Abstract: Recognition of barrier effect of road on wildlife is one of the main contents of road wildlife ecology research. In this paper, we selected the surrounding Ring Changbai Mountain Scenic Highway, which traverses the Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve, as a research area, and carried out sample line investigations from 2008 to 2012, to assess the barrier effect of highway on middle and large sized mammals. The results indicated that: (1) Twelve middle and large sized mammal species were found within the range of roadside 500 m, and five species were Chinese national protected species; (2) Species richness and the number of mammal signs in Korean pine broadleaved forest were significantly higher than those in secondary white birch forest; (3) Species richness of inside reserve of the road was significantly higher than that of outside reserve of the road, and especially in snow season, species richness and the number of mammal signs of inside reserve of the road were significantly higher than those of outside reserve of the road; (4) The numbers of signs had no significant differences between two sides of the road and two vegetation types for wild boar (Sus scrofa), Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus), Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica), sable (Martes zibellina), yellowthroated marten (Martes flavigula), Asian badger (Meles leucurus), Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and Manchurian hare (Lepus mandshuricus); however, the number of signs of Siberian weasel in Korean pine broadleaved forest was significantly higher than in secondary white birch forest in snow season, and the number of signs of wild boar and Siberian roe deer in Korean pine broadleaved forest were significantly higher than in secondary white birch forest in nonsnow season; (5) In snow season, in terms of the relationship of the number of signs and the crossing rate within the range of roadside 50 m, the crossing section of red deer (Cervus elaphus) through the highway was limited only in K25 to K27, meaning that the barrier effect of highway on red deer was serious. (6) The yearly rate of crossing highway of mammals was negatively correlated to daily traffic volume, although the relationship was not significant. This study indicated the barrier effect of the Ring Changbai Mountain Scenic Highway on middle and large sized mammals had appeared, and this situation showed a serious tendency over time. Presently, human disturbance outside the nature reserve was serious, and we thus recommend building migration corridors for mammals between the nature reserves.

Key words: Yihe basin, landscape pattern, landscape index, driving factors.