Fuzzy Evaluation Of Waterfowl Habitat Suitability And Spatial Optimization Simulation In The Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve

Using the research tools of geographic information systems(GIS),MaxEnt model,fuzzy evaluatioin method and the LUPO model to acquire data for the 2013-2014 field research of the waterfowl.This data was used to evaluate areas of the Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve(YRDNR)for habitat suitability and the research of wetland landscape pattern of the indicator species of Red-crowned crane(Grus japonensis),Oriental white stork(Ciconia boyciana)and Whooper swan(Cygnus cygnus).Results of MaxEnt analysis showed that the distance to the saline seepweed tidal flats and the distance to the Chinese tamarisk-saline seepweed tidal flats were the main factors influencing the habitat selection of red-crowned crane,with a contribution of 63.5%and 23.3%,respectively.The distance to the reed swamp and distance to the yellow river had the greatest effect on the habitat selection of Oriental White Stork,with a contribution of 68.8%and 18.0%,respectively.Distances to water sources,distances to salt pan-shrimp ponds and distances to reed swamps had the greatest effects on the habitat selection of the Whooper Swan,with a contribution of 48.4%,21.1%and 15.6%,respectively.Results of the fuzzy evaluatioin showed that waterfowl suitable habitat areas and subordinate suitable habitat areas were 20291ha and 6103 ha,which occupied 17.8%and 5.3%of the reserve land area,being mainly distributed in Dawenliu and Huanghekou station.Gap analysis showed that the wetland restoration region of the Dawenliu station and southeast of the Huanghekou station are the two main gap areas for waterfowl protection in YRDNR.Results of space optimization simulation showed that maximize ecological benefits scenario achieve the goal of making indicator species suitable habitat area increased by more than 15%.Ecological benefits and economic benefits optimization scenario achieve the goals of making indicator species suitable habitat area increased by more than 10%as economic losses less than 100 million RMB.Furthermore,each scenario showed a typical trend with the decrease of farmland woodland and other non-wetland area,and the increase of large water body,seepweed tide flat,reed marsh and other wetland area.Results of the space optimization simulation showed a scenario to achieve the goal to maximize the ecological benefits of increasing the indicators species habitat by more than 15%.The ecological and economical benefit optimization scenario to achieve the goals of making the habitat area increase of more than 10%with economical losses of less than 100 million RMB.Furthermore each scenario showed a typical trend with the decrease in Farmland,woodland and other non-wetland areas with the increases of larger bodies of water,seepweed tidal flats,reed marshes and other wetland areas.For effective protection of waterfowl habitat in YRDNR,we suggest that wetland monitoring,assessment,planning should be strengthened and human disturbance should be under surveillance.