Publications
Notes on Polycaena sakaii Sugiyama, 2015 with a new subspecies described from Sichuan, China (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae)
A new subspecies of the butterfly Polycaena sakaii, named P. s. fani, has been identified from Mt. Siguniang in Sichuan, China, based on distinct morphological and molecular differences. This discovery highlights significant genetic divergence within the species, contributing to our understanding of its evolutionary history. The study provides detailed descriptions of adult specimens and male genitalia, along with a phylogenetic analysis and distributional map. These findings underscore the importance of Mt. Siguniang as a biodiversity hotspot within the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries.
Oenopia gonggarensis Jing 1992
Researchers have documented the morphological characteristics and distribution of Oenopia gonggarensis, a beetle species endemic to China's Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, including its Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuary habitats. The study describes its distinct features: an oval body with variable elytral spotting patterns, black ventral surfaces (except for yellowish-white hypomeron and epipleura), and unique male genitalia. Observations from Jiajin Mountain (2330 m) and Yunnan's Lanping region reveal this species' ecological presence in panda sanctuaries, contributing to biodiversity inventories critical for conservation efforts.
Oenopia lanpingensis Jing 1992
A new morphological description of the beetle species Oenopia lanpingensis, previously documented from Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in China, reveals distinct coloration patterns, including a black pronotum with yellowish-white lateral margins, orange-red elytra with black sutural margins, and yellowish-brown ventral markings. The study, based on field collections from 2006 to 2007, provides detailed measurements (3.1–4.6 mm in length) and illustrations of the species' abdomen and female genitalia, confirming its distribution across high-altitude regions (2330–2600 m) within Sichuan's Jiajin Mountains. This work contributes to the taxonomic understanding of Oenopia beetles, with potential implications for biodiversity studies in these ecologically significant areas.
Dietary drivers of gut microbiota diversity and function in wildlife of Wolong Nature Reserve: a metagenomic study
A metagenomic study reveals significant differences in gut microbiota composition and function between herbivores and carnivores in the Wolong Nature Reserve, with diet acting as a primary driver. Herbivores exhibited higher microbial diversity and were enriched in cellulose-degrading bacteria like Ruminococcus champanellensis, while carnivores showed higher lipid metabolism and protein degradation, with an abundance of Rhodococcus and Pediococcus. The study also identified potential health risks from pathogens such as Escherichia and Listeria, which were more prevalent in carnivores and positively correlated with niche width. Noninvasive sampling methods were used to analyze the gut microbiomes of 10 protected wild animals, providing insights into the intricate linkages between diet, microbiota composition, and host ecology. These findings offer valuable theoretical and practical implications for ecological conservation, species restoration, and environmental management in high-altitude environments.
First Documentation of Snow Leopard ( Panthera uncia ) Presence in the Core Area of Mt. Siguniang National Nature Reserve, China
Researchers have documented the first confirmed presence of snow leopards (Panthera uncia) within the core area of Mt. Siguniang National Nature Reserve, China, a critical but understudied region at the southeastern edge of the species' global range. Over a 20-month period from November 2022 to August 2024, camera traps captured 33 independent detections across five high-altitude sites, primarily above 4500 meters, revealing four unique adult individuals. This finding marks a significant milestone in snow leopard conservation, as systematic monitoring has been notably absent in the reserve. The study highlights the need for expanded research to quantify population dynamics and assess connectivity with adjacent mountain systems, which could inform broader conservation strategies for this vulnerable flagship species.
Wild ActionFormer: Enhancing wildlife action recognition for 11 endangered species in Wolong
A novel video self-supervised learning-based network, Wild ActionFormer, achieves 95.09% Top-1 accuracy in recognizing actions of 11 endangered species in the Wolong Nature Reserve, marking a significant advancement over baseline models. This breakthrough leverages UniformerV2 as its backbone and incorporates differential dispersion regularization loss to enhance feature extraction robustness while mitigating interference. The Focal Loss reweighting strategy further optimizes performance for long-tail classes, addressing data imbalance biases. Validated on the LoTE-Animal dataset—comprising 10,000 videos of species like giant pandas and Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys—the study demonstrates the potential of automated action recognition in conservation research, offering precise insights into wildlife behavior without manual annotation.
