Effects of Ecological Restoration Measures on Growth Renewal and Nutritional Quality of Arundinaria faberi in Degraded Habitat of Giant Panda

Restoring the degraded habitat of the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is of paramount importance for the conservation of the species and its forest ecosystem. However, little is known about the impact of ecological restoration interventions on the growth renewal and nutritional quality of Arundinaria faberi in the degraded habitat of the giant panda. Here, we implemented strip thinning and blocky thinning techniques in the Daxiangling mountain range, alongside a control group. A random forest model and multiple linear regression analysis were employed to predict changes in the growth renewal and nutritional quality of bamboo, particularly in the strip-thinned zones. The key findings were as follows: (1) Compared with the control area, strip thinning increased the number of shoots and increased the diameter and height of shoots. (2) The random forest model predicted a decline in bamboo regeneration indices in 2023 compared to 2022 under strip thinning. (3) Through thinning, the palatability and nutritional level of A. faberi were improved. (4) Long-term effects included increased tannin in leaves, decreased tannin and amino acids in shoots and culms, and increased crude fat, with changes in crude protein distribution across bamboo parts. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights for habitat restoration efforts targeting giant panda populations in the low-canopy forest ecosystems of the Daxiangling mountain range.