Global Change in Mountain Sites：Coping strategies for Changbai Mountain Biosphere Reserve WANG SHAO-XIANa, PIAO ZHENG-JIa∗, Shao Guo-fanb,WANG ZHUO-CONGa, WANG CHAOa, LUO YU-MEIa, SUI YA-CHENGa a Changbaishan Sciences and Research Institute of Jilin Province, Antu 133613, China bDepartment of Forestry and Natural Resources,Purdue University,West Lafayette,IN 47907,USA Changbai Mountain is one of more complete natural ecosystems in China, even in the world, which has a mountain and forest ecosystem of complete vegetation vertical distribution of zone(Taoyan, 1994). As a typical temperate mixed forest ecosystem, the broad-leaved Korean pine forest of Changbai Mountain has a significant impact on health of ecosystem. Especially when global change has been the hot spot, people are focusing on the impact of global change on Changbai Mountain nature reserve and its response to global change (Zhang Xinshi, Zhou Guangsheng, Gao Qiong, et al,1997). Ecosystem of Changbai Mountain is important to global change research in the east of Northeast China（Zhou Guangshseng, Wang Yuhui, Jiang Yanling,2002）. The annual average temperature in 1995 was 0.4 higher than the past 30 years(Climate Monitoring Bulletin of National Meteorological Center,1995).Not only the academia, but also the public and the government are all concern about the global warming, greenhouse effect and global change in recent years. The response, feedback to global change from ecosystem and function and process of ecosystem has become a focus of research on global change at present in the international. Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystem (GCTE) which is a central project researched in International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP) has become the most active and expanding project (W. Steffen et.al.2005). People are very concerned about the future global climate change in ecology. Changbai Mountain is located in the high latitudes zone, and life here has many characteristics and biological diversity. It will become an important zone for research on global change, which is also an ideal area for study the impact of climate change on animals. So wildlife conservation and habitat management also face with many challenges. 1. Study area The nature reserve of Changbai Mountain biosphere is located in the east of Eurasia of the North Temperate Zone, which is in the southeast of Jilin Province, and adjacent to the North Korea. Geographic coordinates in latitude are 41°41'49"~42°25'18"N, in longitude are 127°42'55"~128°16'48"E.The vegetation we investigated are tundra, mountain birch forests, coniferous forests, mixed coniferous and broadleaf forests, wetlands, grasslands and rivers, etc. Because of pacific monsoon, nature reserve has the mountain climate characteristic of inland ∗Corresponding author：E-mail; [email protected] 1 and four distinctive seasons. The annual average temperature of Changbai Mountain biosphere Nature Reserve is from 3.3 to -7.3, and the average temperature in July is from 8.7 to 19.3,in January is from -23.3 to -16.1. The lowest temperature that has been recorded is -44 in Baiyun Peak. Annual precipitation is from 700 to 1240mm, and annual amount of radiation is 124.01 Kcal/m2, and frost-free period is from 60 to 123 days. The main vegetation type are broad-leaved Korean pine forest which are made of korean pine, some broad-leaved trees and some trees of south Okhotsk and arctic pole vegetation zone.From the edge of Natural Reserve to volcanic cone, there are four vertical vegetation landscapes with elevation increasing. The fauna of Changbai Mountain belongs to sub region of Changbai Mountain in the northeast of palaearctic realm. Some composition of north China of palaearctic realm and widely distributed species of the world also distribute here. The Nature Reserve of Changbai Mountain biosphere is founded in 1960. It joined the "Man and Biosphere" (MAB) program of UNESCO in 1980, and became one of world biosphere reserves. It is approved as a national nature reserve by the State Council in 1986 and was named as the AAAA level tourist area by the National Tourism Administration in 2000. There are 5 forestry bureaus, about 10 adjacent forest factories and 22 natural towns and villages of around the nature reserve. 