Landscape patterns of ocelot–vehicle collision sites

Blackburn, AnnMarie; Anderson, C. Jane; Veals, Amanda M.; Tewes, Michael E.; Wester, David B.; Young, John H.; DeYoung, Randy W.; Perotto‐Baldivieso, Humberto L.

doi:10.1007/s10980-020-01153-y

Cited by 16 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…Furthermore, in the last 35 years, there have been no reported jaguarundi road mortalities (Texas Department of Transportation, unpub. data), but >30 road mortalities of U.S. endangered ocelots (Blackburn et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Status and distribution of jaguarundi in Texas and Northeastern México: Making the case for extirpation and initiation of recovery in the United States

Lombardi

Haines

Watts

et al. 2022

Ecology and Evolution

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The jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi) is a small felid with a historical range from central Argentina through southern Texas. Information on the current distribution of this reclusive species is needed to inform recovery strategies in the United States where its last record was in 1986 in Texas. From 2003 to 2021, we conducted camera‐trap surveys across southern Texas and northern Tamaulipas, México to survey for medium‐sized wild cats (i.e., ocelots [Leopardus pardalis], bobcats [Lynx rufus], and jaguarundi). After 350,366 trap nights at 685 camera sites, we did not detect jaguarundis at 16 properties or along 2 highways (1050 km2) in Texas. However, we recorded 126 jaguarundi photographic detections in 15,784 trap nights on 2 properties (125.3 km2) in the northern Sierra of Tamaulipas, Tamaulipas, México. On these properties, latency to detection was 72 trap nights, with a 0.05 probability of detection per day and 0.73 photographic event rate every 100 trap nights. Due to a lack of confirmed class I sightings (e.g., specimen, photograph) in the 18 years of this study, and no other class I observations since 1986 in the United States, we conclude that the jaguarundi is likely extirpated from the United States. Based on survey effort and results from México, we would have expected to detect jaguarundis over the course of the study if still extant in Texas. We recommend that state and federal agencies consider jaguarundis as extirpated from the United States and initiate recovery actions as mandated in the federal jaguarundi recovery plan. These recovery actions include identification of suitable habitat in Texas, identification of robust populations in México, and re‐introduction of the jaguarundi to Texas.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Status and distribution of jaguarundi in Texas and Northeastern México: Making the case for extirpation and initiation of recovery in the United States

Lombardi

Haines

Watts

et al. 2022

Ecology and Evolution

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“…We used 30-m satellite imagery to evaluate the spatial structure of land cover classes [ 29 ]. Specifically, we acquired seven LANDSAT images through the United States Geological Survey Global Visualization Viewer ( https://glovis.usgs.gov/ ) which were taken during the year crossing structure construction was completed, or within two years of estimated completion.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent studies found that ocelot road mortalities in South Texas are associated with areas of intact thornshrub composed of 30–38% woody cover and woody patches of 3.5 ha [ 29 , 30 ]. While this information gives conservation planners an understanding of where collisions may occur, it can also be used to evaluate the efficacy of current crossing structures built specifically for ocelots.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While this information gives conservation planners an understanding of where collisions may occur, it can also be used to evaluate the efficacy of current crossing structures built specifically for ocelots. This study aimed to expand upon the findings of Blackburn et al [ 29 ] by further analyzing ocelot-vehicle collisions in the context of mitigation. Our goal was to understand whether ocelot crossing structures (hereafter crossing structures) occur in areas suitable for ocelots by comparing landscape features at these locations to where ocelots have been killed by vehicles.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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If you build it, will they come? A comparative landscape analysis of ocelot roadkill locations and crossing structures

