Abstract：White-lipped deer (Cervus albirostris)is endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,however,little is known about its habitat selection. We conducted surveys on summer habitat selection by white-lipped deer with the trace method and direct observation method between June and August in 2009 and between July and August in 2011 in the Chaqingsongduo White-lipped Deer National Nature Reserve. Eight ecological factors were measured in 195 quadrats in two main whitelipped deer ranges in the reserve: Ruodanggou and Maronggou. These ecological factors were vegetation type,altitude, slope position,slope gradient,slope direction,distance to water resource,sheltering condition and distance to human disturbances. Then we analyzed summer habitat characteristics of white-lipped deer with Vanderloeg and Scavia Election Index, and Principle Component Analyses (PCA)were used to identify the principle component in habitat selection by white lipped deer. The results showed that white-lipped deer preferred alpine steppe located on upper slopes of high altitude and habitat at a distance over 500 m to water resource. They also preferred sunny slope or shady slope habitat,but white-lipped deer avoided using rocky habitat,lower slope habitat,habitat where slope grade was over 60 degrees and half shady slope habitat. Statistical analyses showed that except for shelter condition and distance to human disturbance,the other 6 ecological factors had clear impacts on summer habitat selection by white-lipped deer. PCA indicated that the total contribution of
the first three principle components reached about 68.8%. Among them,contribution of first principle component was 39.76%, which mainly positively correlated with slope direction,slope and elevation;contribution of the second principle component was 16.32% which was mainly positively correlated with shelter condition and vegetation type;and the contribution of third principle component was 12.71% which was correlated with slope facing.
2014, Vol. 34 
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