Spatial Associations Between Residents’ Conservation Perceptions and Rare Bird Diversity: An Exploratory Study in Yancheng Coastal Wetlands, China

Coastal wetland protected areas face challenges from landscape change, bird conservation needs, and the tensions between conservation measures and local livelihoods. However, the spatial relationships between rare bird diversity and residents’ conservation-related perceptions remain poorly understood. This study adopted an integrated social-ecological framework combining landscape data from 2000 to 2023, rare bird distribution records, and resident survey data in the Yancheng Rare Birds National Nature Reserve, Jiangsu Province, China. Landscape pattern analysis quantified landscape change, spatial autocorrelation analysis assessed the associations between residents’ perceptions and rare bird diversity, and ordinal logistic regression examined factors associated with residents’ willingness to seek assistance from the reserve administration. The results showed a shift in landscape composition from 2000 to 2023: high-coverage grassland declined by 52.0%, while reservoirs and ponds expanded approximately fourfold. Mudflat area rebounded from its 2020 low to exceed its 2000 extent by 3.6% in 2023, and the CONNECT index increased overall from 4.10% to 5.88%. Rare birds (e.g., Grus japonensis and Ciconia boyciana) were recorded in the reserve’s core zone and adjacent areas. Residents expressed positive attitudes toward conservation, although their perceptions and willingness to seek administrative assistance varied with conservation-related livelihood impacts and direct ecological experience. Town-level mean scores for questionnaire items on residents’ perceptions of conservation-related conflicts and livelihood impacts showed a weak positive spatial association with bird diversity, with marked local heterogeneity. These patterns may reflect the spatial spillover of conservation benefits, mismatches between conservation costs and ecological benefits, and differences in residents’ direct perceptions of bird-related ecological value. The findings may inform conservation planning and community engagement in the Yancheng reserve by identifying local differences in residents’ perceptions and their spatial associations with rare bird diversity, with implications for sustainable wetland management that integrates biodiversity conservation and local livelihood needs.