulative species number of mammals can reach the total number of species actually monitored;while the cumulative species number of birds will continue to increase with the increase of survey days.(4)Diversity index and similarity coefficient in sample areas:The number of species,Shannon winner index and Pielou evenness index in the reserve(A and B)are greater than those outside the reserve(C).The similarity coefficients of birds and mammals within and outside the reserve are high.(5)Seasonal difference of daily activity rhythm:There are significant differences in four pheasants between winter and one or more other seasons;there are significant differences in Silver Pheasant between spring and autumn,and so is Chinese Bamboo Partridge.There is no significant difference in the daily activity rhythms of Tufted Deer between spring and autumn,and the daily activity rhythms of Wild Boar have no significant difference in four seasons.(6)Comparison of activity overlapping degree in different seasons:In spring,the overlap coefficients of four pheasants are generally high.In spring,summer and autumn,the daily activity rhythms of Silver Pheasant and Chinese Bamboo Partridge are significantly different,and the overlap coefficients are relatively low.In the four seasons,the overlap coefficients of Silver Pheasant and Golden Pheasant are generally high,and the differences of daily activity rhythms are not significant.In spring and summer,the overlap coefficients between Silver Pheasant and Elliot's Pheasant are relatively high,and the differences of daily activity rhythms are not significant,but this phenomenon is opposite in autumn and winter.In the four seasons,the overlap coefficients of Tufted Deer and Wild Boar are generally low,and the differences of daily activity rhythms are significant.(7)Habitats selection and utilization:In the rainy and hot period(from April to August)of Dupangling Reserve,the seven selected covariates have no significant effect on the occurpancy probability of Tufted Deer and Wild Boar.For the two pheasants,Silver Pheasant shows a tendency to stay away from the evergreen broad-leaved forest,and the closer it is to the village,the greater the occurpancy probability is;In the study area(404-1370 m above sea level),the occurpancy probability of Golden Pheasant increases significantly with the increase of altitude.The conclusions are as follows:(1)Most of the under-forest birds in Dupangling Reserve are pheasants and passerines,with a predominance of retained birds from the Oriental region;mammals are mainly Oriental small and medium mammals.(2)Some achievements have been made in the management of Dupangling Reserve,and the Tanliyuan area outside the reserve is an equally important wildlife habitat.(3)The daily activity rhythms of four pheasants were affected by seasonal changes,especially by winter.The daily activity rhythms of Tufted Deer are greatly affected by seasonal changes,while that of Wild Boar is on the contrary.(4)In terms of temporal niche,the four pheasants produce differentiation in different degrees and in different seasons,and the differentiation of Tufted Deer and Wild Boar's are obvious in four seasons.(5)In terms of habitats selection,the covariates affecting Silver Pheasant and Golden Pheasant are not consistent;while both the Tufted Deer and Wild Boar have strong environmental adaptability and different adaptabilities to human disturbances.According to the research results,the following protection and management suggestions are put forward:(1)Patrol regular in spring to protect pheasant breeding.(2)Reduce human disturbances in forest farms around the reserve and expand wildlife habitats.(3)Reduce grazing in winter and activities of irrelevant personnel entering the mountain.(4)Protect the existing habitat of Silver Pheasant and promote the harmonious coexistence of human and animals.(5)Carry out publicity activities on biodiversity and raise the awareness of the masses to protect wildlife.