# Response Strategies of Giant Panda, Red Panda, and Forest Musk Deer to Human Disturbance in Sichuan Liziping National Nature Reserve

## TL;DR

This study examines how giant pandas, red pandas, and forest musk deer in a Chinese nature reserve respond to human disturbances, revealing species-specific spatiotemporal avoidance strategies.

## Contribution

The study provides a systematic analysis of multiple human disturbance types and species-specific responses in a single protected area, offering insights for biodiversity conservation.

## Key findings

- Seven types of human disturbance were identified, with cattle, goat, and walking disturbances being the most frequent.
- All three species adjusted their activity patterns to avoid peak disturbance times, showing temporal avoidance strategies.
- Red pandas showed the strongest response to disturbance, while forest musk deer showed no significant response.

## Abstract

Human disturbance drives global biodiversity loss by disrupting wildlife behavior and populations, yet multi-disturbance analyses in protected areas remain scarce. We examined three sympatric species, giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), red panda (Ailurus fulgens), and forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) in Sichuan Liziping Nature Reserve via infrared cameras, spatiotemporal analysis and Generalized Additive Models (GAM). Seven disturbance types were identified, with cattle, goat and walking disturbances dominant; disturbances peaked diurnally (12:00–14:00) in summer and winter, concentrating near settlements. The three species employed distinct spatiotemporal avoidance strategies. The GAM analysis revealed that the disturbance response was strongest in red pandas, marginally significant in giant pandas, and non-significant in forest musk deer. Our findings clarify species-specific adaptation mechanisms, providing scientific support for reserve management and human–wildlife coexistence.

The persistent expansion in the intensity and scope of human disturbance has become a key driver of global biodiversity loss, affecting wildlife behavior and population stability across multiple dimensions. As a characteristic symbiotic assemblage in the subalpine forest ecosystems of Sichuan, the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), red panda (Ailurus fulgens), and forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) exhibit significant research value in their responses to human disturbance. However, existing studies lack systematic analysis of multiple disturbances within the same protected area. This study was conducted in the Sichuan Liziping National Nature Reserve, where infrared camera traps were deployed using a kilometer-grid layout. By integrating spatiotemporal pattern analysis and Generalized Additive Models (GAM), we investigated the characteristics of human disturbance and the response strategies of the three species within their habitats. The results show that: (1) A total of seven types of human disturbance were identified in the reserve, with the top three by frequency being cattle disturbance, goat disturbance, and walking disturbance; (2) Temporally, summer and winter were high-occurrence seasons for disturbance, with peaks around 12:00–14:00, while the giant panda exhibited a bimodal diurnal activity pattern (10:00–12:00, 14:00–16:00), the red panda peaked mainly at 8:00–10:00, and the forest musk deer preferred crepuscular and nocturnal activity—all three species displayed activity rhythms that temporally avoided peak disturbance periods; (3) Spatially, giant pandas were sparsely distributed, red pandas showed aggregated distribution, and forest musk deer exhibited a multi-core distribution, with the core distribution areas of each species spatially segregated from high-disturbance zones; (4) GAM analysis revealed that the red panda responded most significantly to disturbance, the giant panda showed marginal significance, and the forest musk deer showed no significant response. This study systematically elucidates the spatiotemporal differences in responses to multiple human disturbances among three sympatric species within the same landscape, providing a scientific basis for the management of human activities, habitat optimization, and synergistic biodiversity conservation in protected areas. It holds practical significance for promoting harmonious coexistence between human and wildlife.