Elucidating the spatial patterns of biodiversity and their driving mechanisms is crucial for predicting the impacts of environmental changes and informing conservation and management efforts. This study investigated the spatial distribution patterns of species in the Chengdu section of the Giant Panda National Park (GPNP), located in the western part of Sichuan Province, China, which provides a wide range of suitable habitats for diverse species and biotic communities. Species trace points data derived from the 4th National Survey on Giant Pandas were used to analyze the diversity and composition of mammals and gallinaceous birds among the five regions. The results indicated that the central regions comprising Dujiangyan Shi (DJYS), Chongzhou Shi (CZS), and Dayi Xian (DYX) exhibited higher α-diversity, whereas Qionglai Shi (QLS) and Pengzhou Shi (PZS) presented lower values across most indices, a pattern that was consistent with expectations of the mid-domain effect. However, Pielou's evenness index showed no significant differences among regions. β-diversity analysis revealed that species turnover was the dominant factor contributing to faunal heterogeneity among regions, with nestedness playing a relatively minor role. These findings highlight the necessity for coordinated conservation among the five regions within the Chengdu section of the GPNP, with a particular focus on improving habitat connectivity and establishing species dispersal corridors to maintain biodiversity. The study provides valuable insights for the development of targeted conservation strategies and the establishment of a long-term biodiversity monitoring system, which will enhance the ecological sustainability of the GPNP and contribute to the protection of isolated giant panda populations and their sympatric species.
Wang et al. (Sun,) studied this question.