Home ranges, sex ratio and recruitment of the multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) in semi-arid areas in Tanzania

AbstractInvestigation of home ranges, sex ratio and recruitment of the multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) in semi-arid areas of Tanzania was conducted in maize and fallow fields using the capture-mark-release (CMR) technique. The aim of this study was to generate useful data for the management of M. natalensis. The relative home range size of M. natalensis was significantly higher during the wet [544 m2 ± 25 standard error (SE)] than during the dry (447 m2 ± 18 SE) season, in males (521 m2 ± 23 SE) than in females (450 m2 ± 17 SE) and in adults (576 m2 ± 34 SE) than in juveniles (459 m2 ± 16 SE). However, there were no significant differences between habitats. Sex ratio was not significantly different (p = 0.44) between habitats. Recruitment was significantly higher (p = 0.000) in maize fields (mean = 0.43) than in fallow land (mean = 0.32) and differed significantly over time (p < 0.0001) with the highest recruitment recorded from April to July and the lowest from October to December. Management strategies should focus on managing rodents inhabiting maize fields using methods that affect their recruitment in order to reduce the population increase of M. natalensis.

Download Full-text

Relationships between seasonal changes in diet of Multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) and its breeding patterns in semi-arid areas in Tanzania

Cogent Food & Agriculture ◽

10.1080/23311932.2018.1507509 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 1507509 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Emmanuel C. M. Mlyashimbi ◽

Joachim Mariën ◽

Didas N. Kimaro ◽

Akwilin J. P. Tarimo ◽

Moses Isabirye ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Seasonal Changes ◽

Arid Areas ◽

Mastomys Natalensis ◽

Semi Arid ◽

Multimammate Rat

Download Full-text

Soil type influences population dynamics and survival of the Multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) in semi-arid areas in Tanzania

Crop Protection ◽

10.1016/j.cropro.2019.05.023 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 124 ◽

pp. 104829 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Emmanuel C.M. Mlyashimbi ◽

Bram Vanden Broecke ◽

Joachim Mariën ◽

Didas N. Kimaro ◽

Akwilin J.P. Tarimo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Soil Type ◽

Arid Areas ◽

Mastomys Natalensis ◽

Semi Arid ◽

Multimammate Rat

Download Full-text

Spatial ecology of the Mariana Crow Corvus kubaryi: Implications for management strategies

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270918000394 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 527-541 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

SARAH K. FAEGRE ◽

LINDSEY NIETMANN ◽

DYLAN HUBL ◽

JAMES C. HA ◽

RENEE R. HA

Keyword(s):

Home Range ◽

Spatial Ecology ◽

Large Scale ◽

Life Stage ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Home Ranges ◽

Spatial Behaviour ◽

Island Endemic ◽

Species Specific ◽

Over Time

SummaryKnowledge of species-specific spatial ecology is critical for applying appropriate management strategies to maximise conservation outcomes. We used radio-telemetry to describe spatial behaviour of the critically endangered, island-endemic Mariana Crow Corvus kubaryi. To determine whether management strategies should reflect life stage, we measured the home ranges and daily movements of 22 Mariana Crows. Fledgling mobility was low during the first 31 days post-fledging and effects of age (fledgling or sub-adult) and time (months post-fledging or post-dispersal) were often driven entirely by this period. After controlling for reduced fledgling mobility, cumulative home range size increased over time for both age classes and was, on average, more than twice the area for sub-adults than fledglings. Sub-adults also tended to make longer daily movements than fledglings. Non-cumulative, monthly home range areas did not increase over time but the average overlap in home range area between consecutive months was only 63%, suggesting large shifts in space use each month. These results highlight the dynamic nature of Mariana Crow home ranges and suggest that large-scale management efforts are critical for protecting both breeding and non-breeding individuals. The application of the traditional home range concept to Mariana Crows and other wide-ranging passerine birds may result in sub-optimal management strategies. Instead, we recommend that the spatial and temporal scale of conservation efforts be informed by species-specific spatial behaviour across all relevant life stages.

Download Full-text

Home Ranges of Sympatric Red Kangaroos Macropus-Rufus, and Western Grey Kangaroos Macropus-Fuliginosus, in Western New-South-Wales

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr9880405 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 15 (4) ◽

pp. 405 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

D Priddel ◽

N Shepherd ◽

G Wellard

Keyword(s):

Solar Radiation ◽

National Park ◽

New South ◽

Home Range Size ◽

Home Ranges ◽

Feeding Sites ◽

Resting Sites ◽

South Wales ◽

Macropus Rufus ◽

Over Time

Home ranges of sympatric red kangaroos, Macropus rufus, and western grey kangaroos, M. fuliginosus, were determined by radiotracking 48 individuals over 20 months. More than 90% of individuals of each species remained within home ranges of less than 10 km2 (mean � SE, 7.74 � 0.90, reds; 6.92 � 0.77, western greys). At no time did any individual disperse far, the longest movement being 13 km. Based on diurnal locations (resting sites) only, home ranges of red kangaroos were larger than those of western greys (P<O.001), and those of kangaroos on Kinchega National Park smaller than those on the adjacent pastoral leasehold (P<O.05). Home ranges calculated from nocturnal and diurnal locations (feeding sites and resting sites) were no different in size for either species, sex or location, but reds, males, and kangaroos on Tandou sometimes moved further between nights and between seasons than did western greys, females, and kangaroos on Kinchega, respectively. Size of quarterly home ranges of red kangaroos changed over time, being positively correlated with minimum temperature (r=0.96; P<O.O5), solar radiation (r=0.99; P<0.05) and evaporation (r=0.99; P<O.O5). Home-range size for western greys did not change significantly over the duration of the study.

