Comparing the plant diversity between artificial forest and nature growth forest in a giant panda habitat

Abstract

Artificial restoration is an important way to restore forests, but little is known about its effect on the habitat restoration of the giant panda. In the present study, we investigated the characteristics of artificial forest in the Wanglang Nature Reserve to determine whether through succession it has formed a suitable habitat for the giant panda. We compared artificial forest characteristics with those of natural habitat used by the giant panda. We found that the dominant tree species in artificial forest differed from those in the natural habitat. The artificial forest had lower plant species richness and diversity in the tree and shrub layers than did the latter, and its community structure was characterized by smaller tree and bamboo sizes, and fewer and lower bamboo clumps, but more trees and larger shrub sizes. The typical community collocation of artificial forest was a “Picea asperata + no-bamboo” model, which differs starkly from the giant panda’s natural habitat. After several years of restoration, the artificial forest has failed to become a suitable habitat for the giant panda. Therefore, a simple way of planting individual trees cannot restore giant panda habitat; instead, habitat restoration should be based on the habitat requirements of the giant panda.

Development Status of Leisure Tourism in the Peripheral Protection Area of Giant Panda Habitat

“…They found that the dominant tree species in the plantation are different from those in the natural habitat. The plant species richness and diversity of trees and shrubs in planted forests are lower than the latter, and its community structure is characterized by smaller trees and bamboos, fewer and fewer bamboo bushes, but more trees and larger bushes [4]. His method cannot prove the relationship between tourism development and the environment of giant panda habitat.…”