After this barren land was "reborn", it was "affirmed" by the "desert elves"

Recently, the national second-level key protected wild animal, the goitered gazelle, has appeared frequently in Xinjiang, Gansu, Ningxia and other places. Especially in Zhongwei City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, after several generations of management, the barren land has turned into green mountains and clear waters, and the effective management of the desert has been "affirmed" by the "desert elves" - the goitered gazelle. "The duck knows first when the river water warms in spring", and animals have the final say on whether the environment is good or not.

The goiter is a typical wild animal that lives in desert and semi-desert areas. It is shaped like a gazelle. Because the throat of the male gazelle becomes enlarged and shaped like a goose throat during the estrus period, it is named "goiter".

Zhongwei is one of the important distribution areas of the goitered gazelle. In order to investigate the population size of the goitered gazelle in the area, since January 2024, the investigation team of the School of Ecology of Lanzhou University has cooperated with the Zhongwei Municipal Natural Resources Management Bureau to conduct a survey on the population and distribution of the goitered gazelle in Beishan and Xiangshan areas of Shapotou District, aiming to provide detailed scientific basis for the protection of this rare species.

In order to comprehensively assess the current status of the goitered gazelle population in Beishan and Xiangshan areas, the survey team conducted a survey using the line transect method, which is a widely used method in wildlife population surveys. By driving along a preset route for systematic observation and recording, the distribution pattern and population density of the target species can be effectively estimated.

During the field survey spanning two seasons, the survey team followed a carefully designed and planned survey route and used vehicles as observation platforms to record the occurrence of goitered gazelles in detail. At the same time, the survey team also recorded environmental variables such as vegetation types, terrain features, water source distribution, and human activities in the survey area to explore their potential associations with the distribution of goitered gazelles.

According to the density of the sample line and the number of observations, the survey results show that there are about 650-750 goitered gazelles in the entire observation area. Among them, the survey team observed and recorded 194 goitered gazelles in January 2024, excluding points that were too close and had similar numbers, a total of 312. In May, 142 observations were recorded, a total of 294. In July, 220 observations were recorded, a total of 280.

In the open semi-desert habitat of Beishan, the investigation team has repeatedly witnessed the spectacular scene of goitered gazelles foraging and running in groups. They usually move in family units, in groups of three or five, but there are also cases of individuals moving alone. They are relatively wary of humans and will often quickly flee a hundred meters away after observing humans.

At the same time, the investigation team also found that the goitered gazelles in Beishan were divided into two populations by National Highway 308. Most of the observation records of goitered gazelles are located in the northern part of Beishan near the Tengger Desert. Part of the distribution area overlaps with the Shapotou National Nature Reserve, forming a larger population. In a small area south of National Highway 308 in Beishan and north of the Yellow River, there is a smaller distribution area of ​​goitered gazelles. At present, there is no evidence that the goitered gazelles in these two areas have communicated.

In addition, the survey team discovered national key protected wild animals such as golden eagles, blue sheep and vultures in the Xiangshan area. These phenomena highlight the complexity and diversity of the ecosystem in the area, which is of great significance for a deeper understanding of the interactions between species and niche differentiation.

The investigation also found that goitered gazelles are very picky about the environment. They only live in deserts that have been managed for a long time, and they stay away from deserts that have just been covered with grass grids and are still being managed and restored.

It can be said that the appearance of the goitered gazelle is a milestone in the restoration of the desert ecosystem. The high salinity in desert areas makes the soil easy to compact, which affects the germination of plant seeds. Goitered gazelles and other ungulates can loosen the compacted soil by digging the soil with their hooves, which is conducive to plant growth. In addition, goitered gazelles are an important link in the food chain of the desert system and play a vital role in the stability of the desert ecosystem.

(The author Zhao Xumao is a professor at the School of Ecology, Lanzhou University, and Wang Yikai is a graduate student at the School of Ecology, Lanzhou University)