I examined the effect of sugarcane plantations on small mammal communities at
3 sites in the Lowveld of Swaziland during the dry and wet seasons of 2008. I evaluated
changes in species abundance and community parameters in relation to distance to the
interface, as well as the relationship between small mammal communities and
environmental variables. I used pitfall arrays and Sherman live traps to sample small
mammals along 9 traplines at the land-use interface and on a gradient extending 375 m
into each land-use. I used point-centered-quarter, range pole, and line-transect sampling
to characterize plant community structure.
Two generalist small mammal species had increased abundance as distance into
the sugarcane increased. Two species with wide geographic ranges appeared to select
areas within 75 m of the interface. Four species with restricted habitat tolerances or
diets were negatively affected by sugarcane, as was 1 species that selects for low ground
cover. Two species may have avoided the interface. For the majority of species in the
Lowveld, sugarcane does not provide habitat. Sugarcane monocultures > 375 m in width
may form a barrier to movement of small mammal species.
Species richness and diversity significantly decreased at the interface of 2 sites,
however, 1 site had increased diversity associated with the interface. My analysis
indicated a difference in community composition between the 2 land-uses and
differences between the farthest interior conservation area (375 m)-interface (0 m) and
the farthest interior sugarcane (375 m). There was no difference in community
composition between seasons or distances within the conservation area. The farthest
interior sugarcane trapline had distinctness from other traplines within the sugarcane,
and may be of importance for minimizing the effects of habitat fragmentation in lowveld
savanna.
The effects of sugarcane did not extend into adjoining natural vegetation. My
results indicated grass biomass, litter depth and shrub density played important roles in
structuring the communities. Between sites, variation in community structure
attributable to the sugarcane interface varied. The site with poorest vegetative cover had
the highest relative importance of distance to the interface. One species (Steatomys
pratensis) was negatively affected by distance to the interface.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:tamu.edu/oai:repository.tamu.edu:1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2010-12-8995 |
| Date | 2010 December 1900 |
| Creators | Hurst, Zachary Matthew |
| Contributors | McCleery, Robert A., Silvy, Nova J. |
| Source Sets | Texas A and M University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
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