Spatiotemporal evolution analysis of human disturbances on giant panda: A new approach to study cumulative influences with large spatial scales.

The disturbance of wildlife habitats by human activities has become an important driving force in the evolution of ecological landscapes. However, human disturbances in panda habitats are highly diverse and complex. To study the changes in the temporal and spatial dynamics of human disturbances affecting panda populations, an analysis model for the evolution of human interference was designed using information entropy and statistical methods. Based on data from the third and fourth National Wild Giant Panda surveys in China, we analyzed the developmental trend, spatial distribution, and characteristics of the current state and regional distribution of human disturbances affecting panda populations. The results showed that shoot gathering, farming, and tourism were key local distribution factors, whereas hunting, road infrastructure, and logging had a more widespread impact on panda habitat. Livestock and herb gatherings, however, showed no clear distribution patterns. The influence of the main disturbance factors (logging, livestock, road infrastructure, and shoot gathering) tended to increase over time, whereas the development of the relative strength and weakness of the disturbances showed an evolutionary trend. Although logging, livestock, shoot gathering, and road infrastructure have historically been the main panda habitat disturbances, the impact of logging and shoot gathering has been diminishing over time, with road infrastructure emerging as the leading disturbance factor. Farming has shaped the distribution area of giant panda habitats over the past several hundred years. Additionally, logging has caused current fragmentation patterns for several decades. Moreover, it is estimated that road infrastructure will have a broad and profound impact in the coming decades. Our results indicate that the information entropy theory can be effectively used to analyze the temporal and spatial characteristics of human disturbances that affect wildlife. Our findings will provide a basis for ecological policies that aid the preservation of threatened panda populations and guide future research on habitat disturbance. • A model for analyzing disturbances was designed using information entropy and statistical methods. • The states, development trends, and progression of human disturbances can be quantified. • Road will have important ecological impact on panda habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]