et al. 2022

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Wildlife-vehicle collisions can have a substantial influence on the mortality rates of many wildlife populations. Crossing structures are designed to mitigate the impact of road mortality by allowing safe passage of wildlife above or below roads, and connect to suitable areas on both sides of the road. Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) are a federally endangered felid in the United States, with remnant populations of <80 individuals remaining in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. Vehicle collisions are the greatest known source of mortality for ocelots in Texas. Crossing structures designed for ocelot use have been implemented throughout South Texas since the 1990s, however, ocelots rarely use them. We compared landscape characteristics between ocelot crossing structures and ocelot-vehicle collision sites. We quantified the spatial distribution of woody and herbaceous cover types surrounding ocelot crossing structures (n = 56) and ocelot-vehicle collision sites (n = 26) at multiple spatial extents and compared landscape metrics between these location types. The landscape surrounding ocelot crossing structures had 17–22% more open herbaceous cover >1,050 m from the road, and 1.2–5.8 ha larger herbaceous patches >450 m from the road compared to ocelot-vehicle collision sites. Additionally, many crossing structures installed during the 1990’s are situated >100 km away from an extant ocelot population. Results from this study can guide conservation planners to place future road crossing structures in areas more likely to be used by ocelots. Our results also emphasize that reliable scientific data must be used for effective mitigation efforts. In the absence of data, post-installation assessments can improve the placement of future structures.

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“…The landscape index is a simple quantitative index reflecting the spatial configuration characteristics of landscape structure composition, which can meet the requirements of quantifying the causes of landscape spatial heterogeneity and its ecological implications (Yan et al, 2001). The landscape index can also realize the comparison of different landscape patterns in the same period, the comparison of the same landscape patterns in different periods, and the comparison of different landscapes in different periods to study the temporal and spatial characteristics of landscape patterns and eco-hydrology more comprehensively and scientifically (Blackburn et al, 2020). This research studies the changing characteristics of the regional landscape patterns from two levels:…”

Section: Calculation Of the Landscape Pattern Indexmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the influence of the water balance process on the change of landscape patterns in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River

Liu

Yuan

et al. 2022

Water Policy

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Based on hydrometeorological data and land-use data (from 1980 to 2015), the effects of water balance on landscape patterns in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River were studied by using water balance analysis, landscape index method, and other methods. Eight appropriate landscape indices (NP, COHESION, LPI, AI, SHDI, CONTAG, SPLIT, and LS) were selected to explore the spatial and temporal characteristics of landscape patterns. From 1980 to 2015, the precipitation in the study area decreased by 6.97%, and the annual precipitation of farmland maintained at about 1,050 mm. The evapotranspiration (ET) had little change in general, but it varies greatly under different land-use types. Soil water storage variables showed a downward trend, and soil water storage variables of various land-use types changed dramatically during the study period. The total number of patches increased and the patch shape became more complex. At the level of landscape structure, SHDI and SPLIT increased, while CONTAG and COHESION decreased, the degree of patch fragmentation and landscape heterogeneity improved. Correlation analysis showed that from a time perspective, LSI, SPLIT, and SHDI were significantly negatively correlated with ET, and CONTAG was significantly positively correlated with ET. There was a significant negative correlation between SPLIT and SW, and a significant positive correlation between COHESION and SW. These results indicated that with the decrease of ET and soil water storage variables, patches became more dispersed and landscape patterns became more fragmented. From the perspective of spatial distribution, the increase of SW increased landscape diversity and decreased landscape connectivity and contagion. The correlation coefficients between SW and the three groups of landscape pattern indexes (SHDI,CONTAG, and COHESION) were higher than those between ET and the three groups of landscape pattern indexes, which meant that soil water is more correlated with landscape pattern characteristics, and the effect of soil water change on landscape heterogeneity is more obvious. The study of the relationship between hydrological processes and landscape pattern characteristics in this paper enriches and expands the theoretical method system of ecological hydrology and ecological environmental protection in arid/semi-arid regions in our country.

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Landscape patterns of ocelot–vehicle collision sites

Cited by 16 publications

References 56 publications

Status and distribution of jaguarundi in Texas and Northeastern México: Making the case for extirpation and initiation of recovery in the United States

Status and distribution of jaguarundi in Texas and Northeastern México: Making the case for extirpation and initiation of recovery in the United States

If you build it, will they come? A comparative landscape analysis of ocelot roadkill locations and crossing structures

Analysis of the influence of the water balance process on the change of landscape patterns in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River

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