东北地区水獭分布格局与保护优先区识别

Distribution pattern and identification of conservation priority areas of the otter in Northeast China

水獭是水生生态系统重要的指示种和旗舰种,由于强烈的人为干扰,中国的水獭种群数量大幅下降,部分区域已局部灭绝。然而目前国内对水獭的调查和研究非常有限,本底不清的状况已经严重影响到水獭的野外保育工作。本文以东北地区的欧亚水獭指名亚种(Lutra lutra lutra)为研究对象,基于2016-2020年的调查数据,使用组合建模的方法评估了水獭的潜在分布区;利用地理信息系统和系统保护规划软件分析了水獭的保护优先区并计算了各省级行政区内水獭潜在分布区和保护优先区面临的人类压力;结合国家级自然保护区的空间布局分析了水獭的保护现状,并以内蒙古森工集团、大兴安岭林业集团、伊春森工集团三大国有林区为例分析了重点国有林区在水獭保护中的作用。结果表明:(1)水獭潜在分布区和保护优先区面积分别为104,515.04 km^(2)和45,448.99 km^(2),其中大兴安岭的水獭保护优先区集中连片,并与小兴安岭的保护优先区相连,栖息地之间没有明显地理隔离,是维持东北地区水獭种群稳定的重中之重;(2)水獭面临的人类压力大小依次为:辽宁>吉林>黑龙江>内蒙古;(3)研究区内110个国家级自然保护区中有63个包含水獭潜在分布区,覆盖面积为12,168.93 km^(2),仅占水獭潜在分布区面积的11.64%,其中32个国家级自然保护区包含水獭保护优先区,占水獭保护优先区面积的10.88%;(4)三大国有林区涵盖了71.18%的水獭潜在分布区和79.26%的保护优先区(面积分别为74,390.89 km^(2)和36,022.22 km^(2))。由此可见,尽管水獭潜在分布区中国家级自然保护区占比较低,但是在天然林全面禁伐的背景下,重点国有林区可能在未来东北地区的生物多样性保护中发挥更大作用,因此我们建议将重点国有林区中具有重要保护价值的区域逐步纳入以国家公园为主体的自然保护地体系中,以实现生物多样性的系统性和完整性保护。最后,本文结合研究结果和实地调研提出以下保护建议:(1)加强对河流污染物的管理;(2)控制渔民捕鱼强度;(3)开展全面的水獭专项调查并建立长期的监测体系;(4)加大对水獭的科研投入;(5)加强宣传力度,提升公众保护意识。

Aims:The otter is an indicator and flagship species of aquatic ecosystems.Its populations have undergone a drastic decline in China,and have become locally extinct in some regions due to anthropogenic disturbance.However,the current literature on otters in China is inadequate,which has subsequently affected conservation of the species.We aim to assess the potential distribution and conservation priority areas of the Eurasian otter(Lutra lutra)in Northeast China.Methods:In this study,we integrated species distribution models with otter survey data from 2016 to 2020 to assess Eurasian otter distribution.Then,we used the geographic information system and core-area zonation algorithm in Zonation 4.00 to identify conservation priority areas for otter protection.Using the anthropogenic pressures layer,we also evaluated anthropogenic stressors in each province.Then,we analyzed the conservation status of the otter based on the spatial distribution of national nature reserves.Furthermore,we used Inner Mongolia Forest Industry Group,Daxing’anling Forestry Group and Yichun Forest Industry Group as case studies to analyze the role of state-owned forest areas for otter conservation.Results:The results demonstrate that potential distribution and conservation priority areas cover 104,515.04 km^(2)and 45,448.99 km^(2),respectively.Large swathes of conservation priority areas remain for the otter in Daxing’anling which are connected with conservation priority areas in Xiaoxing’anling and there is no obvious geographical boundary between them.Therefore,these regions are mandatory to conserve to maintain the stability of otter populations in Northeast China.Otters in the Liaoning Province faced the greatest anthropogenic pressures,followed by the Jilin Province and Heilongjiang Province.Otters in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region faced the lowest amount of pressure.There is potential distribution for the otter in 63 nature reserves and conservation priority areas in 32 nature reserves out of the 110 reserves in the region.The study area includes 11.64%of the otter’s potential distribution and 10.88%of conservation priority areas.Three state-owned forest industry groups cover 71.18%of the potential distribution of the otter(74,390.89 km^(2))and 79.26%of the conservation priority areas(36,022.22 km^(2)).Conclusions:This study indicates that state-owned forest areas may play a greater role in the protection of biodiversity following a comprehensive ban on logging in natural forests.Therefore,we propose that areas with important conservation value in state-owned forest land should be gradually included under the protections of national parks in order to achieve systematic and complete protection of biodiversity.Finally,we suggest:(1)strengthening the management of river pollutions;(2)reducing fishing intensity;(3)a long-term field monitoring network be established to study population changes in otters;(4)increasing the investment in scientific research on otters;and(5)raising awareness of otter conservation through public education.