Abstract: This study selected six socio-economic indicators to calculate the Human Disturbance Index (HDI) in 2005, 2010 and 2015 for towns, and then existed Nature Reserve and Priority Conservation Area (PCA) in the Nujiang River Basin in Yunnan (NRBY). We classified HDI in five levels: slight, light, moderate, severe, and extreme. Results showed since 2005, NRBY towns’ HDI overall increased; the numbers of slight and light HDI towns decreased, but moderate, severe and extreme HDI towns increased. The HDI of National, Provincial and County NRs overall increased since 2005 and separately reached light, light and moderate levels in 2015. Around or even within some NRs (Yongde Snow Mountain, Longling Xiaoheishan, Lincang Lancang River, Nanpeng River), there were some moderate or even extreme HDI towns, where human disturbances should be controlled to avoid further increase of these NRs’ HDI. The HDI of three types of PCAs in NRBY showed slow increasing and remained slight or light HDI level in 2015. According to the spatial patterns of existed NRs, PCAs, township HDI status in NRBY, we proposed three kinds of modes to optimize existed NRBY NRs’ system: establishing new NR in Biluo Snow Mountain in upstream part of NRBY, expanding existed NRs or establishing ecological corridors among the different patches of existed NRs in the downstream part of NRBY, carrying on ex-situ conservation or establish small nature reserves within the moderate or extreme HDI towns in the midstream part of NRBY.

Key words: Human Disturbance Index, Nujiang River Basin, nature reserves, Biodiversity conservation