Spatial and temporal variation in small mammal abundance and diversity under protection, pastoralism and agriculture in the Serengeti Ecosystem, Tanzania

Abstract

15Land use is an important factor influencing animal abundance, species richness and 16 diversity in both protected and human-dominated landscapes. Increase in human population 17 and activities intensify changes in habitat structure and hence abundance, species richness and 18 diversity. We investigated the influences of land use and seasonality on small mammal 19 abundance, species richness and diversity in 10 habitat types distributed over protected, 20 agricultural and pastoral landscapes in the Serengeti ecosystem in Tanzania. We used live traps 21 (n = 141) and capture-recapture methods in each of 10 fixed plots distributed across three 22 landscapes for a total of 28,200 trap nights of effort. Trapping was carried out in the wet and 23 dry seasons for two consecutive years (April 2017 to October 2018). Small mammal abundance 24 was higher in the pastoral than in the protected and in the agricultural landscape. Abundance 25 was higher in the dry than the wet season across all the three landscapes. Species richness and 26 diversity were higher in the protected, middling in the agricultural and lowest in the pastoral 27 landscape. The high abundance in the pastoral landscape was due to the numerical dominance 28 of two species, namely A. niloticus in the shrubland and M. natalensis in the cropland habitat, 29 resulting in low species richness and diversity. Abundance was more evenly distributed across 30 all habitats in the protected area due to less disturbance. The low abundance in the agricultural 31 landscape, likely reflects disturbance from cultivation. High species richness and diversity in 2 32the protected area indicate high habitat heterogeneity while high species diversity in the 33 agricultural landscape was likely due to high food availability during and soon after harvests. 34These findings emphasize the importance of protection in maintaining habitat heterogeneity 35 for wildlife. They also reaffirm the need for buffer zones around protected areas to cushion 36 them from intensifying human activities. 37

Season and habitat affect diversity, abundance and reproductive state of small mammals near Lake Abaya, Ethiopia

“…As expected, diversity of the small mammals was lowest in the cropland compared to the non-crop habitats (including homestead). The results are in agreement with Demeke et al (2007), Mayamba et al (2019) and Shilereyo et al (2019) who also reported higher small mammal diversities in non-cultivated areas than in agricultural fields in Ethiopia (Arba Minch area), Uganda and Tanzania, respectively. The low small mammal species diversity in cropland can be ascribed to higher disturbance due to human activities including; land preparation (ploughing), weeding, thinning of young plants (particularly maize) and harvesting.…”

Ectoparasite load of small mammals in the Serengeti Ecosystem: effects of land use, season, host species, age, sex and breeding status

“…Of the captured small mammals, 237 were captured in the park, 277 in the pastoral land and 98 in the agricultural land. The total of 28,200 trap nights of effort consisted of 11,280 trap nights in the park, 11,280 in the pastoral land and 5640 in the agricultural land (for more details see Shilereyo et al 2020 ).…”

“…This involved assessing how ectoparasite load varied between land use, habitat type, season and host species and with the age, sex and breeding status of the host Human disturbance apparently increases ectoparasite load per individual most likely by reducing habitat heterogeneity and altering small mammal species diversity. Indeed, the pastoral and agricultural lands supported fewer small mammal species but numerically more abundant than the protected park (Shilereyo et al 2020). The reduced species diversity in the disturbed pastoral and agricultural lands may increase ectoparasite load (Van Deventer and Nel 2006;Civitello et al 2015;Peng et al 2018).…”

“…More specifically, we evaluate how ectoparasite load varies with species, age (adult vs. juvenile), sex (male vs. female) and breeding status (breeding vs. non-breeding) of the host species under protection in the Serengeti National Park, livestock pastoralism (and limited cultivation) and crop agriculture. We consider 19 small mammal species inhabiting the Serengeti ecosystem numerically dominated by the African grass rat ( Arvicanthis niloticus ) and the multimammate rat ( Mastomys natalensis ) in the wet and dry seasons (Senzota 1982 ; Shilereyo et al 2020 ). We focus on two locally abundant genera of ectoparasites, namely mites ( Echinolaelaps spp.)…”

On the Hunting of, and Threats Facing, the Cape Hare (Lepus capensis Linnaeus, 1758) in the Gaza Strip, Palestine

“…The Ship or Black Rat (Rattus rattus), Norway or Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus), House Mouse (Mus musculus), Greater Egyptian Gerbil (Gerbillus pyramidis) and Lesser Egyptian Jerboa (Jaculus jaculus) are common rodent species trapped in various ecosystems within the Gaza Strip for both control and scientific purposes as pointed out by Abd Rabou et al (2007a) and Abd Rabou (2019a and c). Such traps are commonly used in studies dealing with small and medium-sized mammals (Shilereyo et al, 2020). Pit traps were rarely used in the Gaza Strip, especially in its western belt which is characterized by its sand dunes topography.…”