Biodiv Sci ›› 2023, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (7): 22660.  DOI: 10.17520/biods.2022660

• Original Papers: Animal Diversity • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Habitat suitability for the Aviceda leuphotes in Mingxi County, Fujian Province

Wei Liu1, Ruge Wang1, Tianqiao Fan1, Nayiman Abudulijiang1, Xinhang Song1, Shuping Xiao2, Ning Guo3, Lingying Shuai4,*()   

  1. 1. College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453000
    2. Mingxi Forestry Bureau, Sanming, Fujian 365000
    3. Wildlife Protection Center of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350000
    4. College of Life Sciences, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, Anhui 235000
  • Received:2022-11-25 Accepted:2023-04-24 Online:2023-07-20 Published:2023-06-16
  • Contact: *E-mail: shuailingying@163.com

Abstract:

Aims: Aviceda leuphotes is a second-class protected animal in China and a flagship species for birdwatching in many places. However, at present, the ecological research on A. leuphotes is very scarce, which significantly hinders our ability to implement targeted protection measures for this species. To address this issue, we conducted the study to analyze the characteristics of suitable habitats for the A. leuphotes and to predict potential suitable habitats in Mingxi County, Fujian Province, in order to provide a theoretical foundation for the conservation of the species.

Methods: In this study, 32 sample plots were selected for field survey by combining the initial records provided by the Mingxi Forestry Bureau, Fujian Province. Aviceda leuphotes were recorded in 16 sample plots. Using geographic information system (GIS), maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model, and generalized linear model (GLM), we analyzed the habitat suitability of A. leuphotes in Mingxi County, taking into account the climatic and geographic characteristics of each site.

Results: The results of the MaxEnt modeling showed that: (1) Land-use type was the most significant environmental factor restricting the distribution of the species, with cultivated land and wetland serving as the species' preferred habitats. (2) In addition, the distribution of A. leuphotes was influenced by the distance from road, as well as the normalized difference vegetation index. The results of the GLM also showed that the distance from road has a significant effect on the distribution of A. leuphotes.

Conclusion: Aviceda leuphotes preferred the habitat with cultivated land or wetland, far away from the road and low normalized difference vegetation index.

Key words: Aviceda leuphotes, Mingxi County, MaxEnt model, generalized linear model, suitable habitat