Classification algorithm for land use in the giant panda habitat of Jiajinshan based on spatial case-based reasoning
A novel spatial case-based reasoning (SCBR) algorithm achieved superior land use classification accuracy of 95% and a Kappa coefficient of 90% in the Jiajinshan giant panda habitat, outperforming machine learning models like SVM, U-Net, ViT, and Trans-Unet. The study demonstrated significant ecological improvements, particularly in forest protection and restoration, between 2018 and 2022 with consistent accuracy above 80%. Unlike traditional methods, SCBR requires minimal domain knowledge and avoids complex model training, offering a practical tool for monitoring and protecting panda habitats.
Facilitating giant panda crossings of national highway in Wolong area of Giant Panda National Park amid human activities
Human activities significantly reduce habitat suitability and connectivity for giant pandas in the Wolong area of Giant Panda National Park, particularly along the National Highway G350 (NHG), which divides panda populations. Research shows that eliminating human presence could increase suitable habitat by 78.76 km² and improve habitat suitability index (HSI) and connectivity value (CV) in a 1000 m buffer zone around the NHG. The study used kernel density estimation (KDE) to identify optimal crossing areas for pandas, simulating scenarios with and without human activities to assess landscape changes. These findings are critical for conservation planning, offering actionable insights to mitigate road fragmentation and enhance panda movement amid high human activity.
Community-based incentive coordination in payments for ecosystem services: China’s Wolong Nature Reserve
Community-based Payments for Ecosystem Services (CB-PES) can significantly enhance economic outcomes for stakeholders and environmental benefits when implemented with incentive coordination. A study focusing on China's Wolong Nature Reserve demonstrates that CB-PES, through participatory intermediary governance, effectively deploys various incentive-coordinated techniques to improve local conservation efforts. The research combines theoretical modeling with empirical analysis, revealing the potential of CB-PES to sustain community support and optimize ecological benefits. However, designing such mechanisms remains challenging due to the need for coordinated conservation efforts to balance economic gains and environmental outcomes.
Estimating the preservation value of Wolong National Nature Reserve in China: Applying the two-stage contingent valuation method
A new economic valuation of Wolong National Nature Reserve, part of the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries UNESCO World Heritage Site, estimates that each resident of China's Sichuan province would pay an average of 297.21 yuan (≈56,809 KRW) annually to preserve this critical panda habitat under hypothetical conditions, rising to a total estimated value of approximately 4.5 trillion KRW for the entire provincial population. This finding, derived from a two-stage contingent valuation method combining discrete-choice and logit models, highlights significant public willingness-to-pay (WTP) influenced by factors such as income, education, conservation interest, and environmental preference. The study provides actionable insights for sustainable ecotourism management in China's panda sanctuaries.
Effects of the second generation wild boar grazing on species diversity and soil physicochemical properties of coniferous-broad-leaved mixed forest in Jiajin Mountain, China
Wild boar grazing significantly impacts species diversity and soil properties in coniferous-broad-leaved mixed forests of Jiajin Mountain, China. The study found that slight grazing disturbance (category III) maximizes plant diversity, with 172 vascular plant species recorded across 55 families and 117 genera. This includes the highest counts for trees, shrubs, and herbs compared to stronger or weaker disturbances. The research categorized four grazing intensities based on boar behavior and activity range, alongside a control (no disturbance). Soil physicochemical properties were also analyzed under these conditions. These findings provide critical insights for maintaining ecological stability in mixed forests, guiding scientific grazing management practices in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Estimation of Broadleaf Tree Canopy Height of Wolong Nature Reserve Based on InSAR and Machine Learning Methods
A novel approach combining Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) with machine learning demonstrates high accuracy in estimating broadleaf tree canopy height, a critical parameter for assessing forest carbon sinks. The study achieved root-mean-square errors of 1.76 m and 1.86 m using Random Forest, outperforming the Multi-layer perceptron method with errors of 3.96 m and 4.13 m. This cost-effective technique leverages UAV photogrammetry for true canopy height validation and integrates topographic factors to enhance model stability. The findings highlight the potential of InSAR and machine learning for large-scale, efficient forest monitoring, offering a robust tool for carbon cycle research in Wolong Nature Reserve.
