Abstract:

Aim We aim to investigate the biological inventory of large and medium-sized mammals and ground-dwelling birds in the Jiangxi Wuyishan National Nature Reserve using camera-trapping techniques.

Method: 52 camera-traps were placed between 531 m and 2,051 m a.s.l. from November 2016 to June 2018. The relative abundance index was used to evaluate the population sizes of different species.

Results: A total of 8,908 independent photographs were taken with a sampling effort of 18,417 camera-days. We identified 20 wild mammal species (5 orders and 13 families) and 42 bird species (5 orders and 14 families). Of all the detected species, 2 species are listed as first-class National Protected Wildlife (Muntiacus crinifronsand Tragopan caboti), and 10 species are listed as second-class National Protected Wildlife (Ursus thibetanus, Elaphodus cephalophus, Capricornis milneedwardsii, and others). Four species were listed as Vulnerable and five as Near Threatened according to the IUCN Red List. Based on the relative abundance index, the three most abundant mammal species were Muntiacus reevesi, Macaca thibetana and Sus scrofa; and the three most detected bird species were Lophura nycthemera,Myophonus caeruleus and Garrulax pectoralis. The relative abundance index of species presents a unimodal pattern along the altitude gradient with the largest value being in the area of 800-1,200 m.

Conclusion: These findings indicate Jiangxi Wuyishan Nature Reserve has high species diversity and rich rare and endangered species, especially in the mid-altitude areas. This study provides an important foundation for further biodiversity investigation and wildlife management measures of reserves.

Key words: wildlife monitoring, rare animals, relative abundance index, mid-domain effect hypothesis, species diversity