The current distribution and prediction of suitable habitat of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in China

LIU Ke; LIU Yanlin; LI Sheng

doi:10.16829/j.slxb.150801

ACTA THERIOLOGICA SINICA >

2023 , Vol. 43 >Issue 6: 652 - 663

DOI: https://doi.org/10.16829/j.slxb.150801

ORIGINAL PAPERS

The current distribution and prediction of suitable habitat of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in China

LIU Ke ,
LIU Yanlin ,
LI Sheng

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1 School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
2 College of Life Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810016, China;
3 Chinese Felid Conservation Alliance, Beijing 101121, China

Received date: 2023-04-21

Revised date: 2023-07-07

Online published: 2023-07-07

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Abstract

Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is widely distributed in northern Eurasia and, is one of the top predators in arid and semi-arid ecosystems in China and plays a significant role in maintaining ecosystem balance. Since the mid-20th century, the Eurasian lynx in China has experienced dramatic population decline and range contraction. However, our knowledge on its distribution status and dynamics is still very limited, which is a critical obstacle to developing specific conservation planning and action. To determine the current distribution of Eurasian lynx in China, we conducted a comprehensive search from multiple sources, including camera-trapping datasets, literature databases, and news reports, on the occurrence records of this species in China from 2010 to 2022. A total of 155 confirmed occurrence records of Eurasian lynx were obtained and were used to construct a species distribution model to predict its suitable habitat across China using MaxEnt with 24 environmental variables of 4 categories. The results showed that Eurasian lynx is currently distributed in 9 provinces, among which Neimenggu has the most occurrence records (n = 28). The result of cluster analysis showed that these occurrence sites could be grouped into three distinct spatial clusters: northeast, northwest, and southwest China. The averaged model AICc was the lowest when the regularization multiplier (RM) was 4 for the MaxEnt model and the mean AUC of the 10 candidate models was 0.814, indicating good performance of model prediction. The total area of the model predicted suitable habitat in China is 328.74×10⁴ km², mainly located in northern Heilongjiang, northeastern Neimenggu, northwestern Sichuan, eastern Xizang, Altai, Tianshan and Kunlun Mountains in Xinjiang, and the Qilian Mountains along the border of Qinghai and Gansu. Annual mean temperature, precipitation of driest month and land cover type were the most important factors affecting the habitat suitability of Eurasian lynx in China. Compared to the species range map provided by IUCN, the Tianshan-Altai Mountain Region, northeastern Neimenggu, parts of western Sichuan, and the Qilian Mountains were probably omitted during the IUCN species assessment, and further studies are urgently needed to examine the population and distribution status of Eurasian lynx in these regions.

Key words： Eurasian lynx; Large carnivores; Species range map; Suitable habitat; Species distribution model; Cameratrapping

Cite this article

LIU Ke , LIU Yanlin , LI Sheng . The current distribution and prediction of suitable habitat of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in China[J]. ACTA THERIOLOGICA SINICA, 2023 , 43(6) : 652 -663 . DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.150801

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