A review of the habitat restoration of giant pandas from 2012 to 2021: Research topics and advances

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a flagship species in nature conservation. Habitat degradation and fragmentation threaten the sustainable survival of giant pandas, and thus degraded habitats need to be restored and fragmented habitats require connection. In the past ten years, some new studies have emerged on the habitat restoration of giant pandas, yet no specialized reviews of this topic have been published. This paper reviews the habitat restoration of giant pandas based on related articles published between 2012 and 2021. Three principal research topics are identified and summarized: restoration effect, restoration requirements, and restoration considerations. The review demonstrates that some measures, such as protection projects and policies, controlling human disturbances and impacts, and natural recovery, contribute to the habitat restoration of giant pandas. Many issues related to artificial forests need to be addressed to clarify their role in habitat restoration. Many habitats with clear locations and types need restoration, especially those that are disturbed or threatened by human activities and some that are disturbed by natural disturbances such as earthquakes. To integrate consideration factors, a reference habitat should be established and well described. In addition, social and economic factors should not be ignored. More targeted studies of the habitat restoration of giant pandas are urgently needed, including theoretical, cross-scale, interdisciplinary, multi-factor, and long-term monitoring studies. This review provides a reference for future research work and a source of information for future restoration of giant panda habitat.