Forecasting short-term tourism demand with a decomposition-ensemble strategy
A novel model, SSA-SVR, effectively forecasts short-term tourism demand fluctuations in the Mt. Siguniang Scenic Area of China's Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, addressing critical gaps in existing research. Unlike traditional approaches that focus on medium to long-term predictions, this study leverages a decomposition-ensemble strategy combined with machine learning algorithms to capture high volatility, nonlinearity, and instability in daily passenger flow data. The model demonstrates promising accuracy, offering valuable insights for government policymakers, scenic area managers, and tourists alike. This advancement could significantly improve resource allocation, visitor management, and policy planning in UNESCO World Heritage Sites facing similar challenges.
Mountain Outdoor Tourism and Tibetan Mountain Guides’ Place Identity: The Case of Mt. Siguniang Town
Mountain outdoor tourism significantly influences Tibetan mountain guides' place identity, except for the dimension of distinctiveness. The study found that economic income, family reunion, community development, external evaluation, host-guest interaction, professional identity, career change, and personal growth are key factors shaping self-efficacy, self-esteem, continuity, and distinctiveness among guides in Mt. Siguniang Town. These insights, derived from semi-structured interviews and content analysis, provide valuable references for local tourism management and future research on mountain outdoor tourism and place identity.
Multi-scale habitat selection of Chinese monal (Lophophorus lhuysii) in Wolong National Nature Reserve, Sichuan
Chinese monal (Lophophorus lhuysii) exhibits distinct habitat preferences at both landscape and microhabitat scales, with seasonal variations reflecting its life-stage resource demands. The species consistently favors higher elevations (3,700–4,300 m), intermediate slopes (27°–33°), exposed slope-faces, and meadow/tundra-dominated landscapes year-round. However, breeding monals prefer habitats with higher rock coverage, while non-breeding individuals favor areas with greater herbage and lower shrub/litter coverage. This study, conducted using infrared camera monitoring across 15 transects in Wolong National Nature Reserve (2019–2020), applies PCA and logistic regression to analyze microhabitat and landscape-scale data. The findings highlight critical habitats essential for the species' persistence, offering actionable insights for targeted conservation efforts in this globally prioritized protected wildlife.
Session 2.2 Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries
The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, encompassing Wolong, Mt. Siguniang, and Jiajin Mountains, represent the largest panda sanctuary globally, playing a pivotal role in conservation efforts for pandas, bamboo forests, and other land species. This sanctuary not only serves as a refuge for wildlife but also bridges urban and rural communities, offering a unique habitat amid bustling cities. Its rich history and ecological significance make it a focal point for global conservation initiatives, particularly due to the panda's widespread appeal, which inspires international passion for biodiversity protection. The study highlights its importance under Sustainable Development Goal 15 (Life on Land) and contributes to broader discussions on wildlife conservation through e-poster presentations at international summits.
The impact of ecotourism on local rural households' livelihood around Wolong Nature Reserve
Ecotourism around Wolong Nature Reserve significantly boosts local livelihoods, particularly for full-time and part-time tourism operators, while also intensifying pressure on giant panda habitats. The study reveals that tourism shifts traditional livelihood strategies by replacing them with tourism-related activities and increasing herb-picking to meet tourist demand, which disrupts panda habitats. Nine key indicators—such as farmland quality, income, and access to training—shape these changes. To mitigate negative impacts, the research suggests diversifying tourism resources, integrating herb cultivation into local livelihoods, and strengthening surveillance systems.