Download Full-text

Management strategies for minimizing environmental constraints to small ruminant production in semi-arid areas of southern Africa

BSAP Occasional Publication ◽

10.1017/s0263967x00031335 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

pp. 178-178

Author(s):

L. R. Ndlovu ◽

L. M. Sibanda

Keyword(s):

Southern Africa ◽

Small Ruminant ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Environmental Constraints ◽

Arid Areas ◽

Semi Arid

Download Full-text

Experimental Study on Sorption and Desorption of NaCl to Sand Using a Physical Model

10.29007/r72k ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Zahra Mardani ◽

Kumars Ebrahimi ◽

Ali Jafari

Keyword(s):

Experimental Study ◽

Porous Media ◽

Physical Model ◽

Arid Areas ◽

Saturated Porous Media ◽

Sodium Ions ◽

Adsorption Phenomenon ◽

Semi Arid ◽

Over Time ◽

Soil Weight

In many parts of our planet, salinity has caused numerous problems in the production of goods, especially in arid and semi-arid areas, which account for one third of the planet's surface area. The main purpose of this article is to investigate the NaCl’s adsorption to and desorption from saturated porous media of sand. The NaCl solutions with the concentrations of 2.5, 5 and 10 g/l, and three types of soil textures with the weights of 50, 100 and 200g were used as samples of the experiments. The samples were placed in capped containers. The salinity of the solutions was measured using an EC-metre at 1, 2, 4, 7 and 24 hours from the beginning of the experiment. The results indicated that in the soils with less weight, the adsorption of sodium ions were more, and as soil weight increased, the adsorption of ions decreased, and finally the adsorption phenomenon was departed. Over time, the process of adsorption and desalination eventually stopped.

Download Full-text

Improving Forage Crops for Semi-Arid Areas

Outlook on Agriculture ◽

10.1177/003072709802700205 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 89-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

H. Medrano ◽

M.M. Chaves ◽

C. Porqueddu ◽

S. Caredda

Keyword(s):

Management Strategies ◽

Research Work ◽

Subterranean Clover ◽

Seasonal Distribution ◽

Limiting Factor ◽

Arid Areas ◽

Forage Crops ◽

Marginal Lands ◽

Semi Arid ◽

New Cultivars

In semi-arid areas, forage crops for grazing are suitable for extensive, marginal lands because they can sustain competitive meat or milk production, they protect against soil erosion risks, and they can form the basis of an alternative sustainable agriculture. Drought is the main limiting factor to plant growth in these lands, seriously affecting total herbage production and seasonal availability of forage. Recent research work looking for new cultivars of some annual self-reseeding pasture crops (annual rye grass, lupin and subterranean clover) with an enhanced capacity for herbage or seed production under water stress, has demonstrated the difficulties in obtaining new cultivars of well adapted crops with substantial yield improvement under drought conditions. New management strategies for improving pasture availability for grazing and self-reseeding ability have been tested (also at farm level) showing clear possibilities for enhancement of herbage production and a more regular seasonal distribution in drought-prone environments.

Download Full-text

The influence of pasture distribution, temperature and sex on home-range size of feral pigs in a semi-arid environment

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr98075 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 26 (6) ◽

pp. 755 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Nick Dexter

Keyword(s):

Home Range ◽

Radio Telemetry ◽

Arid Environment ◽

Home Range Size ◽

Range Size ◽

Maximum Temperature ◽

Home Ranges ◽

Feral Pigs ◽

South Wales ◽

Semi Arid

In this study the home-range sizes of feral pigs (Sus scrofa) at Nocoleche Nature Reserve, semi-arid New South Wales were measured by radio-telemetry over the course of a drought. The abundance of food was indexed simultaneously by the amount of pasture in the four most common habitats at Nocoleche (shrubland, woodland, riverine woodland, and ephemeral swamps). The influence of the pig's sex, and mean maximum temperature and pasture biomass on the home-range size of pigs were examined using ANOVA and multiple regression, respectively. Mean home-range size of males was 7.9–11.6 km2 and that for females was 4.2–8.0 km2 . Males had significantly larger home ranges than females, and their home-range size did not change significantly over the course of the drought. In contrast, the size of the home ranges of females changed significantly and was correlated negatively with the abundance of pasture biomass in shrublands and mean maximum temperature, and positively with the abundance of pasture biomass in ephemeral swamps. The conclusion from this study is that males maintained a large, unvarying, home range to maximise access to females while females changed their home-range size according the abundance of food and the constraints of high temperature.

Download Full-text