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- Title
Habitat type impacts small mammal diversity in the Ukaguru Mountains, Tanzania.
- Authors
Ademola, Olaoluwa John; Massawe, Apia W.; Mulungu, Loth S.; Hieronimo, Proches; Makonda, Fortunatus B. S.; Makundi, Rhodes H.
- Abstract
We assessed the habitat association of the diversity and abundance of small mammals in the Ukaguru Mountains within the Eastern Arc Mountains, Tanzania. An estimation of the vegetation parameters and live-trapping of small mammals for three consecutive nights per month for 21 months were carried out in farmland, disturbed and intact forests. A total of 1196 individual small mammals comprising 13 species were captured. Species diversity and evenness in intact forest were much higher compared to disturbed forest. Principal component analysis (PCA) explained 87.7% of the variance with two factors. The study suggests vegetation and habitat disturbances are factors responsible for the observed diversity of small mammals in the Ukaguru Mountains. Mastomys natalensis, Mus triton and Praomys delectorum accounted for 90.0% of total captures. M. triton and M. natalensis were the most abundant in farmland with 46.8 and 42.8% of total captures respectively and associated with the herbaceous vegetation. P. delectorum correlated with litter depth and trees and accounted for 90.0 and 80.0% total captures in disturbed and intact forests respectively but the mean abundances in both habitats were not significantly different (p = 0.72).
- Subjects
TANZANIA; MAMMAL diversity; HABITATS; PRINCIPAL components analysis; SPECIES diversity
- Publication
Mammalia: International Journal of the Systematics, Biology & Ecology of Mammals, 2022, Vol 86, Issue 2, p123
- ISSN
0025-1461
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1515/mammalia-2020-0158