Catalyzing Innovation: Governance Enablers of Nature-Based Solutions
Nature-based solutions (NBS) offer cost-effective and viable approaches to address societal challenges, including disaster risk reduction (DRR), but their success hinges on robust governance frameworks. A study analyzing cases from Nocera Inferiore (Italy), Munich (Germany), and Wolong (China) identifies critical governance enablers—polycentric governance, co-design processes, pro-NBS advocacy groups, and financial incentives—that facilitate the initiation, planning, design, and implementation of NBS. These enablers not only enhance DRR but also deliver multiple ecological and socio-economic benefits. The findings underscore how NBS can contribute to global agendas such as climate change adaptation and sustainable development, provided that governance structures support innovative stakeholder engagement and community-based financing.
Effects of grazing disturbance on vegetation community characteristics and biomass in Jiajin Mountain, Sichuan Province
Grazing disturbance significantly impacts vegetation community characteristics and biomass in Jiajin Mountain, Sichuan Province. The study found that severe grazing (within 2000 m of pig farms) reduces species diversity, weakens regeneration capacity, and alters dominant plant species, particularly affecting perennial herbs and gramineous grasses. Light to moderate disturbance (levels IV-III) promotes higher sapling proportions and maintains biodiversity, while heavy disturbance (level I) nearly eliminates saplings, indicating poor community recovery. Redundancy analysis revealed positive correlations between shrub and herb diversity indices with biomass, suggesting that grazing management must balance productivity and diversity to sustain mixed coniferous-broadleaf forests.
Genetic characterization and zoonotic potential of Blastocystis from wild animals in Sichuan Wolong National Natural Reserve, Southwest China
A study of wild animals in Sichuan Wolong National Natural Reserve reveals that Blastocystis, a prevalent eukaryotic parasite with zoonotic potential, infects 10% of the sampled wildlife. The research identified five subtypes (ST1, ST3, ST5, ST13, and ST14), with ST13 and ST14 being the most common, each accounting for 33% of positive samples. Notably, four of these subtypes (ST1, ST3, ST5, ST14) have been previously linked to human infections, suggesting that wild animals in this region may serve as reservoirs for Blastocystis. The study analyzed 300 fecal samples from 27 wildlife species across three areas, using PCR amplification of the SSU rRNA gene to determine subtype prevalence and genetic characteristics. This is the first molecular investigation of Blastocystis infection in wild animals in southwestern China, highlighting the need for further research on zoonotic transmission risks.
Temporal and spatial variation of typical ecosystem services in Wolong Nature Reserve
A significant increase in four key ecosystem services—carbon storage, soil conservation, habitat quality, and water conservation—was observed in Wolong Nature Reserve between 2000 and 2015. These services showed spatial heterogeneity, with higher values concentrated in the southeastern region, particularly at lower terrain gradients dominated by forestland and grassland. Hotspot analysis revealed that the southeast emerged as a primary area for high ecosystem service provision, with a notable expansion of Class IV hotspots where all four services exceeded average levels. The study utilized models like CASA, RUSLE, and InVEST to quantify these changes, linking them to terrain gradients and land use types while discussing underlying ecological and socio-economic drivers.
The evolution and reconstruction of tourism rural ecological space: a case study of Wolong Village, Chaling County
Research on Wolong Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site within the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, reveals critical insights into the reconstruction of tourism-driven rural ecological spaces for sustainable development. The study identifies that Wolong Village's ecological space consists of 6 source areas, 15 corridors, and 22 nodes, but faces issues such as unbalanced spatial distribution, irrational structure, and weak ecological function. Analyzing four developmental stages, the research highlights key evolutionary features: scale decline, spatio-temporal differences, and functional complexity. To address these challenges, the study proposes a reconstruction pathway involving 7 source areas, 14 corridors, and 19 nodes, along with measures like classified spatial control, structural optimization, and ecological planning guidance. This approach offers a theoretical framework and practical case study for rural ecological protection and revitalization strategies.
