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Reintroduction programs seek to restore degraded populations and reverse biodiversity loss. To examine the hypothesis that gut symbionts could be used as an indicator of reintroduction success, we performed intensive metagenomic monitoring over 10 years to characterize the ecological succession and adaptive evolution of the gut symbionts of captive giant pandas reintroduced to the wild. We collected 63 fecal samples from 3 reintroduced individuals and 22 from 9 wild individuals and used 96 publicly available samples from another 3 captive individuals. By microbial composition analysis, we identified 3 community clusters of the gut microbiome (here termed enterotypes) with interenterotype succession that was closely related to the reintroduction process. Each of the 3 enterotypes was identified based on significant variation in the levels of 1 of 3 genera: Clostridium, Pseudomonas, and Escherichia. The enterotype of captive pandas was Escherichia. This enterotype was gradually replaced by the Clostridium enterotype during the wild‐training process, which in turn was replaced by the Pseudomonas enterotype that resembled the enterotype of wild pandas, an indicator of conversion to wildness and a successful reintroduction. We also isolated 1 strain of Pseudomonas protegens from the wild enterotype, a previously reported free‐living microbe, and found that its within‐host evolution contributed to host dietary adaptation in the wild. Monitoring gut microbial structure provides a novel, noninvasive tool that can be used as an indicator of successful reintroduction of a captive individual to the wild. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining ecological processes across spatial scales is crucial as animals select and use resources at different scales. We carried out field surveys in September 2005, March-September 2006, and April 2007, and used ecological niche factor analysis to determine habitat preferences for the giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca) across 4 spatial scales: daily movement, core range, home range, and seasonal elevational migration. We found that giant pandas prefer conifer forest and mixed forest at higher than average elevation (2,157 m) of study area in the 4 scale models. However, we also observed significant scale differences in habitat selection. The strength of habitat preference increased with scale for the 2 disturbed forests (sparse forest and fragmented forest), and decreased with scale for 0-30° gentle slope and south- and north-facing aspect. Furthermore, habitat suitability patterns were scale-dependent. These findings highlight the need to determine species-environment associations across multiple scales for habitat management and species conservation. © 2012 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding habitat requirements and identifying landscape linkages are essential for the survival of isolated populations of endangered species. Currently, some of the giant panda populations are isolated, which threatens their long-term survival, particularly in the Xiaoxiangling mountains. In the present study, we quantified niche requirements and then identified potential linkages of giant panda subpopulations in the most isolated region, using ecological niche factor analysis and a least-cost path model. Giant pandas preferred habitat with conifer forest and gentle slopes (>20 to ≤30°). Based on spatial distribution of suitable habitat, linkages were identified for the Yele subpopulation to 4 other subpopulations (Liziping, Matou, Xinmin and Wanba). Their lengths ranged from 15 to 54 km. The accumulated cost ranged from 693 to 3166 and conifer forest covered over 31%. However, a variety of features (e.g. major roads, human settlements and large unforested areas) might act as barriers along the linkages for giant panda dispersal. Our analysis quantified giant panda subpopulation connectivity to ensure long-term survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A feature of many endangered species management plans, is the provision or protection of habitat. However, defining exactly what constitutes habitat can be difficult. This is made more complicated when habitat preferences differ within a species such as between males and females. Using a combination of field surveys and sex identification through fecal DNA, we investigated gender differences in habitat use in wild giant pandas through ecological niche factor analysis modelling. Our results indicated that both males and females tended to prefer areas at high altitudes and with high forest cover. However, significant sexual differences in habitat selection were also observed. Furthermore, habitat preferences of females are more restrictive than those of males, and females have a stronger association with high altitude conifer forest, mixed forest, historically clear-felled forest and >10 to ≤20° slopes. The more restricted habitat preferences of females could be explained by their need for dens for birthing and dense bamboo cover for concealing the young. Therefore, effective conservation and management strategies should consider these differences in habitat selection of females and males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China announced the development of its first 5 national parks in 2021, the primary objective of which is to conserve the natural state and integrity of natural ecosystems. As such, ecosystem services and biodiversity levels are crucial assessment factors for the parks. For Giant Panda National Park (GPNP), we evaluated ecological sensitivity based on water and soil erosion and rocky desertification; ecosystem services based on headwater