Road networks can negatively impact wildlife populations through habitat fragmentation, decreased landscape connectivity, and wildlife-vehicle collisions, thereby influencing the spatial ecology and population dynamics of imperiled species. The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a federally endangered wild felid in South Texas, with a high mortality rate linked to vehicle collisions. Using a multi-scale approach, we quantified and examined landscape spatial structure at ocelot roadkill locations, and between roadkill locations of male and female ocelots. We quantified the spatial distribution of land cover types at 26 ocelot–vehicle collision sites in South Texas that occurred from 1984–2017. We compared landscape metrics of woody, herbaceous, and bare ground cover types across multiple spatial scales at roadkill locations to those from random road locations, and between male and female ocelots. Roadkill sites consisted of 13–20% more woody cover than random locations. Woody patches at roadkill sites were 7.1–11% larger (2.4 ha) closer to roads and spaced 10–16 m closer together farther away from roads compared to random locations. Percent woody cover was the best indicator of ocelot–vehicle collision sites; there were no differences in woody cover between male and female road mortality locations. These findings suggest that ocelots are likely struck by vehicles while crossing between habitat patches. Roads that bisect areas of woody cover have negative impacts on ocelots by increasing habitat fragmentation and vulnerability to vehicle collisions. Crossing structures should be placed in areas with ≥ 30% woody cover and 3.5 ha woody patches.

中文翻译：

---

豹猫-车辆碰撞地点的景观格局

道路网络可以通过栖息地破碎化、景观连通性降低和野生动物与车辆碰撞对野生动物种群产生负面影响，从而影响濒危物种的空间生态和种群动态。豹猫 (Leopardus pardalis) 是德克萨斯州南部的一种联邦濒危野生猫科动物，死亡率很高，与车辆碰撞有关。使用多尺度方法，我们量化和检查了豹猫路杀位置以及雄性和雌性豹猫路杀位置之间的景观空间结构。我们量化了 1984 年至 2017 年发生在德克萨斯州南部的 26 个豹猫与车辆碰撞地点的土地覆盖类型的空间分布。我们比较了木本植物、草本植物、和裸露地面覆盖类型跨越多个空间尺度的道路杀手位置到随机道路位置的那些，以及雄性和雌性豹猫之间。Roadkill 地点的木质覆盖物比随机地点多 13-20%。与随机位置相比，道路杀伤地点的木质斑块距离道路近 7.1-11%（2.4 公顷），距离道路更近 10-16 m。木质覆盖百分比是豹猫与车辆碰撞地点的最佳指标；男性和女性道路死亡地点之间的木质覆盖没有差异。这些发现表明豹猫可能在穿越栖息地斑块时被车辆撞击。将树木覆盖区域一分为二的道路会增加栖息地的破碎化和车辆碰撞的脆弱性，从而对豹猫产生负面影响。