About 80% of the known breeding population of ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) in the USA occurs exclusively on private ranches in northern Willacy and Kenedy counties in South Texas. These private ranches support several large contiguous undisturbed patches of thornscrub, which is preferred by ocelots. Past studies have indicated ocelots in South Texas select for woody patches that contain extremely dense thornscrub (i.e., 95% canopy cover and 85% vertical cover) and require large patches of woody cover to survive. Landscape metrics have been used to explain ocelot habitat use in fragmented areas, but their application in less-fragmented rangelands is lacking. From 2011 to 2018, we used camera traps on the East Foundation’s El Sauz Ranch to assess seasonal habitat use of ocelots relative to landscape structure, configuration, and complexity and other site-level factors in South Texas. Seasonal habitat use and detection were positively influenced by larger mean patch area and lower landscape shape index values. We also observed ocelots were less likely to be detected during periods of drought and exhibited a seasonal trend in detection. Ocelots used woody patches that were larger and more regularly shaped, indicating a preference for areas with a lower degree of fragmentation across the study area. As patches become larger, they will coalesce over time and form larger woody aggregates, which will promote ocelot habitat use. Brush management needs to be strategic as patch area and shape index are a limiting factor to promote ocelot habitat use on working rangelands in South Texas. These results demonstrate the ability to use landscape metrics to discern the effects of spatial structure of vegetation communities relative to ocelot occupancy parameters.

中文翻译：

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木本植物覆盖物的空间结构影响德克萨斯州牡蛎的栖息地使用方式

大约80％的已知小oc（Leopardus pardalis）种群）仅在美国北部威拉西县和南德克萨斯州肯尼迪县的私人牧场上发生。这些私人牧场支撑着几个连续的，未受干扰的大块刺棘，这是陆龟首选的。过去的研究表明，得克萨斯州南部的豹类动物选择的木质斑块中含有非常密集的荆棘丛（即95％的树冠覆盖和85％的垂直覆盖），并且需要大块的木质覆盖才能生存。景观指标已被用于解释零散地区的豹猫栖息地的使用，但缺乏在零散的牧场中的应用。从2011年到2018年，我们在East Foundation的El Sauz Ranch上使用了相机陷阱，以评估与德克萨斯州南部得克萨斯州的景观结构，构造，复杂性和其他站点级因素相关的三角洲季节性栖息地使用情况。季节性生境的使用和检测受到较大的平均斑块面积和较低的景观形状指数值的积极影响。我们还观察到在干旱期间不太可能检测到小球，并且在检测中表现出季节性趋势。豹猫使用的木质斑块较大且形状更规则，这表明整个研究区域都倾向于碎片程度较低的区域。随着斑块变大，它们将随着时间的推移聚结并形成更大的木质聚集体，这将促进豹猫栖息​​地的利用。画笔管理应具有战略意义，因为斑块面积和形状指数是促进在南德克萨斯州工作牧场上使用豹猫栖息地的限制因素。