Impact of earthquakeinduced landslide on the habi

Authors: Qingkai Meng Fang Miao Jing Zhen Yan Huang Xinyuan Wang Ying Peng

Publish Date: 2016/10/18

Volume: 13, Issue: 10, Pages: 1789-1805

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Abstract

Massive geological landslides and unstable landslide areas were triggered by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake These landslides caused deaths damaged infrastructure and threatened endanger species This study analyzed the impact of landslides on giant pandas and their habitats from the following aspects threatening pandas’ lives damaging pandas’ habitat influencing giant panda behavior increasing habitat fragmentation the final aspect and blocking gene flow by cutting off corridors A habitat suitability map was created by integrating the landslide factors with other traditional factors based on a logistics regression method According to the landslide inventory map there are 1313 landslides 818 rock debris flows 117 rock avalanches and 43 mud flows occurred in the study area A correlation analysis indicated that landslides caused the pandas to migrate and the core landslides within 1 km2 had greater influence on panda migration These core landslides primarily occurred in midaltitude regions characterized by high slopes old geological ages large areas and large rock mass volumes The habitat suitability assessment results for the Wolong Natural Reserve had better prediction performance 809 and demonstrated that 145 159 205 476 and 15 of the study area can be classified as very high high moderate low and very low giant panda suitability areas respectively This study can be used to inform panda and panda habitat research management and protection during postquake reconstruction and recovery periods in China

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