conservation, soil and water conservation, and biodiversity conservation; and presence of giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and sympatric species (e.g., takin [Budorcas taxicolor], Asiatic black bear [Ursus thibetanus]) habitat suitability derived from niche modeling to identify the ecosystem status and assess ecological problems within the park. From our results, we proposed ecologically critical areas to target to meet the park's goals. The suitable habitat for pandas and sympatric species encompassed 62.98% of the park and occurred mainly in the Minshan Mountains. One quarter of the total area (25.67%) contained areas important for ecosystem services. Ecologically sensitive and extremely sensitive areas covered 88.78% of the park and were distributed mainly in Qionglaishan and Minshan Mountains. This coverage indicated that there was much habitat for pandas and sympatric species but that the ecosystems in GPNP are vulnerable. Therefore, ecologically critical areas encompassed all suitable habitats for all the species examined and areas important and extremely important to ecosystem service provision,ecologically sensitive and extremely sensitive areas, encompassed 15.17% of panda habitat, accounted for 16.37% of the GPNP area, and were distributed mainly in the Minshan Mountains. Our results indicated where conservation efforts should be focused in the park and that by identifying ecologically critical areas managers can provide targeted protection for wildlife habitat and ecosystems and effectively and efficiently protect the composite ecosystem. Additionally, our methods can be used to inform development of new national parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and the Chinese red panda (Ailurus styani) are distributed in the same region in the mountain forest ecosystem on the eastern edge of the Qinghai Tibet Plateau and share the same food sources. In order to understand how sympatric giant pandas and Chinese red pandas maintain interspecific relationships to achieve stable coexistence, we used species distribution models and diurnal activity rhythms to analyze the spatial and temporal niche characteristics of giant pandas and Chinese red pandas in the Daxiangling Mountain system based on 187 camera traps data. The results show that: (1) In the Daxiangling Mountains, the total area of suitable habitats for giant pandas and Chinese red pandas is 717.61 km2 and 730.00 km2, respectively, accounting for 17.78% and 18.25%, respectively, of the study area. (2) The top five environmental factors contributing to the model of giant panda and Chinese red panda are precipitation seasonality, temperature seasonality, distance to the road, and elevation and vegetation type. (3) The total overlapping area of suitable habitats for giant pandas and Chinese red pandas is 342.23 km2, of which the overlapping area of highly suitable habitats is 98.91 km2. The overlapping index of suitable habitats is 0.472, and the overlapping index of highly suitable habitats is 0.348, which indicates that the two achieve spatial niches are separated to achieve stable coexistence. (4) The overlapping index of the daily activity rhythm of giant panda and Chinese red panda is 0.87, which is significantly different (p <.05). The existence of Chinese red panda will significantly affect the daily activity rhythm of giant panda (p <.001). This research can provide scientific reference for the researches about population and habitat protection of giant pandas and Chinese red pandas, so as to understand the driving mechanism of resource allocation and population dynamics of sympatric species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly endangered giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is the world's most widely recognised conservation icon. Population dynamics models can get on track to a healthy population for giant pandas, and assess its development over time. This paper proposes a new way to study population dynamics of giant pandas in captivity by means of membrane computing, a bio-inspired computational paradigm based on processing multisets of objects within a cell structure, following a series of evolution rules. This framework is used to model the intrinsically stochastic real-life evolution processes of giant pandas, based on pedigree data. This is the first attempt to collect and analyse so complete source, and to investigate population dynamics of giant pandas based on them. Pedigree data consisting of the number of giant panda individuals per age are provided by Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding of China. A special simulator has been developed to assist in the design and formal verification of the mathematical model presented. Particularly, the model feasibility, effectiveness, soundness and robustness have been validated by the simulator, which also enables decision-making based on the simulation results of conducted virtual experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though the giant panda's extinction status is downgraded from endangered to vulnerable, but the animals still face an uphill battle for survival. Moreover, the number of giant pandas is also rare. With the increase of captive individuals, wild release has become an inevitable task that human face. It is important to evaluate at least how much giant pandas are remained for being released to the wild. Several methods have been presented in the literature to assess minimum viable population (MVP) of giant pandas. However, each of these methods is designed only based on population sizes. In this paper, a membrane computing model based on behavioral biology is proposed to evaluate the MVP of the species. An application of the proposed