Browsing by Author "Liu, Jianguo"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Hidden Loss of Wetlands in China.
    (Current biology : CB, 2019-09) Xu, Weihua; Fan, Xinyue; Ma, Jungai; Pimm, Stuart L; Kong, Lingqiao; Zeng, Yuan; Li, Xiaosong; Xiao, Yi; Zheng, Hua; Liu, Jianguo; Wu, Bingfang; An, Li; Zhang, Lu; Wang, Xiaoke; Ouyang, Zhiyun
    To counter their widespread loss, global aspirations are for no net loss of remaining wetlands [1]. We examine whether this goal alone is sufficient for managing China's wetlands, for they constitute 10% of the world's total. Analyzing wetland changes between 2000 and 2015 using 30-m-resolution satellite images, we show that China's wetlands expanded by 27,614 km2 but lost 26,066 km2-a net increase of 1,548 km2 (or 0.4%). This net change hides considerable complexities in the types of wetlands created and destroyed. The area of open water surface increased by 9,110 km2, but natural wetlands-henceforth "marshes"-decreased by 7,562 km2. Of the expanded wetlands, restoration policies contributed 24.5% and dam construction contributed 20.8%. Climate change accounted for 23.6% but is likely to involve a transient increase due to melting glaciers. Of the lost wetlands, agricultural and urban expansion contributed 47.7% and 13.8%, respectively. The increase in wetlands from conservation efforts (6,765 km2) did not offset human-caused wetland losses (16,032 km2). The wetland changes may harm wildlife. The wetland loss in east China threatens bird migration across eastern Asia [2]. Open water from dam construction flooded the original habitats of threatened terrestrial species and affected aquatic species by fragmenting wetland habitats [3]. Thus, the "no net loss" target measures total changes without considering changes in composition and the corresponding ecological functions. It may result in "paper offsets" and should be used carefully as a target for wetland conservation.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    ItemOpen Access
    Reassessing the conservation status of the giant panda using remote sensing
    (NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION, 2017-11-01) Xu, Weihua; Viña, Andrés; Kong, Lingqiao; Pimm, Stuart L; Zhang, Jingjing; Yang, Wu; Xiao, Yi; Zhang, Lu; Chen, Xiaodong; Liu, Jianguo; Ouyang, Zhiyun
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    The next widespread bamboo flowering poses a massive risk to the giant panda
    (Biological Conservation, 2019-06-01) Tian, Zhaoxue; Liu, Xuehua; Fan, Zhiyong; Liu, Jianguo; Pimm, Stuart L; Liu, Lanmei; Garcia, Claude; Songer, Melissa; Shao, Xiaoming; Skidmore, Andrew; Wang, Tiejun; Zhang, Yuke; Chang, Youde; Jin, Xuelin; Gong, Minghao; Zhou, Lingguo; He, Xiangbo; Dang, Gaodi; Zhu, Yun; Cai, Qiong
    The IUCN Red List has downgraded several species from “endangered” to “vulnerable” that still have largely unknown extinction risks. We consider one of those downgraded species, the giant panda, a bamboo specialist. Massive bamboo flowering could be a natural disaster for giant pandas. Using scenario analysis, we explored possible impacts of the next bamboo flowering in the Qinling and Minshan Mountains that are home to most giant pandas. Our results showed that the Qinling Mountains could experience large-scale bamboo flowering leading to a high risk of widespread food shortages for the giant pandas by 2020. The Minshan Mountains could similarly experience a large-scale bamboo flowering with a high risk for giant pandas between 2020 and 2030 without suitable alternative habitat in the surrounding areas. These scenarios highlight thus-far unforeseen dangers of conserving giant pandas in a fragmented habitat. We recommend advance measures to protect giant panda from severe population crashes when flowering happens. This study also suggests the need to anticipate and manage long-term risks to other downgraded species.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Transforming Protected Area Management in China.
    (Trends in ecology & evolution, 2019-07-10) Xu, Weihua; Pimm, Stuart L; Du, Ao; Su, Yang; Fan, Xinyue; An, Li; Liu, Jianguo; Ouyang, Zhiyun
    We discuss institutional reforms to China's protected area management. Currently (as elsewhere), protected areas suffer fragmented management, lack of a comprehensive classification, inadequate coverage of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and divided, inconsistent legislation. We recommend establishing a new system of protected area management that can address past difficulties by using ongoing institutional reforms as unprecedented opportunities.