Abstract
Panjin is home to an important waterfowl habitat located in the core of Liaohe Delta. Because of natural and human activities,however,the waterfowl habitat in the area is deteriorating,and the wetland ecological system is degenerating. Biological populations are also declining. In this context,we analyzed and assessed the condition of the waterfowl habitat in Panjin. Analytic hierarchy process,combined with the spatial analysis function of geographical information systems( GIS) as well as remote sensing( RS) image data,was used. Key factors that directly affected foraging and resting of waterfowls were identified,including degree of disturbance( density of roads and residence areas),water situation( density of lakes and rivers),food abundance,and shelter conditions( land cover and slope). Four levels ofhabitat suitability for waterfowls were determined in spatial scale: best,good,average,and bad. Results showed that( 1) the areas of waterfowl habitat classified as best,good,average,and bad are 803.79,913.47,905.29,1023.65ha,which represent 22.04%,25.05%,24.83%,and 28.07% of the total area,respectively.( 2) The former three types covered about 2622.55 ha or 71.93% of the total area. This finding indicates that abundant land suitable for waterfowl habitat can be found in Panjin. This land mainly comprises wetland and is a largely cultivated land with less human disturbance.( 3) This study also demonstrated the use of RS and GIS to evaluate objectively and efficiently the suitability of a waterfowl habitat within a rapidly changing environment. The results of this study can provide valuable insights into environmental planning, conservation,and management of the waterfowl habitat in the Panjin area.
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