data processing to binary tree whose nodes are composed of population sizes is also proposed. An binary tree is generated by integrating the following three techniques: (a) a random technique to generate the vast majority of populations; (b) a modified binary search method to obtain an order population size sequence; (c) a modified inorder traversal to generate an order binary tree and a parent tree. This is the first attempt to apply membrane computing model to assess the MVP of giant pandas. The effectiveness of the presented general PDP system is verified by means of the numbers or amounts of subpopulations. Besides, we also provide the population distribution of the obtained MVP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleucd) was taken to the brink of extinction in the 1980s through a combination of deforestation, large-scale loss of bamboo in the core of its range, poaching, and zoo collection, causing over 1000 deaths from the 1950s. It was thought that the drastic population decline was likely to impose a severe impact on population viability. Here, based on temporal genotyping of individuals, we show that this rapid decline did not significantly reduce the overall effective population size and genetic variation of this species, or of the two focal populations (Minshan and Qionglai) that declined the most. These results are contrary to previously assumptions, probably because the population decline has not produced the expected negative impact due to the short time scale involved (at most 10 generations), or because previous surveys underestimated the population size at the time of decline. However, if present-day habitat fragmentation and limited migration of giant pandas remains, we predict a loss of genetic diversity across the giant pandas' range in the near future. Thus, our findings highlight the substantial resilience of this species when facing demographic and environmental stochasticity, but key conservation strategies, such as enhancing habitat connectivity and habitat restoration should be immediately implemented to retain the extant genetic variation and maintain long-term evolutionary potential of this endangered species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of umbrella species to promote biodiversity conservation is practiced worldwide. The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) an iconic species for world wildlife conservation, that inhabits regions with significant biodiversity. Given that the functions at wildlife of different trophic levels and in different body size groups are different within the ecosystem, it is unknown whether those groups of wildlife co-occurring with giant pandas are each likewise protected. To examine the umbrella effect of giant pandas on sympatric species, we used an extensive dataset of wildlife from more than 78% of giant panda habitats. We analysed the changes in distribution for four wildlife categories (large carnivores, large herbivores, medium carnivores and medium herbivores) using a generalized linear mixed model, and the underlying driving factors using binomial logistic regression models. Changes in forests in giant panda habitats were evaluated using Fragstats. The results have shown that the counts of herbivores and medium carnivores increased significantly during the decade. However, those of large carnivores significantly declined. Forest cover and nature reserves showed significant and positive effects on wildlife in 2001 and 2011, while the human population had significant and negative impacts on the herbivores and carnivores. Our results have also suggested that there has been a slight alleviation in forest fragmentation in areas unaffected by earthquakes. We concluded that the umbrella strategy of using the giant panda as an umbrella species achieved partial success by promoting the recovery of herbivores and medium carnivores. Meanwhile, this has indicated that the strategy was not sufficient for large carnivores, and therefore not enough for local ecosystems, given the critical role of large carnivores. We have suggested integrating habitat patches, controlling human disturbance, and preparing for potential human-wildlife conflict management in the Giant Panda National Park to restore large carnivore populations and maintain ecosystem functioning. • The umbrella strategy centering on giant pandas boosted herbivore and medium carnivore recovery, but large carnivore distribution declined. • Current forest recovery and reserve efforts, beneficial for general wildlife, are insufficient for large carnivore conservation. • Proactive and targeted conservation measures are needed for large carnivores in giant panda habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computing models are a good and effective way to study population dynamics of endangered species like giant pandas. Until now, a variety of computing models were proposed for giant pandas, but no survey on computing models for population dynamics of giant panda ecosystems has yet appeared in the specialised literature. It is necessary to provide an overview of the state-of-the-art of this topic so as to allow newcomers to the area to obtain a clear understanding of developments, key research problems, properties of computing models in this field, including those that are currently under way. This paper proposes a unified framework to clearly summarise the computing models used for studying the population dynamics of threatened species with respect to theoretical and application aspects and presents a comprehensive and systematic survey of the state-of-the-art computing models. This paper also introduces basic concepts of computing models, surveys their theoretical developments and applications, sketches the differences between various computing model variants, and compares the advantages and limitations of the models. Comparing with single-factor computing models and double-factor computing models, multi-factor computing models, especially multi-environment population dynamics P systems, are more suitable for investigating giant panda ecosystems, because the use of bottom-up way to consider evolutionary behaviours influencing giant pandas' population. • Computing models for population dynamics of giant pandas. • Unified framework of computing models for giant pandas. • Comprehensive and systematic survey of the state-of-the-art computing models. • Differences, advantages and limitations of computing models. