Despite the fact that pandas are one of the most beloved animals, they are not immune from the devastating consequences of climate change.Bamboo, almost the only source of power black-and-white bear, endangered, grows quickly and multiplies very slowly.The fact that only once in thirty to thirty-five years, bamboo shoots appear flowers and fruits, greatly affects its ability to adapt to changes in climate associated with global warming.Scientists warn that areas of bamboo forest in the Qinling Mountains, home to pandas, may disappear.The area of bamboo thickets, which are powered cute bear, because of climate change can be reduced considerably in the near future.The author of the article published in the scientific journal Nature Climate Change, devoted to changes in the global climate, points to the need to create food reserves to herbivore Bears.
Pandas (photo) - the only members of the family bearish, which feed mainly on plant food.Daily diet medvedya- "vegetarian" is composed of about 20 kg of bamboo.Recently, ecologists began to notice that in some places these animals began to turn to other sources of supply.So, in the province of Sichuan, the cases when the panda got into pigsties and selected food from their inhabitants.
team of scientists from the American University in East Lansing (Michigan) conducted surveillance in the mountains of central China where pandas live.It is home to about a fifth of the entire population of the species.Ecologists have studied the climate in the Qinling Mountains and other local factors, as well as evaluated the rate of reduction of protected bamboo groves.The data allowed the researchers to develop a special climate models and predict how will grow the most common kinds of bamboo.Conclusions environmentalists are not very comforting: all areas of bamboo forest in the Qinling Mountains, where pandas live in the moment, should be gone by the end of XXI century.By that time, according to the calculations of ecologists, bamboo bear habitat will decline by about 80 or even 100 per cent.Suitable for growing bamboo will remain only a few mountainous areas where it is unlikely to penetrate because of the extremely slow breeding cycle.But if that happens, giant pandas will gain a chance to survive.
lack of food will lead to forced migration herbivorous bears into new habitats.However, the animals will prevent deforestation and the construction between individual sections of bamboo groves.It should also take into account peculiarities of reproduction of this type of bears.Young pandas are born on average once in 2-3 years.In addition, the female brings up only one cub.Scientists at the University of Michigan insist on immediate application of measures to protect the areas of bamboo groves, where pandas live is now.Environmentalists hope that their findings will be taken into account by the authorities of the People's Republic of China and other countries in south-east Asia in the development of preventive measures to promote the conservation of the population of giant pandas.
