Biodiv Sci ›› 2023, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (5): 22566.  DOI: 10.17520/biods.2022566

• Data Paper • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Developing a dataset on the diversity and dynamic changes of mammals and birds recorded using camera traps in Laojun Mountain National Nature Reserve, Sichuan, China

Benping Chen1, Jianwu Chen1, Zhengwen Ling1, Xu Yang2, Xin Chen2, Shengqiang Li3,4,*(), Biao Yang5,*()   

  1. 1. Protection Center of Laojun Mountain National Nature Reserve, Pingshan, Sichuan 645350
    2. Chengdu Xing-Ai Information Technology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610051
    3. Sichuan Academy of Giant Panda Science, Chengdu 610057
    4. Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi 541004
    5. Sichuan Liziping Giant Panda Ecology and Conservation Station for Field Scientific Observation and Research, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan 637009
  • Received:2022-10-06 Accepted:2023-03-18 Online:2023-05-20 Published:2023-05-19
  • Contact: * E-mail: shengqiang322@qq.com; yangb315@163.com

Abstract:

Species cataloging is the basis of biodiversity research and conservation, and wildlife diversity monitoring is essential for updating local species cataloging data. At present, infrared cameras have become one of the most widely used and effective methods for monitoring large and medium-sized terrestrial mammals and understory birds. The Laojun Mountain National Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province is the first national nature reserve in China to make efforts to protect the Sichuan partridge (Arborophila rufipectus), Phasianidae birds, and evergreen broad-leaved forest ecosystem. In this study, we used infrared camera monitoring to identify the distribution of mammal and bird species in the reserve from April 2013 to September 2020 and to develop a comprehensive camera-trapping dataset of Laojun Mountain. For each camera site, the dataset includes the geographic coordinates of observations, number of mammals and birds identified, number of independent observations, a list of observed mammal and bird species (including distribution among elevations, area of distribution, grid occupancy and relative abundance index in different years, etc.), and infrared photos of observed species. This dataset is the first comprehensive summary of species distributions in the reserve since the infrared camera monitoring work began. This work provides an important basis for scientific decision-making of targeted conservation and management of China’s natural resources.

Key words: Laojun Mountain National Nature Reserve, camera trap, mammal, bird, diversity, dynamic change