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of energy expenditure informs conservation managers for long term plans for endangered species health and habitat suitability. We measured field metabolic rate (FMR) of free-roaming giant pandas in large enclosures in a nature reserve using the doubly labeled water method. Giant pandas in zoo like enclosures had a similar FMR (14,182 kJ/day) to giant pandas in larger field enclosures (13,280 kJ/day). In winter, giant pandas raised their metabolic rates when living at − 2.4 °C (36,108 kJ/day) indicating that they were below their thermal neutral zone. The lower critical temperature for thermoregulation was about 8.0 °C and the upper critical temperature was about 28 °C. Giant panda FMRs were somewhat lower than active metabolic rates of sloth bears, lower than FMRs of grizzly bears and polar bears and 69 and 81% of predicted values based on a regression of FMR versus body mass of mammals. That is probably due to their lower levels of activity since other bears actively forage for food over a larger home range and pandas often sit in a patch of bamboo and eat bamboo for hours at a time. The low metabolic rates of giant pandas in summer, their inability to acquire fat stores to hibernate in winter, and their ability to raise their metabolic rate to thermoregulate in winter are energetic adaptations related to eating a diet composed almost exclusively of bamboo. Differences in FMR of giant pandas between our study and previous studies (one similar and one lower) appear to be due to differences in activity of the giant pandas in those studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is transforming its management of protected areas by establishing a national park system. To balance the needs of conservation and development, the national parks will adopt a zoning designation to delimit land in the parks for different purposes. These include a core zone that covers critical areas for conservation and allows few human uses, and a control zone that permits a wider range of development activities. However, the efficacy and management challenges of this zoning scheme are largely unknown. Using the Giant Panda National Park (GPNP) in Sichuan Province as an example, we evaluated the efficacy of the park's zoning designations by assessing the spatial distribution of critical habitat areas for panda conservation and human disturbance across different zones. Our results show that the core zone of the GPNP performs well in covering the majority of panda habitat (80%), highly suitable habitat (81%), and habitat patches that can support a viable panda population (80%). There is still space for improvement, however, because a significant portion (39%) of the potential corridors that require strict protections fall outside the core zone. Human disturbances are prevalent in the core zone of the park, representing a major challenge to achieving the management goal of eliminating human disturbances in the core zone. Our analyses and methods provide crucial information and tools to inform the design and management of the zoning designations of the GPNP and other PAs in China and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Dwarf bamboo overabundance simplified vegetation structure and caused giant panda habitat degradation. • Soil organic carbon, N and P stocks decreased with increasing degradation intensity. • Dwarf bamboo overabundance initiated a decrease in soil organic carbon, N and P stocks by influencing the litter quality. Although forest degradation caused by dwarf bamboo overabundance has a significant effect on the survival of wild giant pandas, the degradation process and its impact on soil C, N and P stocks remain unclear. By investigating the vegetation structure and physicochemical analysis of litter and soil, we explored the changes in soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), total phosphorus (TP) and available phosphorus (AP) stocks and the driving forces at three degradation levels triggered by dwarf bamboo overabundance in an important giant panda habitat—the subalpine coniferous forest. Dwarf bamboo overabundance following forest logging prevented tree regeneration, resulting in simplified a vegetation structure; even after 23 years of natural recovery, the clear-cut forestlands remained in the shrub stage, and the tree density and basal area were only 1.6% and 38%, respectively, of those in primary subalpine coniferous forest. With increasing degradation intensity, the litter stock and litter quality showed a decreasing trend, as did the SOC, N and P stocks in the litter layer and topsoil. The vegetation structure and litter quality together explained more than 90% of the variance in the C, N and P stocks (SOC: 97.3%, TN soil : 93.5%, AN soil : 96.2%, TP soil : 97.2% and AP soil : 97.0%), and litter quality had greater explanatory power than the vegetation structure. The SEM analysis results showed that the increase in dwarf bamboo density caused by the reduction in