Demographic and Landscape Dynamics in Wolong Nature Reserve (China) for Giant Pandas

Jianguo (Jack) Liu, Michigan State University
Li An, University of Michigan
Scott Bearer, Michigan State University
Xiaodong Chen, Michigan State University
Guangming He, Michigan State University
Clinton Jenkins, Michigan State University
Marc Linderman, Michigan State University
Zhiyun Ouyang, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hemin Zhang, Wolong Nature Reserve

Wolong Nature Reserve is a flagship protected area in southwestern China designated to conserve the endangered giant pandas. Since its establishment in 1975, there have been dramatic changes in human population size, population structure, birth, death, and spatial distribution. In the same time, land use and land cover have also experienced significant modifications. High-quality habitat for the panda was lost faster after the reserve was created, and the fragmentation of high-quality habitat became far more severe. To reverse this trend, the Chinese government has been implementing three new policies during the past couple of years. In this talk, the authors will describe major demographic and landscape changes, analyze the interrelationships between demographic and landscape dynamics, illustrate demographic responses to government policies, and discuss the complex interactions among people, policies, and panda habitat.