Habitat Selection by Red Pandas in Fengtongzhai Natural Reserve

From April to November,2002, we studied the habitat selection of red pandas by using Resource Selection Functions and Resource Selection Index in Fengtongzhai Natural Reserve, Qionglai Mountains. The results indicated that the key factors notably influenced on habitat selection were the water source, bamboo basal diameter and shrub density. The secondary key factors were the slope position, tree stump density and fallen log density. The secondary factors were the slope aspect and tree density. The random factors were the canopy, slope degree, vegetation type, tree height, shrub height, tree stump height, tree hole density and human disturbance. Red pandas preferred to select the coniferous forest and broad-leaved coniferous forest located in the middle or the higher parts of the hillside in our study area with water source close by (250 m), finer bamboo growth (basal diameter4.0mm), higher density of tree and shrub (1.5 culms/20 m~2) and abundant tree stumps and fallen logs. The red panda preferred to choose habitats with a southward aspect. Resource selection functions is a log-linear model: logit(P)=-13.527-3.180×water distance + 2.702×bamboo basal diameter + 2.582×shrub density + 2.134×tree stump density + 2.104×slope position + 1.622×fallen log density-1.066×slope aspect + 0.934×tree density…… From this model, we can estimate a habitat selection probability:P=e~(logit (P)) / (1+e~(logit(P)))