基于红外相机技术的亚洲狗獾生境选择及活动节律研究OA

Studying habitat selection and activity rhythms enhances our understanding of how animals interact with their environment and utilize ecological resources,thereby informing population management and species conservation.To investigate the habitat selection patterns and activity rhythms of Asian badgers(Meles leucurus)in arbor-shrub mixed communities,infrared camera traps were deployed in four national nature reserves in western Liaoning Province from January 2022 to June 2023.A total of 6810 independent detections of Asian badgers were obtained.Stepwise multiple linear regression showed that Asian badgers preferred habitats with greater tree cover,higher elevation,gentler slopes,shorter shrubs,and closer proximity to farmland.The habitat selection model was expressed as:Y=tree cover×0.351+elevation×0.05-slope×0.51-shrub height×0.192-distance to farmland×0.018,where Y represents the relative abundance index of Asian badgers at different camera points.One-way ANOVA and Least Significant Difference(LSD)analyses indicated that Asian badgers appeared significantly more frequently in coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forests than in broad-leaved or coniferous forests,showing a strong preference for mixed coniferous forest habitats.The diurnal index of the Asian badgers was less than the theoretical value of 13/24 throughout all 12 months,indicating that it was a typical nocturnal animal in this region.Kernel density estimation revealed a bimodal daily activity pattern with activity peaks occurring between 01:30-03:30 and 20:00-22:00.There was no significant difference in daily activity frequency and peak values between spring and fall(D=0.026,p=0.089),but significant differences were observed among the remaining seasons(p<0.01).The monthly activity intensity followed an inverted'U'shape throughout the year,with a sharp increase starting in March,peaking from April to June,and a declining trend observed from July to September.Activity intensity was extremely low from October to the following February.This study enhances our understanding of the habitat selection and activity rhythms of Asian badgers in arbor-shrub mixed communities and provides important implications for wildlife risk management in western Liaoning.