大型食肉动物对维持生态系统的结构和功能具有重要作用, 但大部分大型食肉动物处在持续的种群数量和分布面积下降之中, 面临着急迫的研究与保护需求。华北豹(Panthera pardus japonensis)是我国特有的豹亚种, 也是部分区域森林生态系统中仅存的大型食肉动物, 面临着生境破碎化等威胁。本研究使用红外相机调查了宁夏六盘山国家级自然保护区华北豹的分布, 通过构建占域模型分析了华北豹的栖息地利用, 预测了华北豹的适宜栖息地, 并评估了其生境破碎化格局。研究发现, 华北豹在六盘山的平均占域率约为0.135。华北豹偏好植被发育成熟、地势崎岖、温度较低、远离农田和公路的栖息地, 对于农田边缘和居民点等人类活动区域未显示出显著回避。研究识别的六盘山华北豹适宜栖息地主要沿六盘山东西两侧山脉分布, 55%的适宜栖息地斑块位于六盘山国家级自然保护区内。栖息地斑块面积平均为16 km², 最大达214 km², 约77%的栖息地斑块面积在10 km²以下。研究表明六盘山国家级自然保护区有效地保护了华北豹现有的适宜栖息地, 但仍存在栖息地破碎化和人类活动干扰等关键限制因素。建议通过栖息地改造、人类活动管理等方式增强六盘山华北豹适宜栖息地斑块连通性; 并通过推动华北豹跨省保护工作等举措促进华北豹种群扩散恢复。

Aims: Large carnivores play important roles in ecosystem functions yet are globally threatened and require urgent research and conservation actions. The North China leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis) is a leopard subspecies that is endemic to China. It is the only remaining large carnivore in many forest ecosystems in northern China, and the North China leopard facing severe threats such as habitat degradation and fragmentation. This study aims to assess the habitat use of North China leopards in the Liupanshan Mountains.
Methods: This study was conducted in the Liupanshan Mountains. Infrared cameras were used to survey North China leopard distribution. We constructed occupancy models to analyze species habitat use. Based on species-environmental associations obtained from occupancy modeling, we identified suitable habitat patches, measured species association with human interference, and evaluated habitat fragmentation patterns.
Results: Occupancy modeling revealed that North China leopards occupied habitat patches with mature forest in ragged terrain. The occurrence probability was high in landscapes that were distant from croplands and roads, but the species did not demonstrate significant avoidance to farmland edges and residential areas. We identified 35 suitable habitat patches that were primarily distributed along the east and west ridges of the Liupanshan Mountains. The largest suitable habitat patch had an area of 214 km², and the average area of suitable habitat patches were 16 km². Approximately 55% of all suitable habitat patches were located within the Liupanshan National Nature Reserve boundary.
Conclusions: The primary conclusion of this study is that while the Liupanshan National Nature Reserve effectively conserves existing suitable habitat of North China leopards, the risks of habitat fragmentation and anthropogenic interference still exist. We suggest conservation actions such as habitat capacity building and a restriction of anthropogenic activity in protected area be taken to ensure the long-term persistence of North China leopards. Conservation efforts beyond provincial boundaries should be reinforced to promote the dispersal of North China leopards as well as population recovery. This study fills in the knowledge gaps left by the North China leopards ecological study in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and has the potential to support conservation planning in the Liupanshan Mountains as well as other regions.