Diet composition and niche overlap of four sympatric rodent species inhabiting mount Rungwe forest nature reserve, Tanzania
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Date
2022
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tanzania Journal of Forestry and Nature Conservation
Abstract
Understanding animal feeding behaviour is
key in determining coexistence mechanisms
which are vital for conservation and
management. The coexistence mechanisms
of sympatric species in mount Rungwe are
unknown. From 2020 to 2021 a study on the
dietary contribution, overlap and niche
breadth of four rodents in Mount Rungwe
Forest Nature Reserve was conducted.
Random sampling was employed with the
removal method, whereby captured rodents’
stomachs were removed and their contents
analyzed. Dietary contribution, overlap and
niche breadth were calculated. All species
consume diverse food resources and
categories where Beamys hindei had a
significantly high number of seeds/grains
while
Grammomys
dolichurus
and
Lophuromys machangui contained a
significantly higher number of invertebrates.
Narrow niche breadth was observed for G.
dolichurus while Praomys delectorum, L.
machangui, and B. hindei had a moderate
niche breadth but the dietary overlap was
high in all four species. Our results conclude
that L. machangui, P. delectorum, and B.
hindei can coexist without competition as
they have >0.5 niche breadth and high
overlap, while G. dolichurus might
experience competition because of low niche
breadth and food diversity. Further
investigation regarding seasonal diet partitioning and micro identification of food
items is recommended.
Description
Journal article
Keywords
Diet partitioning, Dietary niche, Breadth, Coexistence