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Using UAV remote sensing to analyze the population and distribution of large wild herbivores

  • role： First author第一作者
  • Affiliation：

    Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101407, China

  • Email：shaoqq@igsnrr.ac.cn
  • Introduction：邵全琴(1962—　)，女，研究员，研究方向为生态系统监测与评估。E-mail：shaoqq@igsnrr.ac.cn
Quanqin SHAO13,  
  • Affiliation：

    Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101407, China

Xingjian GUO13,  
  • Affiliation：

    Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

Yuzhe LI1,  
  • Affiliation：

    Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610000, China

Yangchun WANG2,  
  • Affiliation：

    Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

Dongliang WANG1,  
  • Affiliation：

    Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

Jiyuan LIU1,  
  • Affiliation：

    Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

Jiangwen FAN1,  
  • Affiliation：

    Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101407, China

Fan YANG13

résumé

We used Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to conduct aerial surveys in the winter/spring of 2017 to determine the number and distribution of large wild herbivores and their effects on grassland ecosystems in Maduo County on the Qinghai–Tibet plateau. The effective area of the aerial surveys was 326.6 km2, and 23784 images were acquired. Interpretation tag libraries for UAV images were set up for wild animals, including Kiang, Tibetan gazelle, and blue sheep, and for livestock, such as yaks, Tibetan sheep, and horses. The population in the survey transect was obtained via the interpretation of human–computer interaction. Statistical methods based on cold- and warm-season grasslands for estimating densities and numbers were compared and verified using a synchronized ground survey and statistical data. The population estimates for kiang, Tibetan gazelle, blue sheep, domestic yak, Tibetan sheep, and horses were 17109, 15961, 9324, 70846, 102194, and 1156, respectively. The densities ranged from 1.15/km2 for kiang, 0.61/km2 for Tibetan gazelle, and 0.62/km2 for blue sheep to 7.34/km2 for domestic sheep. The ratio of large wild herbivores in sheep units to livestock in sheep units was 1∶4.5. The relationship between the distribution density of wild animals and the ecological factors of the habitat was analyzed. Kiangs preferred elevations of 4200 m to 4400 m, slopes of 2° to 5°, and grass cover of 60% to 80%. Tibetan gazelles preferred elevations of 4100 m to 4200 m or 4400 m to 4500 m, slopes of more than 5°, and grass cover of more than 80%. Blue sheep preferred elevations of 4100 m to 4200 m, slopes of more than 5°, and low grass cover. All wild species preferred areas that were close to water and far from roads. Compared with traditional ground survey methods, UAV remote sensing surveys of large wild herbivore populations are fast, economical, and reliable, and they provide an effective means to survey wild animals in the future.

mots-clés

UAV remote sensing;Yellow River source area;large wild herbivores;population;distribution patterns

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