Comparative analysis of trophic niche using stable isotopes provides insight into resource use of giant pandas  

作　　者：Wanxin LEI Wei WEI Dan PU Shibu QUBI Hong ZHOU Mingsheng HONG Junfeng TANG Han HAN 

机构地区：[1]Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation(Ministry of Education),China West Normal University,Nanchong,China [2]Liziping Giant Panda’s Ecology and Conservation Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province,Nanchong,China [3]Meigu Dafengding National Nature Reserve Administration,Liangshan,China

出　　处：《Integrative Zoology》2024年第6期1151-1162,共12页整合动物学(英文版)

基　　金：funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32270552 and 32070524);the Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province(2022JDJQ0060 and 2022JDR0033).

摘　　要：Trophic niche is the result of the long-term evolution of species and can reflect the pressures they experience in habitats.The whole-genome sequencing of giant pandas(Ailuropoda melanoleuca)has indicated that populations distributed in Qinling(QIN)and non-QIN probably diverged 300 ky ago.Although many studies regarding foraging strategy,habitat preference,and niche partition have been conducted on these populations,there is still a lack of precise quantification of trophic niches.Here,we calculated and compared isotopic trophic niche widths of giant pandas from Sichuan(SC)and QIN populations by measuring carbon and nitrogen isotopes of their hairs;combined with data from sympatric mammals,we explored the relative trophic positions of giant pandas in the ecosystem,respectively.The Stable Isotope Bayesian Ellipses in R(SIBER)model results showed the trophic niche width of QIN pandas was 3.44‰2,which was significantly bigger than those of the SC population(2.03‰2),with an overlapping about 1.45‰2;and they both occupied a unique position in the context,almost one trophic level lower than herbivores.Then,we determined the isotopic ratios of the main foods from the habitats of these pandas;the results suggested that the isotopic difference between bamboo shoots and other parts plus the various feeding selections of pandas on them accounted for pandas’trophic niche widths.We considered the higher nutrition availability and digestible food resources giving QIN pandas a wider trophic niche than pandas from SC.This conclusion provides a new insight into the resource use and trophic ecology of giant pandas and is important to develop refined management plans for the two populations.

关 键 词：giant panda niche width stable isotope trophic position 

分 类 号：O57[理学—粒子物理与原子核物理]