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Mlyashimbi EC, Mariën J, Kimaro DN, Tarimo AJ, Machang’u RS, Makundi RH, Isabirye M, Massawe AW, Leirs H, Mdangi ME, Belmain SR, Mulungu LS. Home ranges, sex ratio and recruitment of the multimammate rat ( Mastomys natalensis) in semi-arid areas in Tanzania. MAMMALIA 2020. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2019-0048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Investigation 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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel C.M. Mlyashimbi
- Department of Crop Science and Horticulture , Sokoine University of Agriculture , P.O. Box 3005 , Morogoro , Tanzania
- Pest Management Centre , Sokoine University of Agriculture , P.O. Box 3110 , Morogoro , Tanzania
| | - Joachim Mariën
- Evolutionary Ecology Group , Universiteit Antwerpen , Universiteitsplein 1 , 2610 Antwerp , Belgium
| | - Didas N. Kimaro
- Department of Engineering Sciences and Technology , Sokoine University of Agriculture , P.O. Box 3003 , Morogoro , Tanzania
| | - Akwilin J.P. Tarimo
- Department of Crop Science and Horticulture , Sokoine University of Agriculture , P.O. Box 3005 , Morogoro , Tanzania
| | - Robert S. Machang’u
- Pest Management Centre , Sokoine University of Agriculture , P.O. Box 3110 , Morogoro , Tanzania
| | - Rhodes H. Makundi
- Pest Management Centre , Sokoine University of Agriculture , P.O. Box 3110 , Morogoro , Tanzania
| | - Moses Isabirye
- Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment , Busitema University , P.O. Box 236 , Tororo , Uganda
| | - Apia W. Massawe
- Pest Management Centre , Sokoine University of Agriculture , P.O. Box 3110 , Morogoro , Tanzania
| | - Herwig Leirs
- Evolutionary Ecology Group , Universiteit Antwerpen , Universiteitsplein 1 , 2610 Antwerp , Belgium
| | - Mashaka E. Mdangi
- Training, Extension Services and Research , Ministry of Agriculture , P.O. Box 2182 , Dodoma , Tanzania
| | - Steven R. Belmain
- Natural Resources Institute , University of Greenwich , Chatham Maritime, Kent , UK
| | - Loth S. Mulungu
- Pest Management Centre , Sokoine University of Agriculture , P.O. Box 3110 , Morogoro , Tanzania
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Shaner PJL, Yu AY, Li SH, Hou CH. The effects of food and parasitism on reproductive performance of a wild rodent. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:4162-4172. [PMID: 29721288 PMCID: PMC5916304 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Food and parasitism can have complex effects on small mammal reproduction. In this study, we tested the effects of sex, food, and parasitism on reproductive performance of the Taiwan field mouse (Apodemus semotus). In a field experiment, we increased food availability for a portion of the mice in the population by providing sorghum seeds to a set of food stations. We reduced parasite intensity of randomly chosen mice through ivermectin treatment. We determined the number and quality of offspring for the mice using paternity analysis. We quantified seed consumption with stable carbon isotope values of mouse plasma and parasite intensity with fecal egg counts of intestinal nematodes and cestodes (FEC). In a laboratory experiment, we reduced parasite intensity of randomly chosen mice through ivermectin treatment. We quantified their immune functions by total white blood cell count, percent granulocyte count, and percent lymphocyte count through hematological analyses. We measured the FEC and energy intake of the mice. From the field experiment, the number of offspring in A. semotus increased with increasing seed consumption. Due to the trade‐off between number and quality of offspring, the offspring quality decreased with increasing seed consumption for the females. The ivermectin treatment did not affect offspring number or quality. However, the FEC was positively correlated with number of offspring. In the laboratory experiment, the percent lymphocyte/granulocyte count changed with parasite intensity at low energy intake, which was relaxed at high energy intake. This study demonstrated positive effects of food availability and neutral effects of parasitism on A. semotus reproduction. However, the benefits of food availability for the females need to take into account the offspring number–quality trade‐off, and at high infection intensity, parasitism might negatively affect offspring quality for the males. We suggest that food availability could mediate the relationships between parasite intensity and immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Jen L Shaner
- Department of Life Science National Taiwan Normal University Taipei Taiwan
| | - Ai-Yun Yu
- Department of Life Science National Taiwan Normal University Taipei Taiwan
| | - Shou-Hsien Li
- Department of Life Science National Taiwan Normal University Taipei Taiwan
| | - Ching-Ho Hou
- Department of Life Science National Taiwan Normal University Taipei Taiwan
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Abstract
Abstract
Social network models provide a powerful tool to estimate infection risk for individual hosts and track parasite transmission through host populations. Here, bringing together concepts from social network theory, animal personality, and parasite manipulation of host behaviour, I argue that not only are social networks shaping parasite transmission, but parasites in turn shape social networks through their effects on the behaviour of infected individuals. Firstly, I review five general categories of behaviour (mating behaviour, aggressiveness, activity levels, spatial distribution, and group formation) that are closely tied to social networks, and provide evidence that parasites can affect all of them. Secondly, I describe scenarios in which behaviour-altering parasites can modify either the role or position of individual hosts within their social network, or various structural properties (e.g., connectance, modularity) of the entire network. Experimental approaches allowing comparisons of social networks pre- versus post-infection are a promising avenue to explore the feedback loop between social networks and parasite infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Poulin
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand
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