Hua Junqin, Tian Shan, Lu Shuai, Zhu Ziqiang, Huang Xinjie, Tao Jisong, Li Jianqiang, Xu Jiliang
School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
Henan Liankangshan National Nature Reserve, Xinyang, 464000, China.
Avian Res. 2023;14:100092. doi: 10.1016/j.avrs.2023.100092. Epub 2023 Mar 15.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought massive shifts in human activities through a global blockade, directly affecting wildlife survival. However, the indirect impacts of changes in human activities are often easily overlooked. We conducted surveys of Reeves's Pheasant () and its sympatric species by camera traps in forest-type nature reserves in three different scenarios: pre-lockdown, lockdown and post-lockdown. An increase in livestock activities observed during the lockdown and post-lockdown period in our study area provided us an opportunity to investigate the indirect impact of the lockdown on wildlife. The pre-lockdown period was used as a baseline to compare any changes in trends of relative abundance index, activity patterns and temporal spacing of targeted species and livestock. During the lockdown period, the relative abundance index of livestock increased by 50% and there was an increase in daytime activity. Reeves's Pheasant showed avoidance responses to almost all sympatric species and livestock in three different periods, and the livestock avoidance level of Reeves's Pheasant during the lockdown period was significantly and positively correlated with the relative abundance index of livestock. Species-specific changes in activity patterns of study species were observed, with reduced daytime activities of Hog Badger and Raccoon Dog during and after the confinement periods. This study highlights the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on the responses of wildlife by considering the changes in their temporal and spatial use before, during and after lockdown. The knowledge gained on wildlife during reduced human mobility because of the pandemic aids in understanding the effect of human disturbances and developing future conservation strategies in the shared space, to manage both wildlife and livestock.
新冠疫情的爆发通过全球封锁使人类活动发生了巨大转变，直接影响了野生动物的生存。然而，人类活动变化的间接影响往往容易被忽视。我们通过相机陷阱在三种不同情景下（封锁前、封锁期间和封锁后）对白冠长尾雉（）及其同域物种进行了调查，这三种情景来自森林类型的自然保护区。在我们的研究区域，封锁期间和封锁后观察到家畜活动增加，这为我们研究封锁对野生动物的间接影响提供了一个机会。将封锁前的时期作为基线，以比较目标物种和家畜的相对丰度指数、活动模式和时间间隔趋势的任何变化。在封锁期间，家畜的相对丰度指数增加了50%，白天活动也有所增加。白冠长尾雉在三个不同时期对几乎所有同域物种和家畜都表现出回避反应，并且在封锁期间白冠长尾雉对家畜的回避程度与家畜的相对丰度指数显著正相关。观察到研究物种的活动模式存在物种特异性变化，猪獾和貉在禁闭期间及之后白天活动减少。这项研究通过考虑封锁前、期间和之后野生动物在时间和空间利用上的变化，突出了新冠疫情封锁对野生动物反应的影响。在疫情导致人类活动减少期间获得的关于野生动物的知识，有助于理解人类干扰的影响，并制定未来在共享空间中的保护策略，以管理野生动物和家畜。
