Browsing by Author "Debelo Ashetu"

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    Speies Composition Habitat Association and Distriution of Rodents and Shrews in Chato Protected Area Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2016-06) Debelo Ashetu; Bekele Afework (Professor)
    Species composition, habitat association and altitudinal distribution of rodents and shrews were assessed in Chato Protected Area (CPA), Ethiopia between July 2015 and March, 2016. The area was stratified based upon vegetation types and altitudinal zonation. Based on vegetation and altitudinal composition, the study area was divided into five habitats. These were Carissa spinarum - Justicia schimperiana, Maytenus gracilipes, and Podocarpus falcatus- Pyschotria orophila dominated areas and riverine and plantation habitats. A total of 254 individuals comprising five rodent and one shrew species were live trapped from 1862 trap nights. These species of rodents were; Stenocephalemys albipes (40.95%), Lophuromys flavopunctatus (23.6%), Arvicanthis sp. (16.9%), Mus mahomet (13%), Mastomys natalensis (4.35%) and a shrew; shrew sp. (1.2%). Two of these rodent species (S. albipes and L. flavopunctatus) were the most abundant that comprised 64.56% of the total. They were distributed in the entire forest at variable elevations. The shrew sp. was the least abundant and was distributed along the center of the forest. Matyenus gracilipes dominated at 1,789 - 1,975 m was the most diverse and comprise 19.39% trap success. Podocarpus falcatus- Pyschotria orophila dominated from 1,975 to 2,230 m was another diverse habitat that comprised the highest or 22.7% trap success. Plantation supported the least number of rodents. Age and sex distribution of the rodents varied based upon seasons. Keywords: Altitudinal variation, Chato Protected Area, distribution, habitat, rodents, shrews