Abstract
Tropical forest ecosystems harbor several species of small mammals. Diversity and abundance of small mammals in these forests reflect the quality and diversity of the ecosystems. The current study was carried out to assess abundance and species composition of small mammals (rodents and shrews) in three habitat types (Pterolobium, Juniperus and Cadia habitats) in Hugumburda forest, a dry afromontane forest in the Tigray region of North Ethiopia. The habitat types were selected based on the floristic compositions (plant species diversity) and level of human disturbance. All together, 179 individual small mammals belonging to seven rodent and one insectivore species were captured in 4,320 trap nights. The rodent species, with their relative abundance, were Stenocephalemys albipes, 55 (30.7%); Mastomys awashensis, 53 (29.6%); Arvicanthis dembeensis, 26 (14.5%); Lophuromys flavopunctatus, 22 (12.3%); Mus (Nannomys) setulosus, 14 (7.8%); Arvicanthis abysinicus 4 (2.2%); Dendromus mystacalis, 3 (1.7%) and the insectivore Crocidura olivieri, 2 (1.1%). There was significant variation in the small mammal abundance among the habitat types (χ2=29.45, P= 0.009), with more individuals caught in Pterolobium habitat, which has relatively highest plant species composition and lowest human disturbance than the other two habitats. The highest small mammal species diversity was also recorded in this habitat (H’=1.76). Vegetation diversity and level of human interference are likely the major factors affecting small mammal abundance and composition in Hugumburda forest. Key words: Small mammals, Hugumburda forest, human disturbance, diversity indices.
Highlights
Ethiopia encompasses a broad range of ecosystems and habitats that contribute to high mammalian diversity and endemism
Small mammal species composition and abundance in relation to vegetation type About three-quarters of the small mammals were represented by three rodent species that are endemic to Ethiopia namely the Ethiopian white footed mouse (Stenocephalemys albipes) (Rüppell, 1842), the Awash multimammate mouse (Mastomys awashensis (Lavrenchenko et al, 1998), and the grass rat (Arvicanthis dembeensis, Rüppell, 1842)
179 small mammals belonging to eight species were trapped from the three habitat (Table 3)
Summary
Ethiopia encompasses a broad range of ecosystems and habitats that contribute to high mammalian diversity and endemism. Of the 284 Ethiopian mammals, 31 are endemic (Yalden and Largen, 1992). Small mammals (mammals that weight < 5 kg) account for about 39% of Ethiopia's mammals, and 85% of its endemics (Bekele and Leirs, 1997). The abundance and community composition of small mammals depends on the vegetation structure and complexity of the habitat (Muck and Zeller, 2006; Glennon and Porter, 2007; Garratt et al, 2012) with high vegetation diversity and dense ground cover supporting greater small mammal species diversity (Mulungu et al, 2008).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
