Important population viability analysis parameters for giant pandas(Aliuropoda melanoleuca)

Population viability analysis(PVA) is a tool to evaluate the risk of extinction for endangered species and aid conservation decision-making.The quality of PVA output is dependent on parameters related to population dynamics and life-history;however,it has been difficult to collect this information for the giant panda(Aliuropoda melanoleuca),a rare and endangered mammal native to China,confined to some 30 fragmented habitat patches.Since giant pandas are long-lived,mature late,have lower reproductive rates,and show little sexual dimorphism,obtaining data to perform adequate PVA has been difficult.Here,we develop a parameter sensitivity index by modeling the dynamics of six giant panda populations in the Minshan Mountains,in order to determine the parameters most influential to giant panda populations.Our data shows that the giant panda populations are most sensitive to changes in four female parameters:initial breeding age,reproductive rate,mortality rate between age 0 and 1,and mortality rate of adults.The parameter sensitivity index strongly correlated with initial population size,as smaller populations were more sensitive to changes in these four variables.This model suggests that demographic parameters of females have more influence on the results of PVA,indicating that females may play a more important role in giant panda population dynamics than males.Consequently,reintroduction of female individuals to a small giant panda population should be a high priority for conservation efforts.Our findings form a technical basis for the coming program of giant panda reintroduction,and inform which parameters are crucial to successfully and feasibly monitoring wild giant panda populations.

Important population viability analysis parameters for giant pandas(Aliuropoda melanoleuca)

Population viability analysis(PVA)is a tool to evaluate the risk of extinction for endangered species and aid conservation decision-making.The quality of PVA output is dependent on parameters related to population dynamics and life-history;however,it has been difficult to collect this information for the giant panda(Aliuropoda melanoleuca),a rare and endangered mammal native to China,confined to some 30 fragmented habitat patches.Since giant pandas are long-lived,mature late,have lower reproductive rates,and show little sexual dimorphism,obtaining data to perform adequate PVA has been difficult.Here,we develop a parameter sensitivity index by modeling the dynamics of six giant panda populations in the Minshan Mountains,in order to determine the parameters most influential to giant panda populations.Our data shows that the giant panda populations are most sensitive to changes in four female parameters:initial breeding age,reproductive rate,mortality rate between age 0 and 1,and mortality rate of adults.The parameter sensitivity index strongly correlated with initial population size,as smaller populations were more sensitive to changes in these four variables.This model suggests that demographic parameters of females have more influence on the results of PVA,indicating that females may play a more important role in giant panda population dynamics than males.Consequently,reintroduction of female individuals to a small giant panda population should be a high priority for conservation efforts.Our findings form a technical basis for the coming program of giant panda reintroduction,and inform which parameters are crucial to successfully and feasibly monitoring wild giant panda populations.

A motion characteristics modeled angular position sensor by nonlinear transfer of differential capacitance for miniaturized scanning mirrors

In this paper,an angular position sensor(APS)designed for a resonant miniaturized scanning mirror(M-SM)is presented.The APS operates based on the principle of differential variable capacitance,significantly expanding the detectable bandwidth from a few hertz to several kilohertz.By modeling the motion characteristics,the sampling rates of the biaxial scanning angles are 1473.6 times and 539.4 times higher than those of conventional sensors.Initially,the motion characteristics model is presented as a simple harmonic motion,converting sampled capacitance into continuous capacitance.Subsequently,the nonparallel state of the M-SM and sensor is transformed into a parallel state through the space coordinate system transformation.Furthermore,a 2D nonlinear angle transfer function is developed to convert the differential capacitance into an angle,thereby mitigating the nonlinear errors resulting from large angles.Achieving an accuracy better than 0.014°,the measuring range expands from±0.5729°(±10 mrad)to±5.026°(±87 mrad).Additionally,the capturing mode and tracking mode are proposed to monitor real-time angular changes of the M-SM with an accuracy of 0.017°.High-precision APSs have enhanced beam pointing accuracy and resolution and can thereby be used to advance the development of laser components,including light detection and ranging(LiDAR).