Habitat seasonal competition and coexistence of typical wetland species in the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf Natural Heritage Site

Abstract

The Natural Heritage Site of the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China plays a prominent role in the conservation of global biodiversity. However, with the increase in the number of species inhabiting here, the problem of competition in the habitat space of species within the heritage site has gradually emerged, which has become an important bottleneck restricting the sustainable development of the heritage site. Therefore, this study selected the typical wetland wildlife in this area, red crowned crane (Grus japonensis) and Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis), as the study objects. This study used their continuous GPS tracking data to reveal the seasonal laws of habitat selection and suitability of two typical wetland species, and analyze their spatial competition and coexistence relationship. The study results showed that the distribution of home range of the crane and the deer in spring and summer was significantly larger than that in autumn and winter. The area of the sub and most suitable area of the deer in spring was larger than that of the crane. In autumn and winter, the area of the sub and most suitable areas for the deer was small, while the area of the most suitable area for the crane was more than 50 hm2. Except in spring, the two species kept a certain distance from each other in other seasons, and their habitat selection was stable. The optimal threshold range of the crane for D_ree variable was 0–202 m in spring and 0–1200 m in summer and autumn. The deer was affected by vegetation factors in the four seasons. The threshold range of D_ree variable in spring, autumn and winter was 0–80 m, the suitable vegetation height of the deer was 2.31–2.92 m. Finally, this study proposed a refined management pattern of habitat with multiple species coexist.