Investigation of the suitable habitat for giant pandas and optimization of protected areas under the coupling of the maxent and marxan models: a case study of the Qionglai Mountains region
- 1School of Geosciences and Technology, Southwest Petroleum University, No. 8 Xindu Avenue, Xindu District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province 610500 China
- 2Sichuan Academy of Forestry, Chengdu, Sichuan Province China
- 3Sichuan Academy of Giant Panda, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610081 China
Abstract
Taking the Qionglai Mountains region as a case study, this paper undertakes research on the identification of suitable habitats for giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and the optimization of protected areas by leveraging the coupling approach of the MaxEnt and Marxan models. Environmental variables were screened using the jackknife method. The annual mean temperature, the temperature of the coldest month, the temperature of the driest quarter, the temperature of the coldest quarter, and elevation were identified as the primary influencing factors. The MaxEnt model was then employed to predict the potential suitable habitats for giant pandas. The results indicate that the area of highly suitable habitats accounts for 6.83% of the total region. These habitats are distributed in a zonal pattern along the mountains, mainly concentrated in Wenchuan and Baoxing counties. The optimization analysis using the Marxan model reveals that while the existing protected areas cover most of the highly suitable habitats, there are still notable conservation gaps in the western part of Li County and the central part of Mao County. Based on these findings, an optimization plan for protected areas is proposed. Specifically, it involves expanding the Wolong, Fengtongzhai, and Longxi - Hongkou nature reserves; establishing new nature reserves with areas of 364.34 km² in Li County and 739.71 km² in Mao County; and maintaining the existing boundaries of the Siguniang Mountain, Baishuihe, and Jiuding Mountain nature reserves. This plan can enhance habitat connectivity and facilitate genetic exchange among populations. It provides a scientific foundation for the conservation of giant pandas in the Qionglai Mountains and the construction of national parks.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-026-02548-2.
Related
- Nicotiana tabacum and Vitis vinifera as suitable growth-chamber models for microinjection-based studies of Xylella fastidiosa
- Depth-resolved carbon-pool composition and climate-scenario sensitivity across contrasting peatland sites in the Altai Mountains
- Response of Non-Structural Carbohydrates in Picea crassifolia to Elevation Gradients in the Qilian Mountains
- Animal Biodiversity during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene in the Zagros Mountains: Evidence from the Wezmeh Cave
- Multi-Trait Characterization and Selection of Elite Wild Kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) Germplasm from the Dabie Mountains of Hubei, China
BibTeX
@article{xie2026investigation,
title = {{Investigation of the suitable habitat for giant pandas and optimization of protected areas under the coupling of the maxent and marxan models: a case study of the Qionglai Mountains region}},
author = {Liang Xie and Jianlan Liu and Yijia Xu and Yuyu Shi and Chengwu Wang and Hui Chen and Qiao Zhang and Zhoufeng Wang and Jinxiao Li},
journal = {BMC Ecology and Evolution},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s12862-026-02548-2},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-026-02548-2},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Investigation of the suitable habitat for giant pandas and optimization of protected areas under the coupling of the maxent and marxan models: a case study of the Qionglai Mountains region
AU - Liang Xie
AU - Jianlan Liu
AU - Yijia Xu
AU - Yuyu Shi
AU - Chengwu Wang
AU - Hui Chen
AU - Qiao Zhang
AU - Zhoufeng Wang
AU - Jinxiao Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/27
JO - BMC Ecology and Evolution
DO - 10.1186/s12862-026-02548-2
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-026-02548-2
AB - Taking the Qionglai Mountains region as a case study, this paper undertakes research on the identification of suitable habitats for giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and the optimization of protected areas by leveraging the coupling approach of the MaxEnt and Marxan models. Environmental variables were screened using the jackknife method. The annual mean temperature, the temperature of the coldest month, the temperature of the driest quarter, the temperature of the coldest quarter, and elevation were identified as the primary influencing factors. The MaxEnt model was then employed to predict the potential suitable habitats for giant pandas. The results indicate that the area of highly suitable habitats accounts for 6.83% of the total region. These habitats are distributed in a zonal pattern along the mountains, mainly concentrated in Wenchuan and Baoxing counties. The optimization analysis using the Marxan model reveals that while the existing protected areas cover most of the highly suitable habitats, there are still notable conservation gaps in the western part of Li County and the central part of Mao County. Based on these findings, an optimization plan for protected areas is proposed. Specifically, it involves expanding the Wolong, Fengtongzhai, and Longxi - Hongkou nature reserves; establishing new nature reserves with areas of 364.34 km² in Li County and 739.71 km² in Mao County; and maintaining the existing boundaries of the Siguniang Mountain, Baishuihe, and Jiuding Mountain nature reserves. This plan can enhance habitat connectivity and facilitate genetic exchange among populations. It provides a scientific foundation for the conservation of giant pandas in the Qionglai Mountains and the construction of national parks. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-026-02548-2.
SN - 2730-7182
ER -