Oct. 24-26, 2009, Yingjie Overseas Exchange Center, Peking University, Beijing, China中文版

Giant Panda: the Evolutionary Dead-end?

Fuwen Wei

Institute Zoology, CAS, China

Abstract

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a flagship species of animal conservation and one of the most enigmatic creatures in the world, but is currently threatened by habitat loss, fragmentation, and human persecution. Previous researches in past century indicated that its long history of evolution, dietary specialization, habitat isolation, reproductive constraints and low diversity shown by some genetic markers have led to a perception that this is a species at an “evolutionary dead-end” destined for deterministic extinction in the modern world.

In this talk, I will examine this perception, based on our researches conducted in the past 25 years, by a comprehensive investigation of its evolutionary adaptation to special food, reproductive success, population trends, genetic diversity, and demographic history across its geographic range. In the end, we found most previous reasons for ‘dead-ends’ perception of the giant panda were actually deducted from relatively unsystematic studies, and more and more recent data suggest that the panda is not a species at an evolutionary dead-end, but in common with other large carnivores, has suffered demographically at the hands of human pressure. Conservation strategies should therefore focus on protection of wild habitat and the maintenance of the currently substantial regional genetic diversity, through active management of disconnected small populations such as translocation/reintroduction, habitat restoration and habitat corridor establishment.

Fuwen Wei

Institute Zoology, CAS, China

Biography

Dr. Wei Fu-wen is the professor of ecology and conservation biology at Institute of Zoology (IOZ), the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS). He is also the Vice Director of IOZ, and Director of CAS Key Lab of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology. Dr. Wei has been engaged in researches of the Chinese endangered species such as giant panda, red panda and primates for more than 20 years. Since 1984, he has been conducting ecological studies on the giant panda in the Minshan, Qionglai, Liangshan, Xiangling and Qinling mountain ranges, and has published over 140 scientific papers in English and Chinese. He has been the principal investigator of more than 20 national and international projects for the giant panda, red panda and primates, and has conducted several international collaborations in USA, UK, Australia, France, Spain and Japan. Dr. Wei has received several academic rewards from national and provincial levels, especially the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars by National Natural Science Foundation of China in year 2001, National Allowance Award by State Council of People Republic of China in year 2002. He is the secretary general of China Zoological Society, vice president of Mammalogical Society of China, member of Scientific Committee of Endangered Species of China, and member of Giant Panda Conservation and Management Specialist Group of State Forestry Administration.