Study On The Influence Of Edible Plants Distribution On Habitat Selection Of Wild Boar (Sus Scrofa)

Food resources are one of the main factors affecting habitat selection and habitat suitability of wild animals.In particular,quantifying food spatial distribution can provide a basis for accurate assessment of habitat selection and habitat suitability.In order to study the effects of feeding plant distribution on habitat selection of wild boar,from November 2020 to May 2021,in this study,the feeding plants and fresh fecal samples of wild boar were collected in Xiaobeihu National Nature Reserve,Heilongjiang Province.The nutritional strategies of wild boar in early winter and late winter were compared and analyzed.Using infrared camera images and vegetation plot survey data,the driving effect of feeding plant distribution on habitat selection characteristics and habitat suitability of wild boar was analyzed by generalized additive model.During the field investigation,a total of 85 samples of wild boar feces were collected,including 44 samples in early winter and 41 samples in late winter.A total of 266 plant samples were collected,including 227 in early winter and 39 in late winter.The main research results are as follows:1.Through diet analysis,it was preliminarily determined that the feeding plant species of wild boar in the study area included 40 genera.The species were Pinus spp.,Tilia spp.,Acer spp.,Quercus spp.,fern and Carex spp.,which accounted for more than 80% of the wild boar diet in early winter.The species were Pinus spp.,Tilia spp.,Acer spp.,Carex spp.and fern,which accounted for more than 80% of the wild boar diet in late winter.2.By measuring the macronutrient: protein,crude fat,digestible fiber,non-structural carbohydrate and gross energy;micronutrients: sodium(Na),phosphorus(P),calcium(Ca)of the main plants,it was found that the intake of crude protein,non-structural carbohydrates,sodium,phosphorus and was higher in early winter than in late winter,and digestible fiber were consumed less.3.Mantel test was used to establish the correlation between the relative abundance index of wild boar and the distribution of main food source plants.The results show that: at the species composition level,the herbaceous layer combination of Carex spp.,moss,Artemisia spp.,fern,Deyeuxia spp.and Vicia spp.,and the shrub layer combination of Pinus spp.,Rosa spp.,Acer spp.,Corylus spp.and Tilia spp.were significantly correlated with the relative abundance index of wild boar in early winter(P<0.05);the shrub layer combination of Pinus spp.,Rosa spp.,Acer spp.,Corylus spp.and Tilia spp.were significantly correlated with the relative abundance index of wild boar in late winter(P<0.05).At the single species level,bryophytes,Carex spp.,Artemisia spp.,fern,Quercus spp.,Tilia spp.,and Lespedeza spp.were significantly correlated with the relative abundance index of wild boar in early winter(P<0.05),while the relative abundance index of Pinus spp.,Rosa spp.,Acer spp.and Corylus spp.was significantly correlated with that of wild boar in late winter(P<0.05).4.The results of wild boar habitat selection were as follows: At the home range scale,when the plant combination was added and without considering the influence of wild boar feeding plant species on its habitat in winter,wild boar prefer to be near roads and have a choice of forest types.When considering the nutrition of food in winter,wild boar showed different selection of lake and bare land area proportion.When the plant combination was added,considering the nutrition of food and without considering the influence of wild boar feeding plant species on its habitat in spring,wild boar prefer to live in thickets.In the case of single feeding plants in spring,wild boar prefer to live in areas with small grassy areas.At the microhabitat scale,when the plant combination was added,considering the nutrition of food and without considering the influence of wild boar feeding plant species on its habitat in winter,wild boar avoid deciduous coniferous mixed forest;when in the case of single feeding plants and without considering the influence of wild boar feeding plant species on its habitat in spring,wild boar prefer places some distance from rivers;when considering the nutrition of food in spring,wild boar avoid places with large areas of broadleaved deciduous forest.5.The habitat suitability of wild boars varied at different scales in winter and spring,including plant combination,single feeding plant,without considering the impact of feeding plant species on the habitat,and feeding food nutrition.