tree basal area affected the litter C/N and C/P ratios, and ultimately reduced the SOC, N soil and P soil stocks. This study highlights that dwarf bamboo overabundance not only causes forest degradation but also reduces the carbon sequestration function of giant panda habitat, leading to the loss of soil N and P. We suggest that reducing bamboo abundance can promote the recovery of the soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stocks in degraded giant panda habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquakes not only result in a great loss of human life and property, but also have profound effects on the Earth's biodiversity. The Lushan earthquake occurred on 20 Apr 2013, with a magnitude of 7.0 and an intensity of 9.0 degrees. A distance of 17.0 km from its epicenter to the nearest distribution site of giant pandas recorded in the Third National Survey was determined. Making use of research on the Wenchuan earthquake (with a magnitude of 8.0), which occurred approximately 5 years ago, we briefly analyze the impacts of the Lushan earthquake on giant pandas and their habitat. An earthquake may interrupt ongoing behaviors of giant pandas and may also cause injury or death. In addition, an earthquake can damage conservation facilities for pandas, and result in further habitat fragmentation and degradation. However, from a historical point of view, the impacts of human activities on giant pandas and their habitat may, in fact, far outweigh those of natural disasters such as earthquakes. Measures taken to promote habitat restoration and conservation network reconstruction in earthquake-affected areas should be based on requirements of giant pandas, not those of humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parasitic infections are among the important causes of death of giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) that hamper their survival in the wild. There are about 35 species of parasites which have been identified in giant pandas, but no information is currently available regarding the infection of Babesia in giant pandas. Babesia spp. are common intraerythrocytic parasite in wildlife, transmitted by ixodid ticks, which cause babesiosis. Clinical signs of babesiosis include fever, hemolysis, anemia, jaundice and death. Methods: A species of Babesia was detected in the blood of a giant panda based on morphology and PCR amplification of the 18S rRNA gene. The phylogenetic relationship of Babesia sp. infecting giant panda was assessed by gene sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis. Results: Our analysis revealed that the Babesia isolate detected was most similar to an unidentified species of Babesia identified in black bears (Ursus thibetanus japonicus) from Japan (Babesia sp. Iwate, AB586027.1) with a 99.56% sequence similarity, followed by Babesia sp. EBB (AB566229.1, 99.50%) and Babesia sp. Akita (AB566229.1, 99.07%). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report of Babesia detected in the giant panda. The results indicate that this Babesia sp. may be a novel species, currently named Babesia sp. strain EBP01. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) were historically hunted using dogs and are currently threatened by free-roaming dogs and their associated diseases. To better understand the spatial magnitude of this threat, we used a GIS approach to investigate edge effects of dogs on giant panda habitat. We first examined two nature reserves with contrasting free-roaming dog populations: Liziping, with many dogs (~0.44/km2), and Daxiangling, with few dogs (~0.14/km2). Spatial analysis indicated that giant pandas at Liziping (but not Daxiangling) showed a shift in habitat use away from populated areas consistent with a risk response to the foray distance of free-roaming dogs (10.9 km path-distance). Most giant panda locations (86%) from the 2014 census in Liziping were clustered around remote "dog-free zones." Expanding this analysis across the entire giant panda range revealed that 40% of panda habitat is within the foray distance of dogs. Our assessment will inform dog control programs including monitoring, education, veterinary care, and other measures. We recommend that reserves designated for the release of translocated pandas receive priority consideration for dog control efforts. Only by understanding and managing complex interactions between humans, domestic animals, and wild animals can we sustain natural systems in a world increasingly dominated by humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential threat of domestic dogs to wildlife habitat in China is not widely recognized, despite their large population, lack of regulations regarding their control, and threat they pose to native species. In a case study in 2017, we surveyed villages surrounding Liziping Nature Reserve, the primary site for the release of captive‐born giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) into the wild. We conducted surveys of dog owners to assess the population size, demographics, free‐roaming status, and vaccination and sterilization history of their dogs. We collected blood and fecal samples to assess the prevalence of viral and parasite disease threats. At least 370 owned dogs lived near the core giant panda habitat; 64% were free‐roaming, 21% had positive antibody titers for ≥1 of the 4 viruses we tested (canine distemper, parvovirus, rotavirus, rabies), and 67% were positive for gastrointestinal parasites. The high proportion of free‐roaming dogs, uninhibited access to the reserve, and high prevalence of infectious diseases indicate that dogs pose a serious threat to wildlife within Liziping. The extent of this threat throughout the giant panda nature reserve network is unknown and should be assessed. