Seasonal change of habitat selection of Hydropotes inermis in Yancheng coastal wetlands, China

Abstract

Yancheng coastal wetlands are one of the main habitats and breeding grounds of wild Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis). Based on GPS-GSM tracking data, we used the habitat selection index and MaxEnt model to simulate and analyze the distribution of suitable habitat of H. inermis in different seasons as well as the main influencing factors. The results showed that H. inermis mainly used reed marshes, with the usage rate in spring-summer and autumn-winter being 52.7% and 62.8%, respectively. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve value simulated by MaxEnt model in different seasons was 0.873 and 0.944, which showed high prediction accu-racy. In spring and summer, the sub-suitable and most suitable habitats were mainly reed marshes, farmland, and ponds. In autumn and winter, the main habitat types were reed marshes and ponds, with an area equivalent to only 5.7% and 8.5% of that in spring and summer. Distance to reeds, distance to Spartina alterniflora, habitat types, distance to water and distance residential area were the main environmental variables affecting the distribution of H. inermis in spring and summer. The above five variables and vegetation height were the main environmental variables affecting the distribution of H. inermis in autumn and winter. This study would provide an important reference for the conservation of Chinese water deer and the fine management of their habitats in Yancheng coastal wetlands.