An MSU professor left for China on Friday as part of a six-month research project to study a 27-year-old panda reservation.
The panda project, headed by fisheries and wildlife Associate Professor Jianguo “Jack” Liu, began in 1998 to study how humans impact the environment of panda bears.
Researchers hope the information can be applied to areas in the United States to prevent the extinction of plant and animal species.
“We’re just trying to use this species as an example with how humans impact wildlife,” Liu said.
“The study area is ideal.”
The Wolong Nature Reserve is a 494,000-acre site in southwestern China that also is inhabited by people.
The panda reserve has become a popular tourist attraction, said Sue Nichols, an MSU University Relations information officer.
Nichols and Kevin Epling, University Relations director of photography, will follow Liu for two weeks on the trip to document the research project.
“We’re pretty much tagging along with Jack,” Nichols said. “A lot of people don’t understand how scientists work.”
Nichols plans to report back on the status of the project.
“All this is done with public money,” she said. “And we feel it’s very important for people to see what’s done with their money.”
Liu said the panda population on the reserve is rapidly declining because of a lack of bamboo - its primary source of food. People who live in the region use bamboo for multiple purposes, including construction material.
The professor and some of his students have made annual trips to China to conduct research since the study began.
Fisheries and wildlife graduate students Scott Bearer and Guangming He have been at the reservation for about a month. Liu said the two students will stay about six months, while he will stay a month.
Two other students at MSU also will help in the research. Fisheries and wildlife graduate students Li An and Marc Linderman will examine satellite images to map the reservation and monitor information they receive from their colleagues abroad.
“Each student has a specific component of the project,” Liu said. “We look at the long-term change.”
The researchers use declassified spy data from 20 years ago to compare the changes in the habitat of the reserve. NASA satellites also are used.
“We’re trying to collect the economical status,” Liu said.