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Wildlife Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Wildlife Society. Numerous free‐ranging domestic dogs were located close to Liziping National Nature Reserve, a primary location of giant panda reintroductions and conservation. Viral and parasitic disease threats to giant pandas and other wildlife were present in the population, indicating a need for immediate management action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The red-crowned crane is one of the rarest crane species, and its population is decreasing due to loss of habitat, poisoning, and infections. Using a viral metagenomics approach, we analyzed the virome of feces from wild and captive red-crowned cranes, which were pooled separately. Vertebrate viruses belonging to the families Picornaviridae, Parvoviridae, Circoviridae, and Caliciviridae were detected. Among the members of the family Picornaviridae, we found three that appear to represent new genera. Six nearly complete genomes from members of the family Parvoviridae were also obtained, including four new members of the proposed genus "Chapparvovirus", and two members of the genus Aveparvovirus. Six small circular DNA genomes were also characterized. One nearly complete genome showing a low level of sequence identity to caliciviruses was also characterized. Numerous viruses believed to infect insects, plants, and crustaceans were also identified, which were probably derived from the diet of red-crowned cranes. This study increases our understanding of the enteric virome of red-crowned cranes and provides a baseline for comparison to those of other birds or following disease outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) has a similar diet, primarily bamboo, and shares the same habitat as the giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca. There are considerable efforts underway to understand the ecology of the red panda and to increase its populations in natural reserves. Yet it is difficult to design an effective strategy for red panda reintroduction if we do not understand its basic biology. Here we report the resting metabolic rate of the red panda and find that it is higher than previously measured on animals from a zoo. The resting metabolic rate was 0.290 ml/g/h (range 0.204–0.342) in summer and 0.361 ml/g/h in winter (range 0.331–0.406), with a statistically significant difference due to season and test temperature. Temperatures in summer were probably within the thermal neutral zone for metabolism but winter temperatures were below the thermal neutral zone. There was no difference in metabolic rate between male and female red pandas and no difference due to mass. Our values for metabolic rate were much higher than those measured by McNab for 2 red pandas from a zoo. The larger sample size (17), more natural conditions at the Panda Base and improved accuracy of the metabolic instruments provided more accurate metabolism measurements. Contrary to our expectations based on their low quality bamboo diet, the metabolic rates of red pandas were similar to mammals of the same size. Based on their metabolic rates red pandas would not be limited by their food supply in natural reserves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) conservation is a possible success story in the making. If extinction of this iconic endangered species can be avoided, the species will become a showcase program for the Chinese government and its collaborators. We reviewed the major advancements in ecological science for the giant panda, examining how these advancements have contributed to panda conservation. Pandas' morphological and behavioral adaptations to a diet of bamboo, which bear strong influence on movement ecology, have been well studied, providing knowledge to guide management actions ranging from reserve design to climate change mitigation. Foraging ecology has also provided essential information used in the creation of landscape models of panda habitat. Because habitat loss and fragmentation are major drivers of the panda population decline, efforts have been made to help identify core habitat areas, establish where habitat corridors are needed, and prioritize areas for protection and restoration. Thus, habitat models have provided guidance for the Chinese governments' creation of 67 protected areas. Behavioral research has revealed a complex and efficient communication system and documented the need for protection of habitat that serves as a communication platform for bringing the sexes together for mating. Further research shows that den sites in old-growth forests may be a limiting resource, indicating potential value in providing alternative den sites for rearing offspring. Advancements in molecular ecology have been revolutionary and have been applied to population census, determining population structure and genetic diversity, evaluating connectivity following habitat fragmentation, and understanding dispersal patterns. These advancements form a foundation for increasing the application of adaptive management approaches to move panda conservation forward more rapidly. Although the Chinese government has made great progress in setting aside protected areas, future emphasis will be improved management of pandas and their habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food resources are patchily distributed in the environment and carnivores and herbivores have adopted different foraging strategies to maximize feeding efficiency. One interesting strategy is that of the giant panda, a member of the Carnivora that has evolved into a bamboo specialist. Giant pandas forage discriminately, but it remains