Reserve gap analysis of endangered brown eared pheasant (Crossoptilon mantchuricum) through GIS and MaxEnt technology.

The nature reserve design and networks are all important for wildlife and habitat conservation. Geographical information system (GIS) and MaxEnt model are efficient and most reliable tool in setting habitat conservation priorities for nature specially endangered species. Brown eared pheasant is an endangered mountain pheasant endemic in China. Presently, the brown eared pheasant has three isolated populations,which were the western population in Shaanxi Province, the central population in Shanxi Province, and the eastern population in Hebei Province and Beijing. The current distribution area of three populations of brown eared pheasant were delimited by the minimum convex polygon method (MCP) base on current distribution points, and set the 20 km buffer distance outside the distribution region as the study area. Eight national nature reserves and eight provincial nature reserves were instituted for protecting brown eared pheasant and its habitat in the study area. MaxEnt model was used to obtain the current potential suitable habitat base on 11 environmental variables and 45 current distributing sites. All of the training OR was 0.10, and all of the test OR was 0.35. The AUC results revealed a training average AUC of 0.957 5, test average AUC of 0.898 5, and AUC standard deviation of 0.040 6, indicative of good model prediction performance. 10th percentile training presence logistic threshold (0.30) was used to divide the Presence/Absence map. Then we analyzed the protection condition of reserves for suitable habitat in the GIS10.0 software. The suitable habitat of 18 896 km2 located outside the reserves, which should be considered for protection. The provincial nature reserves play the crucial link roles, and to keep the integrity and continuity of the suitable habitat for brown eared pheasant is important. Local conservation departments should confirm reserve boundary and set GIS analysis layer of provincial nature reserves for reserves network planning and design to provide technical support in the future.