Species Composition, Abundance and Habitat Association of Rodents in Awash National Park and Metahara sugarcane Plantation
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Date
2011-02
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
A study on the species composition, distribution, relative abundance and habitat
association of rodents species was carried out in Awash National Park and Metahara
Sugarcane Plantation from August 2005 to 2007. Eight trapping grids were randomly
selected based on the vegetation composition in Awash (riverine forest, Acacia
woodland, Shrub bushland and grassland) and on growth stages of cane in Metahara
(immature sugarcane plant, young sugarcane plant, and old sugarcane plant). An
additional grid was selected from shrub bushland area outside the sugarcane
plantation. A total of 1002 captures were obtained in 5880 trap nights. Of these, 309
individuals (40.98%) represented six species of rodents (Mastomys natalensis,
Acomys cahirinus, Arvicanthis dembeensis, Mastomys erythroleucus, Tatera robusta
and Mus musculus) in Awash and 445 (59.02%) represented eight species of rodents
(M. natalensis, A. dembeensis, A. cahirinus, Mylomys albipes,Tatera robusta, M.
musculus,and Rattus rattus) in Metahara. M. natalensis was the most abundant
species constituting 26.5% of the total catch. A. dembeensis (17.8%), A. cahirinus
(16.2%), M. erythroleucus (12.3%), T. robusta (11.8%), M. albipes (7.3%), M.
musculus (5.4%), and R. rattus (2.7%) constituted the total catch. Variation in
abundance among the rodent species between the two sites was significant. Most of
the rodent species from Awash were trapped from shrub bushland and grassland
areas. Riverine forest was the least preferred habitat by rodents in the study area. M.
natalensis, A. dembeensis, A. cahirinus, M. albipes and M. erythroleucus preferred
young sugarcane plants to other growth stages of the cane. T. robusta and R. rattus
were trapped in more number in old sugarcane than other growth stages. M. musculus
was equally abundant in both young and old sugarcane growth stages. The overall
difference of the species abundance between the different stages of sugarcane
plantation was significant. There was seasonal difference in the abundance of the
rodent species in both Awash and Matehara. However, the overall difference in the
abundance of rodents species between the two seasons was not statistically significant
in Metahara. Variation in trap success in different habitats of Awash was statistically
insignificant. Variation in trap success between different growth stages of the canes
was statistically significant. However, there was no significant difference in trap
success between the seasons. All age groups were represented in the population of
most species with seasonal variation. The highest damage of sugarcane was recorded
in old sugarcane plantation during both wet and dry seasons, followed by young and
immature sugarcane plantations.
Keywords: Abundance, Awash National Park and Metahara sugarcane plantation,
habitat
association of rodents, seasonal variation, species composition, trap
success .
Description
Keywords
Abundance, Awash National Park and Metahara sugarcane plantation, habitat association of rodents, seasonal variation, species composition, trap success .