unknown how nutritional hierarchical levels and landscape configuration heterogeneity affect foraging patch selection. Here, we used global positioning system collars to track wild giant pandas at high resolution (<10 m) and sampled foraging patches for nutritional hierarchical level analysis. We predicted that giant pandas select foraging patches with microhabitat characteristics that decrease energy expenditure during foraging according to optimal search theory. We introduce the concept of nutrient load as the product of local patch nutrient concentration and predicted that relatively efficient nutrients in fluctuating nutritional environments may determine foraging patch selection in giant pandas. This is the first time that microhabitat characteristics, key nutrients and foraging behavior have been studied in combination in giant pandas. We used random forest (RF) and generalized linear mixed-effects models (GLMMs) to infer habitat and nutritional factors that may influence foraging patch selection and utilization. Our results reveal that giant pandas select foraging patches with a topography that likely decreases energy expenditure. Giant pandas also favor protein-rich foraging patches, probably because protein can be digested and assimilated faster than cellulose and this maximizes net energy gains. These data provide a new perspective on foraging patch selection strategies in heterogeneous habitats of diet-specialized species under constant nutritional challenge. Improved conservation planning can be undertaken according to our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Understanding how population density relates to habitat underlies basic ecological theory and is pertinent to conservation issues. Chiru ( Pantholops hodgsonii) are an endangered steppe-dwelling ungulate endemic to the Tibetan plateau. To prepare effective conservation and management strategies for this species, we require detailed knowledge of the relationship between group size and habitat conditions. We surveyed the Chang Tang region of Tibet and used data collected along vehicular line transects to record the presence and group size of chiru. Using ecological niche factor analysis, we inferred the ecological requirements of chiru in relation to a large number of topographic, vegetation, and anthropogenic variables. We used these analyses to estimate habitat suitability models and describe their optimum range. Areas favored by chiru had moderate grazing by domestic animals, gentle slopes, and villages present only at lower altitudes. Chiru showed a high level of specialization regarding the presence of villages and gentle slopes, and were negatively associated with areas of those easily accessed by people. We suggest new management measures for the long-term conservation of chiru. Specifically, we focus on the rehabilitation of natural plains for grazing by chiru, recognizing that conservation of large groups may require special efforts. For smaller groups and solitary chiru, the large tracts of unsuitable or marginal areas may expose them to different threats that could pose greater challenges for conservation management. © 2015 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Range expansions may create a unique spatial genetic pattern characterized by alternate genetically homogeneous domains and allele frequency clines. Previous attempts to model range expansions have mainly focused on the loss of genetic diversity during expansions. Using individual-based models, we examined spatial genetic patterns under two expansion scenarios, boundary-limited range expansions (BLRE) and phenotype-limited range expansions (PhLRE). Our simulation revealed that the genetic diversity within populations lost quickly during the range expansion, while the genetic difference accumulated between populations. Consequently, accompanying the expansions, the overall diversity featured a slow decrease. Specifically, during BLREs, high speed of boundary motion facilitated the maintenance of total genetic diversity and sharpened genetic clines. Very slight constraints on boundary motion of BLREs drastically narrowed the homogeneous domains and increased the allele frequency fluctuations from those levels exhibited by PhLREs. Even stronger constraints, however, surprisingly brought the width of homogeneous domains and the allele frequency fluctuations back to the normal levels of PhLREs. Furthermore, high migration rates maintained a higher total genetic diversity than low ones did during PhLREs. Whereas, the total genetic diversities during BLREs showed a contrary pattern: higher when migration was low than those when migration was high. Besides, the increase of migration rates helped maintain a greater number of homogeneous domains during PhLREs, but their effects on the number of homogeneous domains during BLREs were not monotonous. Previous studies have showed that the homogenous domains can merge to form a few broad domains as the expansion went on, leading to fewer homogeneous domains. Our simulations, meanwhile, revealed that the range expansions could also rebuild homogeneous domains from the clines during the range expansion. It is possible that that the number of homogeneous domains was determined by the interaction of merging and newly emerging homogeneous domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Diverse protists inhabit in the giant panda gut ecosystem. • Fungal communities are more sensitive to sampling site than other microorganisms. • The neutral model could predict the distribution of most of microbial ASVs. • Diet is the main driving factor of ARGs variation in the giant panda gut microbiome. • Two multitrophic communities are identified, which all contribute to ARGs