2. Methods This project gathered the number of key animal species, changes of water flow, land use, demographic changes and socio-economic conditions, etc in Changbai Mountain biosphere nature reserve and surrounding areas by collecting historical data, field surveys and interviews. Field surveys verified the interviews of the land use and water yield changes of major rivers in recent years. By using the satellite images, land use and water resources (including the type of vegetation, road distribution, farmlands, deforestation, forest management, river distribution and residential area) and historical changes were analyzed. The data for analysis in report including: 1)30 years long-term monitoring data of the key animal resources; 2) topographic maps and aerial photos or satellite images for many years; 3) climate change data (extreme weather, including snow depth, rainfall, wind, high or low temperature, etc.); 4) land use change data and land use map; 5) demographic changes and socio-economic data; 6) basic river and hydrological data. 3. Animal resource of Changbai Mountain biosphere nature reserve 3.1 The composition of animal resource According to historical records, there are 373 species of vertebrates in the area of Changbai Mountain biosphere nature reserve, including 9 species of amphibians, 12 species of reptiles, 24 species of fish, 277 species of birds (Zhengjie ZHAO, 1983), 51 species of mammals (Institute of 2 Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1958). From 1965 to 2010, by our field investigation, 302 species are collected and met in the reserve while 71 species have no data. Among them, 8 species consist of Sable(Martes zibellina,),Leopard( Panthera pardus),Tiger (Panthera tigris longipilis), Sika Deer(Cervus Nippon), Golden Eagle(Aquila chrysaeto),Black Stork(Ciconia nigra),Oriental Stork(Ciconia boyciana),Scaly-sided Merganser(Mergus squamatus) belong to first class national protected animals, and 45 species belong to second class protected national animals, such as Black Bear( Setenarctos thibetanus), Brown Bear(Ursw arctos, Lutra lutra),Eurasian Lynx( Felis lynx),Red Deer( Ceruus elaphus), Musk Deer(Moschus moschiferus),Hazel Grouse(Tetrastes bonasia), Oriental Honey-buzzard(Pernis ptilorhyncus), Euraian Eagle Owl(Bubo bubo) etc (Table 1). Tab.1 The number of species collected and investigated, and no date but documented in Changbai Mountain biosphere nature reserve（1965~2010） The number of State protection Species The number of species No date Group species collected 1 type 2 type documented Amphibians 9 9 0 0 0 Reptiles 12 9 3 0 0 Birds 277 230 47 4 35 Fishes 24 13 11 0 0 Mammals 51 41 10 4 10 total 373 302 71 8 45 3.2 Status of animal resources In Changbai Mountain biosphere nature reserve, endangered animals are 19 species, including 6 species of birds, 8 species of beasts, 1 species of amphibians, 1 species of reptiles. The species that have disappeared is 9, including 1 species of birds, 5 species of beasts, 1 species of fishes, 2 species of amphibians. The species which are vulnerable is 41, including 32 species of birds, 4 species of beasts, 1 species of amphibians, 2species of reptiles. The uncertain species is 28（Table 2）. Table 2 Numbers of species and endangered and threatened species in the Changbaishan Biosphere Reserve Species Group Endangered Disappeared Vulnerable Uncertain Amphibians 1 2 1 0 Reptiles 1 0 2 1 Birds 6 1 32 20 Fishes 3 1 2 2 Mammals 8 5 4 5 total 19 9 41 28 3 3.3 The number changes of main animals Dynamic analysis of the number of animals of Changbai Mountain biosphere nature reserve in recent 30 years showed that key species tended to decrease. The number of ungulates from 1980 to 2000 declined sharply, and slowly rose from 2000 to 2010, but slightly (Figure 1). In the ungulates, Common goral(Naemorhedus goral)and Sika deer(cervus nippons) have disappeared. The number of Wild boar(sus scrofes)and Roe deer(capreolus capreoluses)declined particularly significantly. The number of bears was a gradual decline in cyclical (Figure 2). The number of Common otter(Lutra lutra) declined significantly (Piao Zheng-ji, Sui Ya-chen, Wang Qun, et al.2011), which was consistent with river aquatic biomassdecline (Figure 3). Large carnivore such as Tiger and Leopard once distributed in the Changbai Mountain nature reserve and surrounding areas in 1960s to 1970s, and the number was about 13. Studies suggest that the species have disappeared in Changbai Mountain nature reserve and surrounding areas in mid-1980s（Piao Zheng-ji,Sui Ya-chen, Cui Zhi-gang,et al.2011）. The survey results in Changbai Mountain nature reserve from 2007 to 2010 showed that squirrels(Sciurus vulgaris), Roe deer and Wild boar( sus scrofes) were in larger quantities, followed mustelidae animals. Red Deer, bear branch animals and cats are very few, but no canine(Genus Canis) (Tab.3). 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 means(in/km) 1 0.5 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 years Fig.1The number of ungulate dynamic change in Changbai Mountain biosphere nature reserve 0.45 0.40 0.35 0.30 0.25 0.20 0.15 means(in/km) 0.10 0.05 0.00 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008 year Fig.2 The number of bear dynamics change in Changbai Mountain biosphere nature reserve 4 160 250 140 Number 200 ） 120 Biomass 100 150 80 60 100 Number 40 50 Biomass(g) 20 （ 0 0 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Year Fig.