Evaluation of the red-crowned crane habitat in the Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve

Abstract

As a consequence of wildlife habitat is in constant evolution, periodic monitoring is essential to assess habitat quality. In this study the change to the red-crowned crane habitat in the Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve (YRDNR) was detected from multi-temporal remote sensing data from 1992 to 2008 in a geographic information system (GIS). The changing quality of the habitat was evaluated from both physical constraint and human disturbance. The results indicate that potential habitat shank 37.8% during 1992-2001, but recovered 96.8% by 2008. Human disturbance in the forms of roads, oil wells and residential areas caused a high degree of behavioral fragmentation. Suitable habitat shrank by 1,569 ha to a level below that of 1992 despite an increase of 4,450 ha in potential habitat due to an increase of 6,019 ha in fragmented areas. Therefore, efforts should also be directed at improving habitat quality by minimizing human activities in the Reserve