variation. The mammal gut is a rich reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and the relationship between bacterial communities and ARGs has been widely studied. Despite ecological significance of microeukaryotes (fungi and protists), our understanding of their roles in the mammal gut microbiome and antibiotic resistome is still limited. Here, we used amplicon sequencing, metagenomic sequencing and high-throughput quantitative PCR to examine microbiomes and antibiotic resistomes of 41 giant panda fecal samples from individuals with different genders, ages, sampling sites and diet. Our results show that diverse protists inhabit in the giant panda gut ecosystem, dominated by consumers. Higher abundance of protistan consumers was detected in the elder compared to sub-adult and adult giant pandas. Diet is the main driving factor of variation in ARGs in the giant panda gut microbiome. Weighted correlation network analysis identified two key microbial modules from multitrophic communities, which all contributed to the variation in ARGs in the giant panda gut. Protists occupied an important position in the two modules which were dominated by fungal taxa. Deterministic processes made a more important contribution to microbial community assembly of the two modules than to bacterial, fungal and protistan communities. This study sheds new light on how key microbial modules contribute to the variation in ARGs, which is crucial in understanding dynamics of antibiotic resistome in the mammal gut, particularly endangered species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have focused on the mountain ranges scale effects of roads on wildlife. This lack of data could lead to an underestimation of the negative impact of roads on animal populations. We analyzed a dataset that included 74.4% of the giant panda population and covered 78.7% of the global giant panda habitat to estimate road-effect zones for major roads, and to investigate how these major roads influenced the distribution of giant pandas on a mountain range spatial scale. We found that the density of giant panda signs was significantly decreased by proximity to major roads. The effect zone reached 5,000 m from national roads and 1,500 m from provincial roads. Structural equation model analysis revealed that the strongest negative impact of major roads on giant pandas was via the reduction of nearby forest cover. The results should provide a better understanding of the impact of anthropogenic infrastructure and regional economic development on wildlife, thus providing a basis for conservation policy decisions. We suggest that the environmental impact assessment of proposed roadways or further researches on road ecological effects should expand to a larger scale and consider the possible habitat degradation caused by road access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Ecosystem services (the benefits to humans from ecosystems) are estimated globally at $125 trillion/year [ 1, 2 ]. Similar assessments at national and regional scales show how these services support our lives [ 3 ]. All valuations recognize the role of biodiversity, which continues to decrease around the world in maintaining these services [ 4, 5 ]. The giant panda epitomizes the flagship species [ 6 ]. Its unrivalled public appeal translates into support for conservation funding and policy, including a tax on foreign visitors to support its conservation [ 7 ]. The Chinese government has established a panda reserve system, which today numbers 67 reserves [ 8, 9 ]. The biodiversity of these reserves is among the highest in the temperate world [ 10 ], covering many of China’s endemic species [ 11 ]. The panda is thus also an umbrella species [ 12 ]—protecting panda habitat also protects other species. Despite the benefits derived from pandas, some journalists have suggested that it would be best to let the panda go extinct. With the recent downlisting of the panda from Endangered to Vulnerable, it is clear that society’s investment has started to pay off in terms of panda population recovery [ 13, 14 ]. Here, we estimate the value of ecosystem services of the panda and its reserves at between US$2.6 and US$6.9 billion/year in 2010. Protecting the panda as an umbrella species and the habitat that supports it yields roughly 10–27 times the cost of maintaining the current reserves, potentially further motivating expansion of the reserves and other investments in natural capital in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat fragmentation can reduce population viability, especially for area-sensitive species. The Minimum Area Requirements (MAR) of a population is the area required for the population's long-term persistence. In this study, the response of occupancy probability of giant pandas against habitat patch size was studied in five of the six mountain ranges inhabited by giant panda, which cover over 78% of the global distribution of giant panda habitat. The probability of giant panda occurrence was positively associated with habitat patch area, and the observed increase in occupancy probability with patch size was higher than that due to passive sampling alone. These results suggest that the giant panda is an area-sensitive species. The MAR for giant panda was estimated to be 114.7 km2 based on analysis of its occupancy probability. Giant panda habitats appear more fragmented in the three southern mountain ranges, while they are large and more continuous in the other two. Establishing corridors among habitat patches can mitigate habitat fragmentation, but expanding habitat patch sizes is necessary in mountain ranges where fragmentation is most intensive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]