Liu's team combined these criteria to define desirable habitat, then mapped it with satellite and remote sensing data. Their maps show prime panda habitat is being encroached upon by human settlements. They also more closely examined human population dynamics and found that in increased number of young people in the area have affected the pandas. Over time, the percentage of young people living in Wolong has increased. That means they have more labor force, more young people to go to the mountains to cut down the trees.
People perceive protected areas as the last resource for protecting biodiversity.
The team points to the need for integrating ecology with human demography and behavior as well as socioeconomics to understand the role of protected areas in fostering biodiversity around the globe. Our research integrates humans into the equation because human destruction is the most critical factor in the fate of the pandas. Environmental Press Releases Enter your email to receive the Environment News Service daily. All Rights Reserved. Inc. All Rights Reserved.