Landscape conservation: integrating biodiversity, habitat preservation and socioeconomics

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Landscape conservation integrating biodiversity,
habitat preservation and socioeconomics Memphis
Zoo in China
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• A partner for Sino-US forest health program.

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• Active Conservation Research Program

• Qinling Mountains
• Supreme ecosystem with vast biodiversity
  resulted from the regions unique geographic
  location and complex climate.
• One of the three remaining natural habitats for
  Giant Pandas.
• Foping National Nature Reserve (FNNR).

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• Active Conservation Research Program

Mammalian diversity patterns in the Qinling
Mountains

• U of T and CAS Institute of Zoology
• - 29 transects (2 to7.5 km long each)
• -3 sampling periods (2006-2007)
• spring, summer, fall/winter
• -GPS locations of mammal sign
• -Description of habitat, topography, etc.
• -Collection of hair and fresh panda scat specimens

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Active Conservation Research Program Wildlife
and habitat conservation

• Predict habitat use of mammals in Foping Nature
  Reserve.
• 2. Determine the spatial relationships between
  landscape conditions and mammalian species
  diversity
• Map the distribution, habitat quality, and
  diversity of mammals for the study area

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Our Partners
State Forest Administration (SFA) U.S. Forest
Service International Programs Chinese Academy
of Sciences-Institute of Zoology Beijing Forestry
and Parks Department of International
cooperation Shannxi Forestry Department Foping
County Forestry Department FNNR Administration
Bureau University of Tennessee (UT) University of
Memphis Southwester Forestry University, Yunnan,
China Beijing Forestry University Rhodes college,
Memphis, TN Mississippi State University
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Research projects at Foping National Nature
Reserve (FNNR) and Forest Health Site
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Bamboo Ecology Project FNNR

• Important part of Giant Panda conservation
  program
• Highly specialized diet

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Bamboo Ecology Projects FNNR
Main bamboo species Bashania fargesii (lt1700
m) Fargesia qinlingensis (gt1700 m) (arrow bamboo)
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Bamboo Ecology Projects FNNR

• Potential problems with B. fargesii
• Aging (reduced growth vigor, slow regeneration)
• Massive flowering threat
• Natural disasters

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Bamboo Ecology Project FNNR
Previous bamboo ecology research
Wang, Wei, Scott B. Franklin John Ouellette.
(2007) Clonal regeneration of arrow bamboo,
Fargesia qinlingensis, following giant panda
herbivory. Plant Ecology 192 97-106.
Wang, Wei, Scott B. Franklin Margaret C.
Cirtain. (2007) Seed germination and seedling
growth in the arrow bamboo Fargesia qinlingensis.
Ecological Research 22 467-474.
Wang, Wei, Scott B. Franklin, Yi Ren John R.
Ouellette. (2006) Growth of bamboo Fargesia
qinlingensis and regeneration of trees in a mixed
hardwood-conifer forest in the Qinling Mountains,
China. Forest Ecology Management 234107-115.
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Bamboo Ecology Projects FNNR

• Overall objectives
• Bashania regeneration characteristics and
  nutritional dynamics.
• Effect of environmental factors (soil moisture)
  on its growth and morphological traits.
• Through management to
• improve natural regeneration and regeneration
  after disturbance
• delay or diversify the timing of flowering.

Bashania fargesii
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Bamboo Ecology Projects - FNNR
(Photos Wang Yizhi)
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Forest Soil Carbon and Fertility Projects

• Soil Carbon and Stoichoimetric Properties along
  An Elevation Gradient in Montane Forest of
  Beijing
• Beijing Forest and Parks Department of
  International Cooperation (BFDIC)
• Beijing Forestry University.
• Forest soil fertility project in Foping forest
  health site
• Foping County Forest Department

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Forest Soil Fertility Project Foping Forest
Health

• Background
• Two types of land-use need to be reforested
• Mountainsides that once were cultivated
• National Program Grain-to-Green (1999)
• Economical trees are encouraged and subsidized
• Mountainsides that were clear-cut.
• Grass or shrubs.
• Economical trees (fruit, walnut, chestnut) are
  being planted to increase income

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Forest Soil Fertility Project Foping Forest
Health

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Forest Soil Fertility Project Foping Forest
Health
Reforest with trees with economic benefits
P. tablaeformis
Chinese cornel
Chinese chestnut
Chinese-fir
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Forest Soil Fertility Project Foping Forest
Health
Research Questions

• How do these plantations affect soil
  fertility (soil organic matter, N, P.after 10,
  20 or 30 years)?
• In what direction will these soil properties
  change?
• Would the change be same at different soil
  depths?

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Thank you! Questions?