Effects of conservation policies on forest cover change in giant panda habitat regions, China
Conservation policies significantly boosted forest cover in giant panda habitats. A rigorous analysis of two major Chinese programs—the Natural Forest Conservation Program (NFCP) and the Grain-To-Green Program (GTGP)—revealed their combined positive impact on forest recovery between 2001 and 2008 across key panda sanctuaries in Sichuan and Shaanxi. Using high-accuracy satellite data (MODIS MCD12Q1), researchers found that most townships in these regions saw stable or increasing forest cover, with the policies outperforming socioeconomic factors like population density and road infrastructure. These findings underscore the effectiveness of coordinated conservation strategies for both biodiversity protection and sustainable land management.
Shaking Table Test on Dynamic Response of Bedding Rock Slopes With Weak Structural Plane Under Earthquake
A shaking table test revealed that bedding rock slopes with weak structural planes exhibit significant seismic response variations under different earthquake conditions, particularly demonstrating 'elevation' and 'surface effects.' These effects weaken as seismic amplitude increases but become more pronounced with resonance induced by specific seismic waves, such as the EL Centro wave. The study identified a two-stage failure mechanism: initial formation of a sliding shear plane followed by overall slope instability. Conducted at a 1:10 similarity ratio, the test analyzed acceleration and displacement responses to simulate earthquakes like Wenchuan Wolong and Kobe, providing critical insights for understanding and mitigating seismic risks in fragile geological settings.
Tube-nosed variations–a new species of the genus Murina (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from China
Researchers have identified a new species of tube-nosed bat within the genus Murina from China, specifically found in Wolong National Nature Reserve. This discovery, though currently limited to this site, suggests that the species may not be rare in the area based on capture frequencies observed during the study. The study employed fieldwork and morphological analysis to distinguish this new species, contributing valuable insights to the understanding of bat diversity within UNESCO-listed Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries.
Fine-Scale Evaluation of Giant Panda Habitats and Countermeasures against the Future Impacts of Climate Change and Human Disturbance (2015–2050): A Case Study in Ya’an, China
A comprehensive study predicts that giant panda habitats in Ya’an, China, will expand under climate change alone but shrink significantly (58.56%) when human disturbance is factored in, with suitable habitat shifting westward, northward, and eastward. Unlike previous research showing habitat loss due to climate change, this study found potential increases, emphasizing the critical role of human activity in shaping conservation outcomes. The research used MaxEnt modeling under two scenarios—climate change alone and coupled with human disturbance—to identify priority regions for expansion within the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries UNESCO World Heritage site. It also highlighted gaps in current conservation networks, suggesting two specific areas for future protection based on high-resolution remote-sensing data and field investigations.
Eco-Restoration on the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries after 4.20 Earthquake
The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, including Wolong, Mt Siguniang, and Jiajin Mountains, suffered significant ecological damage following the 2013 Lushan earthquake. This disaster not only devastated local infrastructure and livelihoods but also disrupted the natural ecosystem, leading to changes in geomorphic features and casualties among wildlife, including the critically endangered giant panda. The study assesses the extent of this damage, highlighting its implications for biodiversity conservation. Given the giant panda's status as a global symbol of wildlife protection, recognized by UNESCO and organizations like IUCN and WWF, the findings underscore the urgent need for targeted eco-restoration strategies to preserve these sanctuaries. The research provides critical insights into post-disaster ecological recovery, offering a foundation for reconstructing damaged habitats and safeguarding one of China's most iconic species.
Highway construction and protection of sichuan giant panda sanctuaries
A planned highway threatens the authenticity and integrity of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, by passing through its buffer or core zones. The study highlights significant environmental stress and ecological impacts during construction and operation phases. To mitigate these effects, the research proposes specialized management measures aimed at reducing adverse consequences on this critical habitat for giant pandas.
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