Wild terrestrial vertebrate resources in Guangzhou: Diversity, distribution, and conservation gaps

doi:10.17520/biods.2025422

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims: In the Anthropocene, rapid urban expansion has turned cities into important habitats for many species. However, basic information on wildlife composition and distribution in large cities is often lacking, fragmented, or outdated. As a national central city and the core engine of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou lacks systematic research on its wildlife diversity and habitat distribution. This study aims to systematically compile data on wild terrestrial vertebrates in Guangzhou and identify priority habitats to inform conservation planning.
Methods: Based on field surveys, we collected and integrated data from literature, monographs, news reports, and citizen science databases. We analyzed potential species distributions using the MaxEnt model and evaluated priority wildlife habitats by combining the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and entropy weight method (EWM).
Results: (1) A total of 690 species of wild terrestrial vertebrates, belonging to 33 orders and 134 families, were recorded in Guangzhou. Among them, 100 species were newly recorded, such as Amolops hongkongensis, Achalinus spinalis, Grus monacha, and Chimarrogale leander. (2) Animal diversity showed a pattern of higher richness in the east and lower in the west, with hotspots concentrated in the mountainous areas of Conghua in the north, the hilly farmland of Zengcheng in the east, and the wetlands of Nansha in the south. (3) We identified 24 priority wildlife habitats covering a total area of 1,299.5 km². The existing protected area network covered approximately 83% (1,078.9 km²) of these priority habitats, but a 17% protected gap (220.6 km²).
Conclusion: This study updates the inventory of wild terrestrial vertebrates and their priority habitats in Guangzhou, providing a scientific basis for urban conservation planning and management. It also offers a valuable model for biodiversity inventory, pattern analysis, and conservation research in highly urbanized areas.

Key words: wild terrestrial vertebrates, urban ecology, conservation gap, priority habitat assessment, Guangzhou

Jianchao Liang, Shutian Chen, Wenxiang He, Chunni Xiong, Zhenzhou Xu, Yuanxin Huang, Yuanzhihong Liu, Lang Zhang, Huijian Hu. Wild terrestrial vertebrate resources in Guangzhou: Diversity, distribution, and conservation gaps[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2026, 34(5): 25422.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2025422

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2026/V34/I5/25422

Figures/Tables 7

References 36

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一级指标 Primary indicator	二级指标 Secondary indicator	指标说明 Indicator description
生物指标 Biological indicators	物种多样性 Species diversity	连续型指标。基于MaxEnt模型预测的所有物种的潜在空间分布结果叠加 Continuous indicators. Overlay of potential spatial distribution predictions for all species generated by the MaxEnt model
生物指标 Biological indicators	重要物种多样性 Priority species diversity	连续型指标 Continuous indicators
环境指标 Environmental indicators	河网密度 River network density	连续型指标 Continuous indicators
环境指标 Environmental indicators	植被覆盖度(归一化植被指数) Vegetation cover (normalized difference vegetation index)	连续型指标 Continuous indicators
干扰因素 Disturbance factors	人口密度 Population density	连续型指标 Continuous indicators
干扰因素 Disturbance factors	用地性质 Land-use type	离散型指标。人造地表、耕地和裸地赋值为0, 林地、草地、灌丛、湿地和水体赋值为0.5, 自然保护地赋值为1 Discrete indicators. Artificial surfaces, cropland, and bare land are assigned a value of 0; forest, grassland, shrubland, wetland, and water bodies are assigned a value of 0.5; protected areas are assigned a value of 1

一级指标 Primary indicator	二级指标 Secondary indicator	指标说明 Indicator description
生物指标 Biological indicators	物种多样性 Species diversity	连续型指标。基于MaxEnt模型预测的所有物种的潜在空间分布结果叠加 Continuous indicators. Overlay of potential spatial distribution predictions for all species generated by the MaxEnt model
生物指标 Biological indicators	重要物种多样性 Priority species diversity	连续型指标 Continuous indicators
环境指标 Environmental indicators	河网密度 River network density	连续型指标 Continuous indicators
环境指标 Environmental indicators	植被覆盖度(归一化植被指数) Vegetation cover (normalized difference vegetation index)	连续型指标 Continuous indicators
干扰因素 Disturbance factors	人口密度 Population density	连续型指标 Continuous indicators
干扰因素 Disturbance factors	用地性质 Land-use type	离散型指标。人造地表、耕地和裸地赋值为0, 林地、草地、灌丛、湿地和水体赋值为0.5, 自然保护地赋值为1 Discrete indicators. Artificial surfaces, cropland, and bare land are assigned a value of 0; forest, grassland, shrubland, wetland, and water bodies are assigned a value of 0.5; protected areas are assigned a value of 1

	重要物种多样性 Priority species diversity	物种多样性 Species diversity	河网密度 River network density	归一化植被指数 Normalized difference vegetation index	人口密度 Population density	用地性质 Land-use type
重要物种多样性 Priority species diversity	1	2	3	3	3	1
物种多样性 Species diversity	1/2	1	2	2	2	1/4
河网密度 River network density	1/3	1/2	1	1	2	1/5
归一化植被指数 Normalized difference vegetation index	1/3	1/2	1	1	3	1/5
人口密度 Population density	1/3	1/2	1/2	1/3	1	1/6
用地性质 Land-use type	1	4	5	5	6	1

	重要物种多样性 Priority species diversity	物种多样性 Species diversity	河网密度 River network density	归一化植被指数 Normalized difference vegetation index	人口密度 Population density	用地性质 Land-use type
重要物种多样性 Priority species diversity	1	2	3	3	3	1
物种多样性 Species diversity	1/2	1	2	2	2	1/4
河网密度 River network density	1/3	1/2	1	1	2	1/5
归一化植被指数 Normalized difference vegetation index	1/3	1/2	1	1	3	1/5
人口密度 Population density	1/3	1/2	1/2	1/3	1	1/6
用地性质 Land-use type	1	4	5	5	6	1

	重要物种多样性 Priority species diversity	物种多样性 Species diversity	河网密度 River network density	归一化植被指数 Normalized difference vegetation index	人口密度 Population density	用地性质 Land-use type
主观权重 Subjective weight	0.195	0.174	0.229	0.061	0.062	0.279
客观权重 Objective weight	0.257	0.131	0.083	0.092	0.055	0.382
综合权重 Synthesized weight	0.230	0.156	0.141	0.077	0.060	0.336